- Cumberland Falls is known as the “Niagara of the South,” and it’s famous for its moonbow.
- The park features 17 miles of hiking trails, guided rafting trips, horseback riding, and other seasonal outdoor activities.
- Visitors can stay overnight in cabins or campsites.
You’ll find waterfalls across the country, from North Carolina to Yellowstone. And one of the most breathtaking waterfalls is found in the small town of Corbin, Kentucky, also known as the home of Kentucky Fried Chicken.
Cumberland Falls, located in Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, is 68 feet tall and 125 feet wide, and, as state park manager Maggy Monhollen tells Travel + Leisure, it’s the “largest waterfall east of the Mississippi, south of the Niagara Falls.”
While its size is certainly impressive—it’s the reason for the nickname the “Niagara of the South”—the most interesting aspect of this water feature is actually its moonbow. Produced when moonlight is refracted through water droplets, the white or lunar rainbow only appears in full moon conditions when the sky is clear. And, yes, it’s a photographer’s dream.
SeanPavonePhoto/Adobe Stock
What to Do
You don’t necessarily have to visit during a full moon (or stay up late) to experience Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, of course. Monhollen calls it a true “one-stop shop” with something for every type of outdoorsy traveler. “At 1,000 acres and surrounded by 800,000 acres of Daniel Boone National Forest, the park is a nature lover’s paradise,” she says.
“There are 17 miles of hiking trails, a full-service restaurant, 96 accommodations, a swimming pool, horseback riding, rafting at the falls, a gift shop, a visitors center, two campgrounds with a total of 51 campsites, the Moonbow Cafe, a full-service restaurant, and so much more,” she adds. There’s also fishing, birding, picnicking, and gem mining.
Seeing the awe-inspiring falls is the top priority for most travelers coming to Cumberland Falls State Resort Park. There’s a half-mile hike to the falls—a total descent of 200 feet—from DuPont Lodge, but you can also choose to get a bit closer (right up to the base of the falls) via a boat. Sheltowee Trace Adventure Resort is the outfitter for guided whitewater rafting trips below Cumberland Falls. Both the Rainbow Mist and the Moonbow Mist trips come recommended by Monhollen, who says they’re a “once-in-a-lifetime experience.” Reservations for the latter trip usually open on the Monday before the trip date.
Ryan C. Hermens/Lexington Herald-Leader/Tribune News Service via Getty Images
When asked about the best hiking trails in the park, Monhollen shared a couple of her favorites. “Blue Bend Loop, a five-mile loop, is our longest trail in the park,” she says, adding that it follows the Cumberland River. The three-mile Eagle Falls trail is another one of her picks, and she says hikers will get a “glimpse of Cumberland Falls from across the river” and it “ends at a beautiful, turquoise waterfall, located within a Kentucky State Nature Preserve.” If you choose this route, you’ll also have the opportunity “to see wildlife and a variety of different flora.”
Those visitors searching for a shorter trail may also enjoy the half-mile (one-way) Pinnacle Knob Fire Tower Trail. “It is the easiest trail in the park, ending at the historic Pinnacle Knob Fire Tower, offering a majestic view of the foothills of Appalachia,” she explains. You can even join a guided tour to Pinnacle Knob Fire Tower, built in 1937, with one of the park’s naturalists.
The park also has a variety of other programs and guided activities throughout the year. Horseback riding is a popular choice, and visitors can go on rides on weekends in May, September, and October, and daily from Memorial Day Weekend until Labor Day. Monhollen also suggests swinging by the visitors center to “see the reptile family and learn the history of the park.”
Notably, the pool, horseback riding, rafting, and the Moonbow Cafe are only offered seasonally.
When to Visit
“There’s never a bad time to visit, but I’d recommend visiting during May and June to optimize our recreational opportunities at the park,” says Monhollen. Of course, if you want to see the famous moonbow, you’ll also need to time your trip during a full moon—and the full moon calendar is available online. The remaining 2025 dates are Nov. 3-7 and Dec. 2-6.
Starting from Nov. 1 this year, a few of the facilities will be closed due to renovations, including DuPont Lodge, Riverview Restaurant, and Ridgeline Campground. During this time, cabin rentals will still be available, and other aspects of the park—including Cumberland Falls, the hiking trails, welcome center, and gift shop—will remain open.
