Kentucky has a waterfall that makes rainbows from moonlight, and almost no one knows it

Cumberland Falls isn’t your average waterfall

Cumberland Falls sits deep in southeastern Kentucky, and most people outside the state have never heard of it. They should have.

A 68-foot wall of water crashes across the Cumberland River 125 feet wide, loud enough to feel in your chest before you see it. That part is impressive on its own.

But what happens on clear nights around a full moon puts this place in a category shared by only one other location on the planet.

How a du Pont heiress saved the falls from disappearing

In the late 1920s, developers had plans to run a hydroelectric power station above the falls, which would have diverted the river and ended the show.

T. Coleman du Pont, a Kentucky native, stepped in and bought the land to block it.

After his death, his wife purchased the falls and 593 acres for $400,000, donating everything to the state on March 10, 1930. The park was officially dedicated on Aug. 21, 1931.

The lodge that stands there today still carries the du Pont name.

The moonbow: moonlight bending into color over the falls

Here’s the thing that sets Cumberland Falls apart from every other waterfall in the Western Hemisphere. On clear nights near a full moon, the mist rising off the water bends the moonlight into a rainbow.

Not sunlight. Moonlight.

That phenomenon, called a moonbow, happens here on a regular, predictable schedule.

The only other place in the world where you can count on seeing one is Victoria Falls, on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The Kentucky Department of Parks publishes a yearly moonbow schedule so you can plan your trip around it.

What to do on moonbow night at the falls overlook

The best viewing spot is the Falls Overlook, a short walk from the visitor center parking lot off Highway 90. Get there about two hours after sunset when the moon is still low and the arc hangs over the mist.

To your naked eye, the moonbow will likely look white. Moonlight is far too faint to trigger full color in human vision.

Bring a camera on a tripod and use a long exposure, and the full spectrum of colors comes out in the photo. Clear skies are everything.

Cloud cover kills it.

The hike that gets you above Cumberland Falls

The Eagle Falls Trail runs about 1.5 to two miles and covers more ground than the distance suggests.

It takes you above the gorge, where you look down on Cumberland Falls from the rim, then drops you into a secluded cove where Eagle Creek falls 44 feet onto the riverbank below.

The trail has steep sections, stairs, and some rock scrambling, so wear real shoes.

Eagle Falls sits inside the Cumberland Falls State Park Nature Preserve, which protects rare plants and animals that live in that cove.

Seventeen miles of trails wind through the old Kentucky forest

The park’s trail system covers 17 miles, from a half-mile paved path between the visitor center and the main overlook to the 11-mile Moonbow Trail, which connects to the Sheltowee Trace National Recreation Trail running through the Daniel Boone National Forest.

The Pinnacle Knob trail takes two miles round-trip through the woods to a high viewpoint.

If you want more than what the park offers, the trails hook into the broader national forest network and you can go as deep into the backcountry as your legs will carry you.

Two and a half miles downstream, there’s another waterfall

Follow the Sheltowee Trace about 2.5 miles past Cumberland Falls and you’ll reach Dog Slaughter Falls, a 15- to 20-foot drop where Dog Slaughter Creek pours into the Cumberland River.

The hike takes you through dense rhododendron tunnels, past towering rock cliffs, and alongside small seasonal cascades along the creek.

The name, unsettling as it sounds, is believed to trace back to the drowning of hunting dogs or unwanted pets in the creek during earlier times in this part of Kentucky.

Get on the river below the falls

The Cumberland River below the falls runs with enough energy for whitewater rafting, and guided trips run for beginners and families without any prior experience needed.

Kayak and canoe rentals give you another way to get on the water.

Fishing for bass, catfish, and panfish is popular along the river, and you’ll need a Kentucky state fishing license to do it. Riverboat cruises offer a slower way to move through the gorge.

One thing you cannot do: swim near the falls. The currents there are genuinely dangerous.

Ride a horse or sift for gemstones near the gift shop

Trail rides run through the eastern Kentucky forest from Memorial Day weekend through fall, with guides who can take first-timers and experienced riders alike. You need to be at least 6 years old to ride.

Right near the gift shop, the Cumberland Falls Mining Company runs an outdoor flume where you sift through buckets of sand looking for stones.

Pyrite, quartz, moonstone, topaz, and amethyst all turn up in the mix. It’s a low-key activity that tends to pull people in longer than they expected.

Watch for bears, warblers, and wild turkeys in the forest

White-tailed deer, wild turkeys, raccoons, and black bears all move through the park and the surrounding Daniel Boone National Forest. Birders tend to linger here because the list is long.

Pileated woodpeckers, wood thrushes, tufted titmice, northern cardinals, and Carolina chickadees are all regulars.

Each spring and fall, wood warblers pass through on their migration route between South America and northern breeding grounds.

The forest floor runs thick with wildflowers, rosebay rhododendron, mountain laurel, and native orchids when the season is right.

The lodge was built by hand from local timber in 1941

The original DuPont Lodge went up in the 1930s, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, but fire destroyed it in April 1940.

Workers rebuilt it the following year using hemlock beams and pine cut from the surrounding woods. Large stone fireplaces anchor the common areas, and knotty pine paneling covers the walls throughout.

The lodge has 51 guest rooms and an observation deck that looks out over the Cumberland River valley. Right now it’s closed for renovation, with reopening expected in fall 2026.

Cabins, campsites, and a museum near the falls

With the lodge under renovation, the 25 one- and two-bedroom cabins and cottages take up the slack.

They come with full kitchens and bathrooms, and Woodland Suites gives you a smaller cabin-style option at a lower price.

The campground runs about 50 sites with electric and water hookups, showers, restrooms, and a dump station.

Near the falls, the Blair Museum holds Native American artifacts and local natural history exhibits worth an hour of your time. Check current campground opening dates before you book, since the season varies.

Visit Cumberland Falls State Resort Park in Kentucky

Cumberland Falls State Resort Park sits off Highway 90 just southwest of Corbin, Kentucky, inside the Daniel Boone National Forest.

It’s about two hours south of Lexington and roughly 90 minutes north of Knoxville, Tennessee. The park is open 24 hours a day, year-round, with no general admission fee.

Before you go, check the official Kentucky State Parks website for the current moonbow schedule. You’ll want to line up your visit with a clear night and a full moon.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

Read more from this brand:

• The only place in the Western Hemisphere where moonlight makes a rainbow is in Kentucky
• This US town has been making bourbon-soaked fruitcake for 175 years
• Behind Kentucky’s state song: the abolitionist message hidden in the lyrics