Big South Fork NRRA: Yahoo Falls (Blog Hike #92)

Trails: Yellow and Green Trails

Hike Location: Big South Fork NRRA, Yahoo Falls Scenic Area

Geographic Location: west of Whitley City, KY (36.77347, -84.52438)

Length: 1.1 miles

Difficulty: 4/10 (Moderate)

Dates Hiked: May 2001, May 2015

Overview: A lollipop loop featuring Kentucky’s highest waterfall.

Trail Information: http://www.nps.gov/biso/planyourvisit/kytrails.htm
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=940326
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: From Whitley City, go north on US 27 less than 1 mile to SR 700.  Turn left and begin heading west on paved SR 700.  Look for a brown sign stating “Yahoo Falls Picnic Area” beside a gravel road heading right.  Turn right here and follow the gravel road to its terminus in the picnic area.  The trail begins from the far side of the picnic area.

The hike: Located in the very northern portion of the park, Yahoo Falls is one of the principal attractions of the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area.  The area is interesting not only because it harbors the tallest waterfall in Kentucky, but also for the sad history that the rock shelter containing this waterfall possesses.  

In the early 1800’s, Princess Cornblossom, a leader of the Cherokee nation and a woman with a reputation for extreme beauty, was gathering her people in the rock shelter for a migration south to an area near Chattanooga.  Unlike some of the more famous Indian leaders of her time, she envisioned peaceful coexistence as a course of managing the vast numbers of white settlers rather than armed resistance and treaties.  Cornblossom had heard of an Indian school in the Sequatchie Valley of southern Tennessee that she thought could help obtain her vision.  Unfortunately, some nearby armed settlers who did not share her peaceful intentions got wind of the meeting and surrounded the entrance to the rock shelter.  Trapped against the rock, the Indians succumbed to a massive slaughter via bullets.  Cornblossom is now buried several miles south of here in Stearns, Kentucky, her grave marked by a historical marker.

The days of frontier skirmishes are long gone, and today only a densely-forested wilderness shrouding the waterfall lies in wait for the hiker.  A large but primitive picnic area located at the end of a gravel road is the center of Yahoo Falls activity and the trailhead for our hike.  Restrooms are provided at the picnic area, but there is no potable water source.  The trail system is laid out in three parallel rings along the hillside and is marked by blue, green, and yellow arrowheads.  Also, a portion of the Sheltowee Trace, a 214-mile trek across eastern Kentucky, passes through the area.

Trailhead: Yahoo Falls

            Start beside the restrooms at the northwest corner of the picnic area and look for the trail going north.  The trailhead is marked with a sign saying “Yahoo Falls 0.25 miles.”  Trails at Big South Fork are marked with green fiberglass rectangles, but you may see some old arrowhead paint blazes as well.

After only 0.1 mile take a side trail to the left that leads to an overlook of the Big South Fork River.  Whereas in other parts of the park the river appears as a lively stream, the river here is broad and slow.  This is actually the backwaters of famed Lake Cumberland, the largest lake in eastern Kentucky.  Wolf Creek Dam, which creates the lake, is some 25 miles west of here.  The Big South Fork first flows north to join Laurel River, then west and southwest toward the dam.

Big South Fork River flowing into Lake Cumberland

            Continuing on the main trail, in another 0.2 miles come to a bench and an intersection.  Either route could be chosen here, as these two trails form the loop for our hike.  I suggest turning left and using the right trail as a return route, as this choice provides the shortest route to the falls and makes the uphill climb coming back easier.  

The trail descends a long series of metal steps to arrive below the cliffline, which is now visible uphill and to your right.  Watch your step if the stairs are the least bit wet.  Even though footing is usually adequate to good, wet metal is extremely slippery and deserves every bit of caution.  Maintaining a constant elevation on the hillside, several side trails exit left downhill to connect to the blue trail.  Notice that one of these is marked with a white turtle on a blue background, the blaze for the Sheltowee Trace.

Descending metal steps

            0.4 miles from the intersection, the trail curves to the right and Yahoo Falls comes into view with the rock shelter in the background.  The 113-foot falls contains a moderate volume of water during normal water levels.  I suspect the falls would be merely a trickle during a drought.  When I visited the area on a damp spring afternoon, the water level was perfect.  The falls are framed beautifully by the large rock shelter. The rocks also make for some interesting acoustics.  As the trail passes under the rock shelter and behind the falls, listen for the water echoing off of the rock walls.  Some steps down to the plunge pool allow yet another perspective of the falls, but be warned that the area around the plunge pool can get a bit muddy.

Yahoo Falls, viewed from the north

Yahoo Falls, viewed from the south

            Continue past the falls and begin tracing along the hillside with cliffs immediately to the right and the ravine to the left.  In 0.2 miles, the trail turns left and uses a pair of switchbacks to intersect the ridgetop trail, which goes left and right.  The trail going left leads to Yahoo Arch in 0.7 miles.  The arch is not included in this hike, but would make an interesting side trip if you have extra time and energy.

Now along the rim, the trail passes through young forest with an extremely dense understory of rhododendron and mountain laurel.  The laurel was putting on a beautiful white flower show when I was here in late spring.  Pass a pair of overlooks that have their views obstructed by rhododendron and cross the creek that in only 30 feet creates Yahoo Falls using some stepping stones.

Flowering tree

            The trail now climbs gently, passing a couple of benches for the weary.  0.4 miles from the creek, the trail closes the loop by intersecting the trail from the waterfall.  Only a short, level walk remains past the river overlook to return you to the picnic area and complete the hike.