Kentucky's tallest waterfall with an accessible base (walk behind it); steep metal stairs near falls.
Loading current conditions…
Based on this listing's approximate location — see the note on coordinates below.
Visitors can walk to the base and even behind the falls; trail has steep metal stairs near the falls, per official state tourism page
Yahoo Falls is located in Daniel Boone National Forest’s Stearns Ranger District, near Whitley City in McCreary County, and is officially recognized as Kentucky’s tallest waterfall. A unique feature is the ability to walk to the base of the falls and even walk behind them—an experience few waterfalls allow.
The trail to Yahoo Falls includes steep metal stairs near the falls themselves, requiring care in navigation. The moderately easy hike, combined with the unique under-and-behind-the-waterfall experience, makes this a memorable destination. The metal stairs and substantial elevation in the area warrant sure footing and appropriate footwear.
No fee is mentioned for trail access. Given its status as Kentucky’s tallest waterfall and the distinctive behind-the-falls walk-through experience, Yahoo Falls ranks high on many Kentucky waterfall itineraries. The Daniel Boone National Forest alerts list shows no current closure, so access is open.
Year-round access; no current closures noted.
No fee or permit requirement was published on the managing agency's site when we last checked — confirm current conditions before you go, since these change.
The managing agency's page (linked below) has the current trailhead and route details — round-trip distance wasn't published when we checked.
We track 8 waterfalls in Cumberland Falls Country.
There are 3 other waterfalls we track in McCreary. All Cumberland Falls Country waterfalls →
kentuckytourism.com
Kentucky Tourism's official page calls this 'Kentucky's tallest waterfall' and describes the hike as 'moderately easy' with steep metal stairs, but does not give an exact height figure, so height_ft is left null rather than using the frequently-cited but unconfirmed 113 ft figure. Closure check: the live Daniel Boone National Forest alerts list (checked 2026-09-04) contains no current alert for Yahoo Falls or the Stearns Ranger District.
Checked September 2026.