When I say I am a KY girl, I am in every way. I was born and raised here. It’s my home. I love my State and all of it’s beauty. My Hubby and I recently went on a trip to Red River Gorge and it will go down as one of my favorite trips.
Red River Gorge lies within the Daniel Boone National Forest. It is a canyon system on the Red River in Eastern Central Kentucky.
If you love waterfalls like I do, you don’t have to travel so far to chase them. Red River Gorge is about 2 hours from Louisville, KY. It’s not just about the waterfalls, there are over 70 miles of hiking trails for beginners as well for the avid hikers.
THE TRAILS WE HIKED
Chimney Top Rock — This is the easiest trail with the most breathtaking view of Chimney Top Rock. You feel like you are on top of the world. It’s such a beautiful site to see.
Princess Arch — This was the second easiest trail that had some super interesting twists and turns and you come out to this beautiful Princess Arch. It’s a good place to sit and relax.
Suspension Bridge — This 1/2 mile trail is on the Sheltowee Trace. It was my favorite trail because I always wanted to walk across a suspension bridge. It was a bucket list item for me and I had an absolute blast. It wasn’t the easiest of the 4 trails to hike but probably the most fun to hike.
Rock Bridge Trail — This was the most difficult of the trails but seeing the Creation Falls was such a fabulous experience. Holy Moly! It’s so gorgeous. The trail is only 1.25 miles but has almost 300 feet in elevation change so you are working that cardio on this trail.
Additional things to do — Red River Gorge is the place to be if you are a rock climber. There are so many beautiful rocks to explore. And if you like to fish and boat, Mill Creek Lake is perfect for you. There is also a zipline which I am thinking about trying in the Spring. I think that would be a ton of fun.
Must See — If you go to Red River Gorge, you must go to the Nada Tunnel. It is super cool to drive through. I was too amazed by it and forgot to get a photo. It is a historic 900 foot long tunnel along Kentucky Route 77 in Powell County.
Where to stay — When the day is done, you can retreat back to a cabin or lodge. We chose a cabin located near Natural Bridge State Park. This is a short drive to Red River Gorge. Everything is located in the Daniel Boone National Forest.
I prefer a cabin nestled in the woods. We stayed at a 3 bedroom, 2 bath cabin. I highly recommend making sure the cabin has a hot tub. It was nice to use after hiking all day. Bobcat Lodge is the cabin we rented and I would absolute rent it again.
Who has the Best Coffee and Breakfast? — Daniel Boone Coffee Shop is our go-to. We ate breakfast there and will probably always eat breakfast there. You can order just about anything from bagel sandwiches and omelettes to french toast to oatmeal. They have a store inside that displays several local brands that you can support by purchasing their goodies too.
Where to Eat Dinner– We brought food to eat at the cabin for dinner but from what I understand, Miguel’s Pizza is spectacular and it’s on our list for our next trip.
I cannot wait to go back to Red River Gorge. There is so much more for us to explore!
Thank you for visiting my blog. I hope you have a fabulous day! ππ
Kelsey just got back from a weekend trip with her boyfriend. They had a wonderful time, same as you!
That is so awesome. It’s such a gorgeous place.
we’ve never been there. It would make a fun trip after the weather warms up some (alot).
Yes! I cannot wait to go back!!!