Starting off with a local favorite, Bad Branch Falls. Bad Branch Falls, with its beautiful trail and enchanting 60 ft. waterfall, is a Letcher County treasure. It is a must see for visitors wanting to explore our area. The hike to Bad Branch Falls is a little over a mile (one way) and takes close to 2.5 hours at a leisurely pace. The trail will take you through an old timber haul road that was built in the 30’s or 40’s.

This hike is a categorized as a moderate hike because it requires climbing over rocks and walking around small ledges. During the winter, there is usually ice along the trail which can also make hiking somewhat dangerous. Most people that can walk one mile should not have any trouble.

The scenery to the falls is breathtaking, including high sandstone cliffs, giant hemlock pines and many different types of rock formations. If you want something a little more challenging, there is an option to take the High Rock Loop Trail, a little over 2-mile hike to the crest of Pine Mountain. This trail joins in with the Pine Mountain State Scenic Trail - which will stretch over 110 miles when completed.

Follow along to learn more about the falls, Bad Branch Nature Preserve, and other trails in our area!

Nestled in the heart of coal country on Pine Mountain is an unexpected gem, the Bad Branch Falls State Nature Preserve and the High Rock Loop Trail. High Rock Loop is known as one of the best trails in Kentucky and offers even the most experienced hikers a challenging climb through the Bad Branch Preserve. This strenuous 7.5-mile hike has a lot of uphill elevation changes and is located nearly 2 miles north of Bad Branch Falls. Cutting through a grove of old-growth hemlocks, winding along streams, scrambling rocks to expansive views, and with an optional side hike for waterfall chasers, this trail offers a lot of wow for a day hike.

High Rock provides an unparalleled view of Whitesburg and the surrounding area. Here is a fantastic spot to look for migrating hawks swooping through the air in the fall. In addition, the nature preserve houses Kentucky’s only known nesting pair of common ravens (and numerous other species) so bring the binoculars for a chance to spot wildlife.

The hiking is rugged in this part of Kentucky—a few steep climbs, narrow ledges, lots of tree root steps, and some rock scrambling—but it’s worth it when summiting this interesting trail. With arguably the best views on Pine Mountain, there are also some pretty impressive drop offs to keep an eye on.

Starting off on the Bad Branch Trail from the parking area, hikers are treated to the accompaniment of the music of trickling water for the first section of trail as it follows a stream through mountain laurel and hemlocks along an old logging road. Soon the cadence of the 60-foot waterfall created by the pure waters of the Bad Branch river over a sandstone cliff can be heard. Take the spur from the main trail to visit the falls.

After sunning on the rocks beneath the waterfall, or perhaps even taking a quick shower in the falls, continue back up the trail to the High Rock Loop section. A rocky 2-mile steep scramble to the crest of Pine Mountain travels through a mountain pass known as the Ran Polly Gap. Reaching High Rock, a sandstone outcrop providing panoramic views of the Cumberland Plateau and Black Mountain, hikers are provided with an unparalleled vista of Whitesburg and the surrounding area.

Beyond High Rock, hikers plunge back into the dense forest. Along this section, people must be careful to watch for blazes and keep a close eye on the map, as well as the rooty and rocky ground as this is the least maintained part of the trail. Then the loop connects back with the Bad Branch for an easier trip back to the car.

Follow along to see maps of these areas, learn more about Bad Branch Nature Preserve, and other trails in our area!

Today we have some fun facts and a little history of Bad Branch State Nature Preserve! At the bottom, you'll also find a link to the most recent map of the preserve and it's hiking trails.

Bad Branch Falls State Nature Preserve is a forested gorge covering 2,829 acres in Letcher County. The deep and narrow gorge, adjacent to the Jefferson National Forest is carved into the face of Pine Mountain. Sandstone boulders and cliffs along with ridgeline and knobs provide views into the Appalachia area. The terrain is landscaped with streams, rivers, and a 60-foot waterfall. The preserve was acquired to protect habitat that supports more than thirty species of rare flora and fauna.

The Nature Conservatory (TNC) sold the original 435 acres of Bad Branch Gorge to the Kentucky State Nature Preserves (KSNPC) in 1985, and by making that agreement, TNC and KSNPC became co-owners of Bad Branch Falls State Nature Preserve. On September 26, 1985, the sold area, which included a 60-foot waterfall feature, was dedicated a nature preserve by the Office of Kentucky State Nature Preserves. Later in 1986, Bad Branch was considered part of the Kentucky State Wild River System. In 1900, 1,031 acres of land containing part of the upper watershed was purchased by TNC. The new 1,031 acres of land was bought by a $500,000 donation made possible by Mary and Barry Bingham Sr. Fund. An additional 820 acres were acquired by the KSNPC in 1997. Other surrounding lots of land, totaling to about 900 acres, have been designated and protected by landowner agreements or through the registry. Today, Bad Branch Falls is a 2,829-acre State Nature Preserve covering a section of the Presley House Branch watershed, a part of the northern face of Pine Mountain, and the upper region of the Bad Branch watershed.

Amounting to more than 30 different species, Bad Branch Falls State Nature Preserve is considered to protect one of the largest concentrations of rare species of flora and fauna in the state of Kentucky. The preserve is also home to two nesting common ravens (Corvus corax), which are the only known pair in the state of Kentucky. Upon visiting, the trails and foot bridges will take visitors through a hemlock-mixed mesophytic forest. Tulip poplar, sweet birch, yellow birch, basswood, buckeye and American beech also grow alongside the hemlock species. Beneath the upper canopy of trees are the umbrella magnolia, sweet pepperbush, flowering dogwood, and rosebay rhododendron. The Nature Conservatory and the Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves are working together with the Kentucky Natural Lands Trust, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect the forest against the infestation of the non-native insect pest, hemlock wooly adelgid. The gorge creates the right conditions for a number of rare species that thrive in shaded, moist areas. Some of these species include the small enchanter's nightshade, Fraser's sedge, painted trillium, longtail shrew and the federally rare blackside dace. Many animals Including Black Bears and Cumberland Arrow Darte can also be spotted passing through the preserve.

Brochure/Map link: https://eec.ky.gov/.../Brochures/BadBranchbrochure_color.pdf

The Nature Conservatory article: https://www.nature.org/.../bad-branch-state-nature.../...

Nearly 15 years ago Letcher County native Shad Baker visited Damascus, VA to check out the Virginia Creeper Trail. A 34-mile former rail bed turned trail that begins as a downhill experience and then runs directly through two lovely downtown areas. He experienced a premier outdoor destination that people were flocking to from all over the world to explore the amazing scenery, bike, hike, run, fish, bird watch, and just relax. He could see the enjoyment of everyone around him and the positive impact it had on the community and thought to himself, why not Letcher County? We had old L&N railroad beds that laid in a perfect location to create a downhill trail from the Pine Mountain Trail atop beautiful Pine Mountain, down through Whitesburg and some of our many local destinations!

He returned home and pitched his idea to the County Extension Council and the Tourism Commission, and everyone was very receptive and eager to start planning. Council member Chris Caudill and Shad Baker walked the old rail beds and imagined what the trail would look like. Shad's mother, Pam, made the comment that all the tangled pipevine and grape vines and along the trail would make "Tanglewood Trail" a perfect name for the trail. Along the way, many public and private entities were brought into conversations or caught wind of the idea and wanted to help. With the combined efforts of Appalshop, the City of Whitesburg, Letcher County Tourism, HOMES INC., Cowan Community Center, and Faith Contracting, grants were awarded, money was raised, and a lot of hard work was done.

Today, The Tanglewood Trail is a growing 4.6 mile pedestrian and cyclist trail that transects through the City of Whitesburg, primarily along an abandoned railway bed. This trail connects important destinations within Whitesburg and has brought new life to some of our assets and history, such as opening a 114-year-old railroad tunnel originally opened by W.J. Oliver Construction Co. in 1910 for the L&N Railroad.

Tanglewood Trail development is not done yet! The trail was recently awarded more RTP funding to complete the East Whitesburg section that will take the current trail all the way up to the bottom of the Letcher Central High School hill. Development won't stop until the Tanglewood Trail is eventually connected to the world famous, Pine Mountain Trail.