Yahoo Falls can be found in the heart of Appalachia. This amazing waterfall is located in McCreary County in Eastern Kentucky. Yahoo Falls is the highest waterfall in Kentucky, standing at a staggering 113 ft. However, this fact is often argued and not everyone agrees. What people do agree upon is that it is one of the highest free-flowing waterfalls that you can see in Kentucky. As such it should be on your Kentucky waterfalls bucket list.
One fact remains, Yahoo Falls is gorgeous. The falls cascade down into a blue pool which continues into a small stream that leads out from the falls. Be sure to check out the views from the wooden bridge that directly overlooks the falls!
Not only is the waterfall unique because of its height but there are also fewer crowds at this waterfall. We visited Yahoo Falls in February 2023. Winter is our favorite time to visit waterfalls. Why? The waterfalls are more likely to be stronger and less likely to be dried up considering winter is a relatively wet season in the state of Kentucky. We’ve visited waterfalls several times in the summer to be disappointed at the trickling streams. There are also fewer bugs and snakes during this time of year. Honestly, we think it’s perfect and we plan almost all of our waterfall trips between December and May.
Getting There
While crowds are not something you have to worry about, this trail is still a pretty popular local trail. Therefore, it was very easy to find the Yahoo Falls trailhead. We actually just typed “Yahoo Falls trailhead” into our GPS and we easily found the parking area. There is plenty of parking at the trailhead as well as restrooms.
GPS Coordinates: 36.769N 84.51056W
You can reach Yahoo Falls through a few different trails, so there are many options for hiking. You can hike for as little as 1 mile to up to 15 miles! It’s really up to you!
We elected to take the shorter and easier route during our most recent visit. The trail is considered of moderate difficulty due to the descent down which becomes difficult on the return. You will reach some stairs that may be difficult for some hikers.
This trail is a 1.0-mile out-and-back trail that takes an average of 30 minutes to complete. We would recommend that you allow yourself at least one hour to account for time to explore the fall itself and some of the rocks surrounding it. There are so many unique perspectives and vantage points that you can access to get different views of the falls.
During our hike, we took full advantage of the wooden bridge on the trail that offered beautiful views of the falls from a distance. We also climbed upon the rocks and walked down the stream (make sure you have waterproof shoes if you elect to do this) to get other views of the falls. You can also walk down to the base of the falls. We visited after a flood warning in the area and the force of the waterfall hitting as you walked beside it was so powerful! We caution that you be careful if the falls are strong as the rocks at the base can become quite slippery.
Where to Eat
After all that hiking, what’s better than a great meal? We love hiking in McCreary County because one of our favorite places to eat can be found there. We always visit the Dairy Bar. The Dairy Bar is a Southern staple, and it is delicious. The burgers are amazing, but they have so many other options like chili cheese dogs, chicken dinners, milkshakes, loaded cheese fries, spaghetti dinners, salads, and so much more! Justin LOVES the pineapple milkshakes… his suggestion is that if you like pineapples you must get one! We literally cannot come to McCreary without eating here.
We hope this helps you plan your hike to Yahoo Falls! We hope you enjoy this hike as much as we did as it is one of our favorites. If you have any questions about the hike, be sure to reach out to us by commenting below or directly messaging us on Instagram. If you want more great footage of Yahoo Falls be sure to check out our Instagram page! Safe travels y’all! – Justin & Caitlin