The Red River Gorge is located in East Central Kentucky and lies within the Daniel Boone National Forest. This area is characterized by having deep gorges, towering sandstone bluffs and intricate rock arches. Visiting the RRG has been on my bucket list FOREVER! We spent three days exploring this beautiful area and only scratched the surface of what this area has to offer. It is believed that there is over 100 natural arches within the Red River Gorge!

One of the best things to do is to drive the Scenic Byway. We started our auto tour by exiting the Mountain Parkway at Slade and hopping on Highway 77 which is the start of the scenic byway.

Nada Tunnel – The first unique feature that you approach on the byway is the Nada Tunnel. This is known as the “Gateway to the Red River Gorge”. It was built during the early 1900’s by a railroad company and logs were transported through the tunnel to the Dana Lumber Company. “Dana” was later re-arranged to form the word “Nada” which is what the tunnel goes by today. The tunnel is 900 feet long and only wide enough for one car. You have to peek through the tunnel to see if you see another car’s headlights and if you don’t, then you can proceed!

Gladie Visitor’s Center – After crossing over the Red River via a steel bridge, you are now on Highway 715 and the next stop will be the Gladie Visitor’s Center. Be sure to stop in there to check out the educational exhibits and gift shop. The also have an 1800’s cabin from this area that has been restored. Be sure to check the hours of operation as they were closed a few days of the week while we were there.

Sky Bridge Recreation Area – We then crossed over the concrete bridge and took the turn off for Sky Bridge Recreation Area and stopped at the Devil’s Canyon Overlook.

We drove to the parking area and the trail starts out to the left. After just a short walk, the top of Sky Bridge comes into view. This is a massive arch! This is probably one of the easiest arches to visit in the RRG so it is quite popular, but since we visited on a Monday, we only met a few people along the way.

We crossed the top of the arch and while most people turn around here, be sure to go down the stairs on the other side of the arch. A short loop trail leads underneath the arch and it is quite an impressive view! I was just blown away with how big the natural bridge was! The full loop is only mile long.

The trail continues on and a set of stairs will lead up to the main trail and back to the parking lot.

We also visited the viewing area where after just a short hike, there is an impressive view into the Swift Camp Creek ravine and just off to the left, Sky Bridge is barely visible among the trees.

Whistling Arch – The next stop on our drive which is just south of Sky Bridge was Whistling Arch. A short .25 mile trail leads through along a wooded ridge to the arch.

Angel Windows – Our final stop for the day was at the trailhead for Angel Windows Arch. Similar to Whistling Arch, this trail is only .25 miles long, but I think it is a bit more scenic. Once you reach the arch, duck through and take a peek at the large shelter cave on the other side.

From here, we hopped back on the Mountain Parkway and headed back to our cabin in Stanton. It was a great day and a great start to our experience in the Red River Gorge! As a note, dogs are allowed on all trails within the RRG so Ellie got to come along!

Stay tuned for more of our adventures in the Red River Gorge!