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.
Its 60 ft drop is taller than about 48% of the 775 waterfalls we track.
Bad Branch Falls sits on Bad Branch. It lies in Letcher, Kentucky. The site is on public land managed by Bad Branch State Nature Preserve (KY Nature Preserves).
This is a moderate hike waterfall: a longer day hike, roughly one to several miles each way. Reaching it takes a moderate walk, so budget time and pack water before you set out. The walk to the main viewpoint runs about 2.1 miles round trip. The nearest town is Whitesburg.
When to go: Spring (high flow). Flow usually peaks after snowmelt and heavy rain and tapers through late summer — a quick look at recent streamflow and the managing agency's conditions page can save a wasted trip.
