Gabe's Branch Falls (also seen as Gabe's Creek Falls) is a picturesque waterfall and swimming hole in the mountains of Harlan County, Kentucky, near Bledsoe — a bright blue pool ringed by short cliffs and small cave-like coves that once drew adventurous swimmers looking for a hidden, off-the-map spot. It's genuinely beautiful. But there's a crucial catch that visitors need to know up front.

Access is now closed. Gabe's Branch Falls sits on private property, and the roads in are gated with “No Trespassing” signs. Older guides and tourism articles still circulate directions — typically routing people down Abner Branch Road off the state routes near Bledsoe — but the current on-the-ground reality is that those access roads are blocked and posted. Visitors who make the long drive report finding nothing but gates and warnings, and attempting to go in risks a genuine run-in with the law.

We include Gabe's Branch Falls here because it still appears on so many “best Kentucky swimming holes” lists, but the honest, up-to-date picture is simple: it is not currently open to the public, and you should not attempt to visit unless access is clearly restored and permitted. Trespassing isn't worth it — not for you, and not for the relationship between the public and the landowners.

If the falls ever reopen to the public, or a legal access route is established, it would once again be a lovely destination: a cool, secluded pool below a small waterfall, historically a quiet spot known mostly to locals. For now, though, admire it from afar, take the old directions with a large grain of salt, and choose one of Kentucky's many open, legal swimming holes instead. Please respect the closure and the property owners' rights.