Kentucky natural wonders like sandstone arches, towering cliffs and plunging ravines delight visitors to Red River Gorge.
With more than 100 natural sandstone arches, Kentucky’s Red River Gorge Geological Area boasts one of America’s largest collections of these picturesque wonders.Carved out of the Cumberland Plateau, the gorge, with its massive forested cliffs and narrow ravines, is part of the Daniel Boone National Forest and one of the state’s most popular hiking areas. The Red River makes a fabulous avenue for canoeists and kayakers to wind through the gorge.
You can see many of the arches along the gorge’s 60 miles of hiking trails. One of the most impressive and widely known, Sky Bridge, is easily reached via a scenic loop trail of less than a mile that offers awesome views into the gorge. The trail passes over and beneath this 75-foot-long, 23-foot-high natural stone bridge.
The Kentucky natural wonders Sky Bridge and the other arches were sculpted by weather and water when the softer shale and siltstone layers eroded away, leaving only the harder sandstone layers standing the test of time.
After exploring the gorge, we like to visit the adjacent Natural Bridge State Resort Park, home of more rock formations, including Kentucky’s best-known sandstone arch, Natural Bridge. A spectacular 78 feet long, 65 feet high and 20 feet wide, it can be reached by a short scenic trail.
Natural Bridge State Resort Park’s Hemlock Lodge, with its attached restaurant, is a convenient and welcoming place to end a great day of discovery.
We invite you to experience the wonder of this hidden gem – the Red River Gorge – for yourself!! There is so much to do and see here, including the amazing Natural Bridge State Resort Park, and even though this is a natural wilderness, you and your loved ones can enjoy a deluxe cabin during your adventure.