Cumberland Falls State Park – Williamsburg, Kentucky - Atlas Obscura

Williamsburg, Kentucky

Cumberland Falls State Park

Moonbows over Kentucky. 

Cumberland Falls is a waterfall on the Cumberland River. It is located near Corbin on the border of the McCreary and Whitley counties. Sometimes referred to as the Niagara of the South, this waterfall is the centerpiece of the Cumberland Falls State Resort Park. On average, the falls is 120 feet wide and 68 feet tal, and carry a water flow of almost 4,000 cubic feet per second.

There is another feature of the Cumberland Falls that make it interesting. On a clear night with a full moon above the falls one can see what is known as a “moonbow.” A moonbow is a lunar rainbow, which is almost exactly like a regular rainbow except that they occur at night under the auspices of the moon, not the sun.

Moonbows are incredibly rare and there are only a few places in the world where they consistently appear. To the human eye, a moonbow often appears simply white because humans have a hard time seeing the color spectrum due to the relatively small amount of light they use. However, when using a long exposure camera shot, a moonbow’s distinct colors will almost certainly appear.

Know Before You Go

Located in the Cumberland Falls State Resort Park in the Daniel Boone National Forrest.

Community Discussion