1. Cumberland Falls in Kentucky is one of the few places in the world that regularly produces a moonbow.
In fact, it’s the only regular moonbow in the western hemisphere.
2. The moonbow appears for the two or so days on either end of the full moon, like today’s, provided the sky is clear.
Cumberland Falls is spectacular during the daytime but a few days each month, it literally lights up at night. The “moonbow,” also called a white rainbow or lunar rainbow, is formed just like a rainbow—light is refracted in tiny water droplets.
3. The falls are located inside Cumberland Falls State Park, just across the Tennessee border.
Unlike many Kentucky State Parks, Cumberland Falls is intentionally open 24 hours to allow hikers to check out the moonbow.
4. For two to three days before and after the full moon, arrive about two hours after sunset for your best chance at seeing the moonbow.
The Moonbow Trail is long, strenuous, and occasionally in need of maintenance, so it’s best for hikers looking for a challenge.
5. If you’re set on seeing the moonbow but don’t feel comfortable hiking the trail in the dark, there are other options.
The half-mile Cumberland Falls Trail ends at the observation decks.