The wild and wonderful countryside in Jackson County offers stunning views, miles and miles of trails and beautiful waterfalls to visit. The Jackson County waterfalls on our list are easy to reach, family-friendly and fairly near one another, making them perfect for a day trip.
Flat Lick Falls
This impressive plunge waterfall drops nearly 30 feet from the cliff above into a nice, clear plunge pool that’s perfect for cooling off on a hot summer day. Our favorite thing about this waterfall is that it’s accessible to anyone as a wheelchair and stroller accessible paved path leads to a viewing platform where you can enjoy it from above. Reaching the bottom of the waterfall will involve some light scrambling. It’s a bit tricky in spots but our 5-year old managed with just a little assistance, as did mom carrying a 10 month old. The area surrounding the waterfall is lush and beautiful. There’s approximately 5 miles of developed hiking trails but you’ll only have to hike about 400 yards to the viewing platform to see the falls. Swimming is permitted but jumping from the falls is not only forbidden, but very dangerous.
Overnight camping is available at Flat Lick Falls at both basic tent sites and RV sites with electric and water. Primitive camping is allowed throughout the park. There is plenty of parking at the trail head, so even though this is a very popular Jackson County waterfall, you shouldn’t have trouble finding room to park. The cabin near the parking lot offers restrooms, showers and running water. A nearby picnic shelter offers lots of room to enjoy a meal with your family, although many carry their picnic down to the base of the falls.
How to get to Flat Lick Falls: Flat Lick Falls is located off of US 421 near Gray Hawk, Kentucky. The route is very well-marked and easy to find with GPS navigation
McCammon Branch Falls
This hidden waterfall is reached by hiking an unmarked trail from an unmarked trailhead, but it’s not difficult to find if you know what you’re looking for. The waterfall is an impressive sight, flowing beautifully over the cliff. It’s not too difficult to get to the top of the falls where a dilapidated bench offers a place to stop and enjoy them. However, the trail is steep and certainly not wheelchair- or stroller-friendly.
It’s possible to descend to the base of the falls, but since we had two young children we didn’t try on the day we visited. There are supposedly a set of user-fixed ropes to help on the descent. As always with such ropes, use caution when relying on them to climb. The trail to the top of the falls follows the cliffside and doesn’t have any rails, so watch your footing and your children carefully. There’s a privately owned house right near the top of the waterfall, so please be quiet and respectful.
To get to McCammon Branch Falls: The trailhead for McCammon Branch Falls can be a bit hard to find. Go to the end of Gray Hawk Community Park Drive and park right near the picnic shelter at the end of the road. From there, walk behind the picnic shelter, across the mowed grass. The trailhead isn’t easy to see from a distance, but it’s well-maintained. You’ll find it in the far corner behind the picnic shelter.
Alcorn Branch Falls
This small waterfall in Jackson County is a bit more off the beaten path. It is reached by a short hike through a rarely-visited section of the Daniel Boone National Forest. The waterfall is a low-flow falls and may not be flowing at all if there hasn’t been rain recently. If you do happen to see it, you’ll be seeing a Jackson County waterfall that most visitors never get a chance to enjoy. The trail is an easy walk along a section of the Sheltowee Trace, and both kid- and leashed dog-friendly.
How to get to Alcorn Branch Falls: Park off Highway 1209 at the Arvel Post office Road. Walk across the highway and hop on the Sheltowee Trace Trail. You’ll walk a short distance uphill where you’ll take a left on a gravel roadway, walk about 100 feet and then follow the trail off to the right again. From this location it’s about a 1/2 mile walk to the spot where Alcorn Falls will be if there’s been enough water. Even if the falls aren’t visible that day, the 1.3 mile out-and-back walk is nice as there’s usually an abundance of wildflowers along the trail and the natural surroundings are pleasant. There’s a number of other waterfalls that appear in the area if there has been a heavy rain.
