Hiking Kentucky's Red River Gorge

Sean Patrick Hill lives in Louisville, Kentucky, where he spends time with his daughter, practices photography, and writes. As a hiker and backpacker, he has walked trails across the country, from the Pacific Crest Trail to the Appalachian Trail, including rambles in the Grand Canyon, the Delaware Water Gap, Yosemite National Park, the Rocky Mountains, the Olympic Peninsula, and the Oregon Cascades. In Kentucky, he tends to stick to the Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest (where he volunteers as a trail ranger) and the Jefferson Memorial Forest, though he will on occasion ramble as far as Pine Mountain, the Cumberland Gap, and, of course, the Red River Gorge.

DEDICATION



OVERVIEW MAP



MAP LEGEND



ACKNOWLEDGMENTS



PREFACE



RECOMMENDED HIKES



INTRODUCTION



Red River Gorge Geological Area






Angel Windows
Chimney Top Rock, Princess Arch, and Half Moon Arch
Courthouse Rock and Auxier Ridge
D. Boon Hut
Double Arch
Grays Arch
Koomer Ridge and Hidden Arch
Pinch-Em-Tight Ridge
Rock Bridge Arch
Rough Trail
Sheltowee Trace
Silvermine Arch and Cliff Trail
Sky Bridge
Whistling Arch
Whittleton Arch



Clifty Wilderness






Sheltowee Trace–Bison Way Loop
Sheltowee Trace–Osborne Bend Loop
Swift Camp Creek Trail
Swift Camp Creek–Wildcat Loop
Tower Rock
Turtle Back Arch



Natural Bridge State Resort Park






Balanced Rock and Rock Garden Trail
Henson’s Cave Arch
Hood’s Branch–Sand Gap Loop
The Original Trail



More Trails in the Red River Gorge Area






Pilot Knob State Nature Preserve
Powdermill Branch Trail
White’s Branch Arch



Appendixes and Index






Appendix A: Outdoor Retailers
Appendix B: Hiking Clubs
Appendix C: State and Federal Agencies



INDEX



ABOUT THE AUTHOR