I took a spontaneous trip to Grotto Falls, KY in May after seeing a post in a local adventure group. I was already thinking about taking the week off from work since it would be a slow week and after Googling directions and realizing it was just a few hours away, I turned in my vacation time and booked a campsite. I camped overnight at Grayson Lake State Park, which is just down the road from the put-in and was on the water by 8 am with my Hydropeak full of coffee, prepared for a beautiful experience. Grayson Lake did not disappoint. I was oooh’ing and ahhh’ing around every corner at the bluffs, rock formations, and variety of birds.
Area Summary: Grayson Lake is man-made, created by the United States Army Corps of Engineers in 1968 by impounding the Little Sandy River with the Grayson Dam. The lake is a little more than 1500 acres and is notable for its steep cliffs, sandstone boulders, coves, and wet-weather waterfalls. Grayson Lake is a popular boating, fishing, camping, hiking, and kayaking spot.
Notes: If you time your paddle right after a good rainfall, the wet weather waterfalls will be at their peak!
Local Camping Tip: Grayson Lake State Park Campgrounds is just 6 minutes down the road. The campsites were well maintained and spacious with plenty of level spots and shade.
Trailhead Information:Â Put in at Clifty Creek Boat Launch. There is plenty of parking between the lower and upper parking lots. Weekends can be busy. I went midweek and had the area to myself until I was paddling back into the launch.
Trail Summary:Â From Clifty Creek Boat Launch, head west away from the bridge. This section of the lake is narrow and snakes back about 2.25 miles. Around the 2-mile mark, on the south side of the lake, you will see a very narrow channel through the cliff and boulders, which then opens up to the hidden grotto. Feel free to get out and explore, but the best views were from the front of my kayak right in front of the falls. The rest of the paddle was lovely, with lots of bluffs, wet weather waterfalls, and lots of birds including ducks and pigeons.
She is Wild & Free 
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