We love going hiking as a family. To be sure, the kids aren’t always excited about the thought of trekking through the back woods for hours on a hot summer day, but they always love the adventure of never knowing what we will find around the next bend in the trail. One of our favorite hikes of all times was a winter hike through the snow and ice out to Anglin Falls!

Anglin Falls is located just outside Berea, Kentucky. We had no idea what to expect, so we gathered our hiking gear and headed out to explore another Kentucky waterfall.

Winter Hiking at Anglin Falls

Anglin Falls is definitely off the beaten path. You don’t just stop by Anglin Falls when you see a sign off the interstate. But it’s not hard to find if you know where to look. Located about 15 minutes off I-75 at the Berea exit, this waterfall hike is worth the stop.

I have looked online and not found an actual address to plug in to the GPS, but these directions worked well for us.

• From Berea, take KY 21 about 5 miles out of town till you get to US Route 421.
• Turn right and go 2 1/2 miles to the top of the mountain.  This is a wide road – at least a 4 lane highway.
• Turn right on Burnt Ridge Road and look immediately on the left for Hammonds Fork Road. This road is pretty narrow and goes down a fairly steep mountain, but it is paved. There are no places to turn around till you get to the bottom of the mountain. It will be about 3 1/2 miles till your next turn.
• Your last turn is Anglin Falls Road and is a very sharp turn back to the left.  Note the words very sharp turn!  If you have a large vehicle, you may need to do some special driving to make the turn.
  
• You will got almost a mile on this road. This is still not a bad road but is pretty narrow.
• You will see a mailbox on the end with the words Anglin Falls. Turn left there and drive past a few houses and barns till you see the parking area and trail head.

Hiking the trail

When we arrived at the trailhead, we found 2 walking sticks waiting for us! They are a great help on some of the climbing parts of the trail. We put them back in their spot when we left, so the next person will get a helping hand!

There is a sign in roster for you to record your visit.

The trail out to the waterfall is fairly straightforward. It’s pretty much impossible to get lost. You start at the trail head and wind back in one direction, keeping the water on your left for most of the hike and the mountain on your right. It is approximately one mile to the falls and you come back on the very same trail.

In the snow and ice, there were some tricky spots to navigate, but in normal weather conditions the trail would be considered moderate.

Whether you are crossing a small creek or climbing rock boulders to get farther along the trail, winter hiking gives us unique obstacles that require us to work together.

What does Anglin Falls look like?

When we visited, we found a little misty waterfall and alot of frozen beauty. The trail was beautiful but when we made the final turn to the base of the waterfall, we were in awe.

Winter hiking is not for everyone, but it definitely delivers some special memory moments that you don’t get during typical summer hikes. I can still remember hiking through Iroquois Park in Louisville, Kentucky with my family when I was a teenager. We had not planned to do a winter hike; we just bundled up with the winter gear we had while we were staying with my Grandma for the weekend.

My 6 year old son said it best when he told us that this hike was his favorite hike ever!

Click this link for more information about Anglin Falls.

Do you enjoy hiking as a family? Ever taken a winter hike through the woods in the snow? I’d love to hear whether you think this is ‘cool’ or crazy!