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LakeQuality

Updated July 2026

Copperas Falls

Wolfe County, Kentucky — about 40 ft, mid-height.

Copperas Falls is a roughly 40-foot waterfall that flows over an expansive rock shelter into a blue-green pool at the head of Copperas Creek in the Red River Gorge. It is reached by an unofficial out-and-back trail off Sky Bridge Road (KY-715).

Height
40 ft
Type
Plunge
Access
Moderate Hike
Trail
3.2 mi out-and-back
Elevation gain
173 ft
Best season
Spring (high flow)
Land manager
Daniel Boone National Forest / Red River Gorge Geological Area (USFS)
Watercourse
Copperas Creek

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 Daniel Boone National Forest / Red River Gorge Geological Area (USFS) for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Copperas Falls drops about 40 feet. That makes it the 486th-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 31% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.

The Copperas Falls Trail (unofficial, off Sky Bridge Road / KY-715) reaches it about 3.2 miles (out-and-back) with roughly 173 feet of elevation gain, rated moderate. The nearest town is Slade. That describes the route as documented, not conditions on the day — check with Daniel Boone National Forest / Red River Gorge Geological Area (USFS) 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.

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Sources

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