See The World Famous Moonbow at Cumberland Falls in KY

We've all been lucky enough to see a rainbow at some point in our lives, but have you ever seen a moonbow? I gotta be honest, I never have!

And I don't really have a good excuse either because we actually have the only moonbow in the Western Hemisphere right here in Kentucky at Cumberland State Park. The only other one that occurs on a regular basis is in Zimbabwe, Africa's Victoria Falls.

The Cumberland Falls waterfall is 125 feet wide with a 68 foot drop and absolutely gorgeous any time of year. It's been named the "Niagara of the South" if that tells you anything. She really puts on a show during a full moon with her special moonbow. Just like rainbows, moonbows form with tiny droplets of water reflect off the light of the moon. It is stronger when the moon is lower in the sky. Here is a beautiful video about the moonbow and history of the falls.

It is only visible during a full moon though, so if you want to experience this natural phenomenon, you need to plan ahead.

Here are the full moons left in 2024:

August's Sturgeon moon begins this weekend

September's Harvest moon begins September 17th

October's Hunter's moon begins October 17th

November's Beaver moon begins November 15th

December's Cold moon begins December 15th

The Cumberland Falls moonbow is best visible at night. Approximately 9:30/10PM to about 1AM. As long as the weather allows, of course. August's full moon begins this weekend, so if you're looking for a quick adventure, head to Cumberland Falls State Resort Park.

Sources: Explorekyhistory.com, Space.com