Updated July 2026
Bad Branch Falls
Bad Branch Falls is a 60-foot waterfall in the forested gorge of Bad Branch State Nature Preserve near Whitesburg in Letcher County, one of the most biodiverse sites in Kentucky. The 2.1-mile out-and-back trail follows the cold, clear creek up to the base of the falls.
Before you go
Waterfalls are hazardous by nature — wet rock, cold water, and unstable edges — and flow varies enormously with season and recent rain. Trail figures here describe the route as documented, not conditions today. Check Bad Branch State Nature Preserve (KY Nature Preserves) for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.
Graded lakes within 25 miles
- CFishpond Lake · Letcher County · 7.4 mi
- ANorth Fork Pound Reservoir@Dam · Wise County · 8.3 mi
- AWise Lake · Wise County · 15.2 mi
- ACarr Fork Lake · Knott County · 16.1 mi
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Frequently Asked Questions
Bad Branch Falls drops about 60 feet. That makes it the 382nd-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 48% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.
The Bad Branch Falls Trail reaches it about 2.1 miles (out-and-back), rated moderate. The nearest town is Whitesburg. That describes the route as documented, not conditions on the day — check with Bad Branch State Nature Preserve (KY Nature Preserves) for closures and current conditions.
Spring (high flow). Waterfall flow swings enormously with snowmelt and recent rain, so a fall that roars in spring can be a trickle by late summer.
More Kentucky waterfalls
- Anglin Falls · 75 ft
- Bark Camp Creek Cascades · 25 ft
- Broke Leg Falls · 60 ft
- Copperas Falls · 40 ft
- Creation Falls · 12 ft
- Cumberland Falls · 68 ft
- Dog Slaughter Falls · 15 ft
- Eagle Falls · 44 ft
Sources
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