From Whitley City, take U.S. Highway 27 and Kentucky Highway 700 to reach the Yahoo Falls picnic area and trailhead. Yahoo Falls drops 113 feet into the pool below. The falls also have picnic facilities and viewpoints overlooking the Big South Fork river gorge.
Yahoo Falls and the trail to Yahoo Arch
The Yahoo Falls Loop is one mile long and is considered easy, apart from very steep metal stairs. Take these stairs into account when choosing your route. A round-trip side trail from the loop leads to Yahoo Arch and adds 1.6 miles to the distance. Yahoo Arch is about 100 feet long. You therefore have two route distances to consider: the one-mile loop and the additional distance to the natural arch. At Yahoo Falls, picnic facilities and views into the gorge offer opportunities to linger during your trail visit.
Trails and camp at Barren Fork
The Barren Fork Heritage Trailhead is on Barren Fork Road, just past the Stearns Ranger District Office. From there, you can access the accessible Barren Fork Heritage Trail No. 621. When choosing a route, the Yahoo Falls Loop’s one-mile length and very steep metal stairs are relevant; at Barren Fork, access to an accessible trail is the main feature. These are different points to consider when deciding which trail option to include in your stay.
Barren Fork Horse Camp is on Barren Fork Road No. 684, about one mile past U.S. Highway 27 and the Stearns Ranger District Office. The camp offers 40 sites for horse trailers and RVs; RVs can be up to 35 feet long. Several connected trails are available for horseback riding. If you are planning to bring an RV, you can compare the stated maximum length with your vehicle’s length; for riding plans, the connected trails are another specific point to consider. The camp thus combines sites with designated horseback riding.
The area around Barren Fork Horse Camp was the site of a coal-mining town from 1881 to 1935. This precisely identifies the period when the land was used for mining; it was well before the current recreational use of the area for camping and trail riding.
Natural Arch Scenic Area and natural arches
Natural Arch Scenic Area has a network of paved trails, picnic areas, drinking fountains, a playground, horseshoe pits, barbecue areas, picnic shelters, and an amphitheater. The facilities extend beyond a single trail or viewpoint: the area also has places for picnicking and barbecuing, as well as amenities such as a playground, horseshoe pits, and an amphitheater.
Natural Arch is a natural rock arch with an overhang and a semicircular opening. It is 100 feet wide and 44 feet high, and about 25 feet thick. Yahoo Arch is a different named rock feature: the arch, about 100 feet long, lies on the round-trip side trail from the Yahoo Falls Loop. The measurements for Natural Arch and the length given for Yahoo Arch therefore refer to two different rock arches and describe their size in different ways.
For the broader travel overview: McCreary County.
