bad branch falls state nature preserve

Love the hike, took my then girlfriend, who later become my wife. Water falls is beautiful. It is not a strenuous hike, but be careful to stay on trail and watch for snakes during seasons.

Fabulous Experience! Together with 4 friends we went to explore the beauty of Bad Branch Falls State Nature Preserve! While hiking, I was extremely impressed by the rich biodiversity. It was an easy and spectacular hike. The falls were breath-taking and it was so refreshing to be there. Excellent place for a hike with family or friends!

My friends and I ventured along the curvy roads atop Pine Mountain to find Bad Branch Falls. Once we reached the peak of the mountain, we found a breathtaking view overlooking miles of deep-green mountains. Although the road might be a little tricky for out-of-towners, the drive is worth it to see the beautiful water fall. Once you find the destination, you walk along a mossy and canopy path throughout the mountain. I would recommend well-gripped shoes, and cool/comfortable clothing as well as a water bottle or a light snack. Bring the camera along for great pictures to capture you and your party for an experience that can only be seen in Letcher County.

Bad Branch Falls is not on the beaten path, and can be somewhat hard to find. If you are visiting Kingdom Come State Park you should absolutely take the time to find it the State Nature Preserve and at least make the one mile hike to the falls. The hiking is rugged — a few steep climbs, narrow ledges, lots of tree root steps and rock scrambling, and some pretty impressive drop offs if you were to slip so wear appropriate shoes and take your trekking poles if you got them. There are no dogs allowed on the trail, so be prepared not to take Fido. We love to hike with our dog, but the ruggedness of the trail would not be appropriate for him anyway even if he was allowed.(The parking lot is somewhat shaded and visible from the main road.)The waterfall is not the most impressive flow of water I've ever seen but the steep stone wall it drops off is, making for a lovely view. I can see how this spot is popular in the summer with locals. The forest is lovely and we passed one other group of hikers as we were leaving the day we walked it so the quiet and solitude factors were very high. We plan to visit again and hike the entire loop trail.