Cumberland Falls is a waterfall in McCreary County, Kentucky at about 248 m (814 ft) above sea level. It is part of Cumberland Falls State Resort Park. The nearest town is Whitley City, about 17.0 km (10.6 mi) away (Cumberland Falls lies NE of town).
Cumberland Falls, sometimes called the Little Niagara, the Niagara of the South, or the Great Falls, is a waterfall on the Cumberland River in southeastern Kentucky. Spanning the river at the border of McCreary and Whitley counties, the waterfall is the central feature of Cumberland Falls State Resort Park and is part of the Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves designated Wild River System. It is believed the current falls formed as the result of erosion from its original starting place at an escarpment far downstream. The site of the falls was occupied in pre-modern times by a variety of indigenous peoples, and more recently has passed through multiple private owners until eventually being donated, along with surrounding land to Kentucky in 1933. A moonbow is regularly visible at this site.From the Wikipedia article “Cumberland Falls”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Cumberland Falls the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:42 AM | 90° E | 7:49 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:19 AM | 60° ENE | 9:01 PM | 301° WNW | 77° | 14h 41m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:26 AM | 89° E | 7:36 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:47 AM | 119° ESE | 5:25 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 38m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Waterfalls photograph best in soft, even light: overcast days, deep shade, or the hour after sunrise before direct sun hits the water. Bright sun on white water blows highlights and adds harsh contrast.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:22 AM | 7:50 AM | 8:29 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:45 PM | 6:13 PM | 9h 55m |
| February | 7:00 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:03 AM | 5:42 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:45 PM | 10h 51m |
| March | 7:23 AM | 7:49 AM | 8:24 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:11 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:37 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:39 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:39 PM | 13h 08m |
| May | 6:02 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:07 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:07 PM | 14h 08m |
| June | 5:48 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:57 AM | 8:20 PM | 8:59 PM | 9:30 PM | 14h 40m |
| July | 6:01 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:08 AM | 8:20 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:27 PM | 14h 27m |
| August | 6:28 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:31 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:30 PM | 8:58 PM | 13h 35m |
| September | 6:54 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:55 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:13 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 7:19 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:20 AM | 6:27 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:28 PM | 11h 17m |
| November | 6:49 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:51 PM | 5:29 PM | 5:57 PM | 10h 13m |
| December | 7:15 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:24 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:52 PM | 9h 39m |
Local time (America/New York), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Cumberland Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 24° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:25 AM – 5:55 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:41 AM – 6:21 AM | 1.7 | 21° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:33 AM – 5:23 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 12:40 AM – 4:40 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:50 PM – 4:20 AM | 5.5 | 24° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:44 PM – 2:54 AM | 4.2 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:05 PM – 12:55 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 9:14 PM – 10:54 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:28 PM – 8:58 PM | 0.5 | 14° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.7 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 49% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (70%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 69 | 72 | 82 | 83 | 91 | 103 | 103 | 101 | 99 | 96 | 83 | 72 |
| Low °F | -1 | -1 | 3 | 21 | 30 | 43 | 51 | 49 | 37 | 24 | 10 | 9 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.1 | 5.3 | 4.4 | 5.0 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 5.7 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.2 | 4.1 | 4.9 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this waterfall
- A circular polarizer cuts glare on wet rocks and leaves and deepens greens — rotate it while watching the rocks, not the sky.
- Spring snowmelt and the days after heavy rain give the strongest flow; late summer flow can drop to a trickle.
- Look for a foreground: a mossy boulder, a fallen log or the creek's leading lines make a stronger frame than the falls alone.
- Keep a microfiber cloth handy — spray drifts onto the lens, especially at the plunge pool.
- Bracket shutter speeds: 1/8 s, 1/2 s and 2 s give very different water textures and you can choose later.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Peak flow is usually in late spring; autumn adds color around the falls, and winter can bring ice formations at colder locations.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Circular polarizer, 3–6 stop ND filter, Lens cloth, Waterproof footwear. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Cumberland Falls, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Waterfall
State ParkScenic Viewpoint
WaterfallWaterfallScenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Natural ArchCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Laurel River Lake Picnic Area16.0 km (9.9 mi) · reservable
- Grove16.2 km (10.1 mi) · reservable
- Holly Bay17.2 km (10.7 mi) · reservable
- Craigs Creek Group Area18.7 km (11.6 mi) · reservable
- Alum Ford Campground19.8 km (12.3 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Cumberland Falls?
What time is golden hour at Cumberland Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Cumberland Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Cumberland Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Cumberland Falls?
How far is Cumberland Falls from Whitley City?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.