The Saunders Springs Nature Preserve Loop Is One of the Best Waterfall Hikes in Kentucky

Waterfalls are captivating, with their natural beauty, gleaming spray, and soothing sounds. It's actually kind of funny how far we will go to watch water pour over rock. But every waterfall is different! They're a bit like Pokémon (you've got to catch them all). Kentucky has many incredible waterfalls, each drawing hikers to explore their grandeur. I especially love the sounds of waterfalls; whether the water is thundering or dribbling, I find it peaceful and relaxing. The Saunders Springs Nature Preserve in Radcliff, Kentucky, has one of the best waterfall trails in Kentucky.

The 6.2-mile Saunders Springs Nature Preserve Loop is a moderately difficult trail with many switchbacks. It's generally well-maintained, but I'm always going to recommend having an AllTrails map handy for any trail, regardless of length or difficulty.

The trail takes you through the 26-acre preserve. It is often used by mountain bikers as well as hikers. If you ride, put this spot on your bucket list! It's a super fun trail to mountain bike through.

Two lakes formed by springs in the area feature waterfalls that visitors love to see and photograph.

The Saunders Spring Nature Preserve is open year-round and free to visitors. Dogs are welcome to join in on the fun, just keep them on a leash. There is plenty of wildlife in the area, and you very well could see some deer along your way!

The city of Radcliff, Kentucky, established the preserve in the 1990s. It has 11 hiking trails of varying distance and difficulty.

Many of the trails involve a significant elevation change. The Saunders Springs Nature Preserve Loop has a 337-foot elevation change. It's not particularly difficult, but the endless switchbacks can easily become disorienting.

While the hiking trails at the Saunders Springs Nature Preserve are the star of the show, they are far from the only activities. Visitors can fish in the preserve's two lakes, enjoy a native plant garden, and picnic under two pavilions.

The preserve also contains other pieces of Kentucky history. A water processing plant once operated on the preserve's grounds, and pieces of its construction remain. From about 1920 until 1950, this plant provided water to Camp Knox and Fort Knox. In addition, a 19th-century grist mill once operated on one of the preserve's streams. There are also three 19th-century log cabins near the preserve's entrance to enjoy.

Upon entering the nature preserve, visitors can check out the Vincent Kieta Welcome Center to learn more about this area. For more information, visit the Saunders Springs Nature Preserve website and Facebook page.

Have you seen the waterfalls at the nature preserve? What is your favorite waterfall hike in Kentucky?

Before you set out on your next hike, check out our list of hiking must-haves.

Radcliff is northeast of Elizabethtown and home to about 23,000 people. It's a great place to visit, with lots to see and do. Radcliff is home to one of the most quirky roadside attractions you've ever encountered: the world's largest pocket knife.