Things to Do Near Cumberland Falls

If you’re traveling along I-75 through Kentucky, Cumberland Falls State Resort Park is a beautiful place to stretch your legs and enjoy the amazing waterfalls. There are lots of things to do near Cumberland Falls and if you stop at night, you might see a moonbow!

Cumberland Falls is the largest waterfall south of Niagara Falls. Dropping 68 feet and 125 feet wide, the falls are sometimes called Little Niagara or Niagara of the South.

Where is Cumberland Falls?

Just 30 miles north of the Kentucky-Tennessee border, this hidden gem is near the town of Corbin along the Cumberland River. The Falls are about a 20-minute detour off I-75.

For a view from the top, the falls are accessed via a short trail from the parking lot just off Highway 90. For another angle, there’s a hiking trail that takes you to the bottom of the falls.

Cumberland Falls State Resort Park is free to visit and offers hiking, fishing, birding, boating, camping, horseback riding, rafting, and more.

The Cumberland Falls Moonbow

Cumberland Falls is the only place in the Western Hemisphere where you can see a moonbow, so if you visit during a full moon, you’re in for a very rare treat!

A moonbow is a phenomenon that occurs when light from the moon illuminates falling water drops in the air. It’s the same concept as a rainbow, but the light comes from the moon instead of the sun. The mist from the waterfall combined with the light of a full moon can result in a unique nighttime moonbow! It appears for two or so days on either end of a full moon and can be seen as long as the sky is clear.

*Photo credit: PEO ACWA on Flickr via Creative Commons License.*

The Cumberland Falls web site provides a full list of Moonbow dates.

Things to Do Near Cumberland Falls

There are many things to do near Cumberland Falls State Resort Park. Hiking, fishing, birding, boating, camping, horseback riding, and gemstone mining are all options for your visit.

There are also raft tours if you want to get up close to Little Niagara! Much like “Maid of the Mist” at Niagara Falls, Cumberland Falls has raft tours which take you through the mist, from May to October.

The park has 17 miles of hiking trails, in varying lengths from 0.5 miles to 10.8 miles. There’s also a museum at the park that features Indian artifacts, as well as a visitor’s center, gift shop, and snack bar.

Signage at Cumberland Falls inform visitors as to what a moonbow is.

You could definitely stay a night or two in the Cumberland Falls, Kentucky, area. Fortunately, there are several lodging options, from the DuPont Lodge to cabins, cottages and a campground.

DuPont Lodge has been rebuilt several times since the original CCC structure of 1933. Today, the lodge offers 52 rooms and an outdoor swimming pool. The property also has a grocery store, laundry, outdoor pool, and tennis courts. Riverview Restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner from a scenic spot overlooking the Cumberland River.