Backpack Trail Guide

Trails / Kentucky / Big South Fork (Kentucky)

Sheltowee Trace: Yamacraw to Yahoo Falls (Big South Fork)

Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, Kentucky side (near Whitley City)

On the Kentucky side of Big South Fork, the Sheltowee Trace follows the river gorge between the Yamacraw area and Yahoo Falls, which Kentucky Tourism calls “the highest cascade in the state of Kentucky” at 113 feet. Hiking Project lists this as Section 33 of the Sheltowee Trace, 8.2 miles point to point with “great views of the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River.”

Kentucky Tourism describes a longer Yamacraw-Yahoo Falls Loop of about 15 to 16 miles as an overnight option, passing Princess Falls, Yahoo Arch, and Yahoo Falls.

The hike

Hiking Project describes starting from the Yamacraw parking area, with “some rocks, roots” and “steep sections” along the way, and iron stairs that connect the Yahoo Falls overlook to the trail. It counts about 600 feet of climbing over the section. The Outbound lists Princess Falls, near Whitley City, as a 2.4-mile out-and-back on the Sheltowee Trace with river access.

Yahoo Falls is the destination. The NPS says the 1-mile Yahoo Falls Loop “provides access to and allows good views of 113 foot Yahoo Falls,” with steep metal steps, and the trail passes behind the waterfall under a large rock shelter. Hiking Project adds that the falls area was developed by the Forest Service in the mid-1960s and transferred to the National Park Service in 1987, and that water volume drops in dry spells. Kentucky Tourism mentions a 1.6-mile out-and-back spur to Yahoo Arch, which it describes as about 100 feet, past rock formations and overhangs. The Yahoo Falls trailhead, with picnic tables and restrooms, is off Kentucky Highway 700, about 1.5 miles down a gravel road.

Wikipedia gives the Sheltowee Trace about 343 miles in all, named for Daniel Boone’s Shawnee name, “Big Turtle.” Its southern end is at Burnt Mill Bridge, in the Tennessee part of Big South Fork.

Kentucky Tourism recommends spring for the strongest waterfalls and fall for color. For other Sheltowee overnights, see Cumberland Falls to Bark Camp Creek farther north, and for a longer Big South Fork route on the Kentucky side, the Kentucky Trail.

Tips

Camping

Big South Fork requires a backcountry permit for overnight camping, available at visitor centers or online. NPS rules: camp at least 100 feet from trails, parking areas, and paved roads (and out of sight of the road), and 100 feet from cultural landscapes, caves, rock shelters, arches, graves, and historic structures. Fires are allowed in existing rings using dead and down wood, except within 100 feet of historic structures, cemeteries, arches, and rock shelters, or on cliff ledges. Stays are limited to 14 days at one site and 30 days a year. Bury human waste 100 feet from camp and water. Pets must be leashed. Alum Ford Campground, on the Kentucky side, is a developed alternative, according to Kentucky Tourism.

Inside Intel: We didn’t find camper accounts recommending a particular backcountry site on this section. Plan to camp well away from Yahoo Falls and Yahoo Arch to meet the 100-foot rules.

Trail facts

The Lowdown

Lunch below Kentucky's tallest waterfall:

The climb back up from Yahoo Falls is steep, so pack something worth stopping for on the river trail. See the meals testers like.

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Where this comes from

This page draws on the sources below, along with other guides and trip reports. Links go to the original pages.

Before you go: This page is based on published trail guides, trip reports, and reviews, along with official park and agency information where we could find it. It’s meant to help backpackers discover new trails, not to replace current, official information. Conditions, closures, permits, campsites, and water sources change, and some details here may be out of date or wrong. Confirm everything with the managing agency and check current conditions before you head out, and don’t rely on this page alone for safety or navigation. Backcountry travel involves risk.