Red River Gorge

Nestled within the Daniel Boone National Forest in the eastern region of Kentucky, Red River Gorge Geological Area is a mecca for hiking, off-roading, scenic drives and some unique adventures. The region, inclusive of Natural Bridge State Park, is also known for one of the top concentrations of natural arches in the eastern United States. Our two week visit in the area was filled with friends, good times and new adventures.

We like to ease into our adventures and first get the lay of the land before we dig in. The best way to do this is to drive the Red River Gorge Scenic Byway, which combines Nada Tunnel Road (77) and Sky Bridge Road (715) into a loop. The drive starts with the 900 foot long one-way Nada Tunnel which was originally used for logging in the region. This is a great spot for some cool photos. The loop continues down a narrow winding road with no center stripe so it’s meant to be a slow roll cruise through the forest. There are several pull-offs along the way and access to many of the hiking trails in the area. At the halfway point is the Gladie Visitor Center which is worth a stop to learn about the area and get a map. Conveniently at the end of the loop is a place to get coffee and ice cream on one side of the street or a local brew on the other side. Cast your vote for which side we stopped at!

Hiking to Natural Arches and Bridges

Hiking is the most popular activity in the area, and there are plenty of trails to satisfy the needs of everyone from casual hikers to hard core adventurers. All trails tend to have rough surfaces with rocks and exposed roots along with some elevation change, so don’t expect a nature walk on any of these trails. The natural arches and natural bridges, formed from hard sandstone, are the stars of the show on these hikes. Since no two arches or bridges are alike, it’s a lot of fun exploring as many of these as you can. We enjoyed and can recommend the following:

Natural Bridge

This is one of the most popular places in the area. You can get most of the way there via a chairlift or through one of several hiking trails. We enjoyed the Laurel Ridge Loop version for a 2.7 mile adventurous hike. Getting to the top via Devil’s Gulch was quite interesting, and a bit intimidating. Once at the bridge (after a side trail to Lovers Leap) you can walk on top of it and take Fat Man’s Squeeze (appropriately named) to the bottom of the bridge. This is a Red River Gorge “must do”.

Double Arch

This is another very popular destination with several hiking options. We did the longer, and considerably more strenuous, version which combines Courthouse Rock and Auxier Ridge for about a 7+ mile loop. There’s a lot of up and down, along with great cliffside views along the way to a really cool double arch and a great spot to stop for lunch.

Gray’s Arch

This three mile trail goes to a huge, impressive arch and rock shelter. You get a peek-a-boo look at the arch on the way, then you can explore it from below and within the arch.

Sky Bridge

For a shorter hike, but with some challenging sections, Sky Bridge is a great option. It’s only a mile or less and the payoff at the end will not disappoint.

Angel Windows

This is another short but adventurous hike to two side-by-side arches, one resembling a small window and the other, “The Stallion”, being a perfect depiction of a horse head, bending down to graze.

Chimney Top Rock

A several mile drive down a gravel road takes you to this short easy hike with a huge payoff. The trail leads to a magnificent scenic overlook of the gorge.

Princess Arch

This trailhead is directly across the parking area from Chimney Top Rock and offers a fun two for one. The short trail takes you over and in the gorgeous arch. A big payoff for minimal effort!

Whistling Arch

Another easy short hike with a little bit of adventuring opportunities. The arch was picturesque but the whistling was an unfound mystery.

Off-roading the Daniel Boone National Forest

The Daniel Boone National Forest is a meca for off-roaders and home to the Daniel Boone Backcountry Byway (DBBB), a 100+ mile network of interconnecting trails in the area. The terrain in this region, is hilly, muddy and wet, so extreme caution should be used after a rain event. Even during relatively dry weather we found ourselves traversing through water crossings about as much as we were on rocky dry surfaces.

Along the way on the Clifton Road trail we ran into Luke with DBBB. Luke assures these trails stay open with required maintenance when needed. He also takes folks out on guided tours and shoots some pretty good videos, as he did as a courtesy for us. Consider making a small donation on https://ridethedbbb.org/ to assure these trails stay open in the future.

Along with our partners in crime, we found some great trails to challenge us and our rigs with a good combination of technical obstacles, mud and water. Our short list of recommended moderate trails included:

• Spaas Creek
• Clifton Road
• Brushy Fork North Road
• Brushy

Kayaking Underground

As enjoyable as the hiking and off-roading is in this area, the highlight of our visit was a very unique experience underneath the Red River Gorge. A 100 year old limestone mine has been rediscovered and turned into a fascinating kayak experience. Natural filtered spring water has filled this old mine which resembles a natural cave in many ways. Several guided floating tours are available through The Gorge Underground, including the Crystal Kayak Tour that we did. Our small group of eight clear kayaks, with subtle LED lighting illuminating the water with rainbow colors, was escorted by Brent, a fun and informative guide, as we gently paddled through this mystic underground land. Huge rainbow trout swim beneath you in the dark cave, only illuminated by your kayak or an occasional head lamp. Book these tours early because this is a popular adventure. Yes, they have turned limestone into gold with this can’t miss attraction!

The Red River Gorge is a fun place for natural beauty and adventure, and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay. 4 Guys RV Park was convenient and centrally located to meet our needs, with a small shopping area and Toad’s Barn & Grill both within walking distance. There are several decent casual dining establishments and coffee shops in the area including; Miguel’s Pizza, Red River Rockhouse, Hungry Hiker and Daniel Boone Coffee Shop. But those nights around the fire with good friends may have just been the cherry on top!

Check out all of our pictures from Red River Gorge.