Welcome to Arches National Park East Annex! Aka, Red River Gorge National Geologic Area in eastern Kentucky.
Located just an hour east of Lexington and about 3 hours from my hometown, Red River Gorge made for an easy long weekend trip for my husband and I.
This area blew my expectations out of the water. Sandstone arches? Here, in Kentucky? Just 3 hours from home? That were formed in the same way the ones out in Utah were formed? I couldn’t believe it!
We loved Red River Gorge for many reasons, but one of them being that it is a very underrated place that not many people outside of Kentucky/Indiana/Ohio know about. If it ever crosses into National Park status (and I firmly believe it is a contender!), I’m sure visitation numbers will increase and make this place a little more challenging to visit.
In the meantime, you should definitely plan a visit here soon- and I can help!
If you’re looking for the perfect Red River Gorge weekend itinerary, you’re in the right place. This post will cover the best things to do in a short amount of time, where to stay, and helpful tips to make the most out of your time here!
Red River Gorge Overview
Red River Gorge is a canyon that has been carved by the Red River. It’s located in the heart of the Daniel Boone National Forest in eastern Kentucky.
The area is home to tons of ancient rock formations, the largest concentration of sandstone arches east of the Mississippi River, and a super interesting geologic history.
The U.S. Forest Service primarily manages this area, but other state and local resources share responsibility as well. The Red River Gorge was established as a National Geologic Area in 1937 at the same time as the Daniel Boone National Forest.
The big things to do here are hiking, rock climbing, kayaking, and other outdoor activities.
The Best Time to Visit Red River Gorge
The best time to visit Red River Gorge is in the spring or fall, when temperatures are pleasant for outdoor activities.
If you visit late April through mid-May, you will enjoy the blooming mountain laurels and experience lower crowds when compared to summer and fall.
Fall brings gorgeous fall foliage, but also more people coming to the area for leaf-peeping. You’ll likely find more crowded trails and have a harder time finding parking midday. This tradeoff might be worth it to you in order to enjoy the fall color that typically peaks in the second half of October.
October and November are also the most popular times for rock climbing.
Summers are hot and humid and have the highest crowd levels since lots of people will be taking their summer vacations. Don’t forget to bring sunscreen and bug spray if you visit during this time of year!
Visiting in the winter means cold temperatures, but no crowds and leaf-free views of the gorge. It does snow here in the winter and some park roads will close in the event of a snowstorm. If you’re looking for serene views of the snow-covered gorge and are willing to brave the cold, winter can be a good time to visit.
Related: One Perfect Day at Mammoth Cave National Park
How to Get to Red River Gorge, Kentucky
Red River Gorge is located in a pretty remote part of eastern Kentucky, about an hour east of Lexington.
If you are traveling through Lexington (likely via I-75 or I-64), you’ll want to take I-64 east to the Bert T. Combs Mountain Parkway. The Mountain Parkway will take you straight to Red River Gorge and the surrounding small towns.
If your trip to Red River Gorge requires a flight, Lexington is the closest airport to fly into and rent a car. The airport is pretty small, so you might opt to fly into a larger nearby airport depending on your flight options.
Cincinnati and Louisville are both about a 2.5 hour drive from Red River Gorge and may have more flight options.
Related: 12 Great Things to Do in Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Where to Stay Near Red River Gorge
The closest town to Red River Gorge that has amenities is Slade. You won’t find any chain hotels or restaurants here (besides a gas station Subway and Little Caesar’s), but there are a lot of charming, local spots.
The are also no hotels in Slade, so a cabin rental or Airbnb is the way to go here. Red River Gorge Cabin Rentals is one of the largest rental companies in the area and there are tons of cabins to choose from.
A lot of the cabins in this area are located off of dirt or gravel roads, so keep that in mind when booking.
We booked a small cabin in Slade with a hot tub and had a wonderful time! You also have to eat at Miguel’s Pizza at least once during your trip. We also enjoyed the Hungry Hiker and the Daniel Boone Coffee Shop.
The Ultimate Red River Gorge Weekend Itinerary
This itinerary is great if you have a long weekend (taking off Friday or Monday). I have suggestions if you have more time at the end of this post.
Day 1: Short Hikes & Underground Kayaking
Spend your first full day exploring the eastern side of the park and hiking the short trails to some of the area’s most famous sandstone arches.
Stop by the Visitor’s Center at the Slade exit to grab a map before heading out for the day if you haven’t already.
ROCK BRIDGE
Start with the Rock Bridge Trail (1.4 miles, 311 feet of elevation gain). You’ll hike to the only natural bridge in the area that stands over water (a bridge is carved out by water and an arch is formed by erosion).
This trail will also take you to Creation Falls, where you’ll have the opportunity to play in the water if you’d like.
You will have to travel about 3 miles down a gravel road to get to the trailhead, but you’ll be fine in any vehicle.
Related: New River Gorge Itinerary: How to Spend 1, 2, or 3 Days in New River Gorge National Park
CHIMNEY TOP & PRINCESS ARCH
Your next stop is the Chimney Top Recreation Area. Here, you’ll find a short hike to a fabulous overlook of Chimney Top Rock and Princess Arch. Each trail is less than a mile with negligible elevation gain.
Chimney Top Road is another gravel road- again you’ll be fine in any vehicle!
SKY BRIDGE
Next, head north toward the Sky Bridge Recreation Area. On your way, you’ll pass two small turnouts for the Angel Windows and Whistling Arch. These can be easy to miss, so have your map open and your eyes peeled!
These are 2 very short trails to more arches. They are both quick, easy stops that we found less crowded than other areas.
The Sky Bridge Trail is a short, 0.7-mile loop to the Sky Bridge Arch. If you hike it clockwise, you will walk on top of the arch before looping down to the base of it, which we found to be a fun surprise.
We had this arch all to ourselves for a good 15 minutes and had a blast taking photos. We couldn’t believe that we were in Kentucky for these views!
LUNCH
If you didn’t pack a lunch to eat on the trails, head back into Slade for a quick bite before heading out on your next adventure!
UNDERGROUND KAYAKING
Did you know there is an abandoned, underground limestone mine in the Red River Gorge Area? You can kayak, paddle board, or book a boat tour through the mine with The Gorge Underground.
Your local guide will guide you through a 1.5-hour tour of the underground mine via kayak or paddle board. They will outfit you with headlamps, life jackets, and everything you need for the tour.
We booked the Crystal Kayak Tour and had a great time! There were LED lights in the kayaks so you could see underneath you through the water.
A kayak tour is a great way to rest your legs after hiking without feeling like you’re missing out.
Some things to keep in mind for this tour: the mine is 50 degrees year-round and the water stays at a constant 40 degrees, so dress warm even if it is hot outside! If you book the crystal kayak tour, be prepared with warm socks as they will have you take off your shoes during the tour.
I kept getting water in my kayak from paddling and it did make my feet quite cold even though I was wearing wool socks!
DINNER
When you’re done with your kayak tour, head back to your cabin and relax for the night. Miguel’s Pizza is a great dinner spot to eat in or carry out.
Day 2: Auxier Ridge Loop & Double Arch Trail
On day 2 of your weekend in Red River Gorge, get ready for the “big” hike of the trip! The Auxier Ridge Loop and trail to Double Arch was our favorite hike in the gorge.
I recommend packing a lunch to eat on the trail. We grabbed Subway sandwiches from the gas station on our way out and it worked out well!
If you do this hike like we did it, the total distance will be about 7.5 miles with 1000 feet of elevation gain.
Note: The map makes it look like you can get to the trailhead from State Highway 77, but this isn’t the case due to the Nada Tunnel. You’ll want to get on Highway 15 at the Slade exit (not the Mountain Parkway) and take it to Tunnel Ridge Road. They do have this called out on the map, but we didn’t see it the first time:)
You can hike out to Auxier Ridge and back(the best part of the trail, in my opinion) and then hike to Double Arch separately, but we found it much more fun and efficient to hike to both via the loop trail. You will actually save some distance doing it as a loop vs. 2 out-and-back hikes.
Start on the Auxier Ridge Trail and keep left until you reach Courthouse Rock. The beginning of this trail doesn’t start out very scenic, but be patient as the views will open up as you make your way on top of the ridge.
Once you reach Courthouse Rock, keep following the trail down into the gorge. When you get to a fork, head right down the Auxier Branch Trail. This trail eventually intersects with the Double Arch Trail where you’ll turn right again and hike up to Double Arch.
Come back the way you came and stay on the Double Arch Trail until you reach a gravel road that will take you back to the parking lot.
If you’re following the trail on AllTrails, you might notice a short spur trail from this road that takes you to the Arch of Triumph. This was a cool hidden gem that we found and would recommend!
NADA TUNNEL & GLADIE CENTER
Rest your feet and legs by taking a scenic drive through the Nada Tunnel and up along the northern edge of the Red River Gorge area. The Gladie Visitor’s Center is a nice stop to learn more about the history of the Red River Gorge and pick up a souvenir.
When you’re done here, head back to your cabin for some much-needed relaxation!
Day 3: Natural Bridge State Resort Park
On your last day in Red River Gorge, I recommend checking out Natural Bridge State Resort Park on your way out of town.
It’s located in the same area as the Red River Gorge Geologic Area, but is managed as a Kentucky State Park. You’ve definitely seen signs for it as you’ve explored the area.
The Natural Bridge is an incredible arch formation that spans 78 feet and is 65 feet tall. I am slightly annoyed that they named this “Natural Bridge” instead of “Natural Arch” when it is technically an arch formed by erosion and not in fact, a natural bridge. Regardless, it’s an incredible sight that you shouldn’t miss!
You can hike up to it, or you can take the Skylift. We opted for the Skylift after a couple of heavy hiking days.
Once you reach the top of the hill, there is a short trail that takes you on top of Natural Bridge and then down to the base of it.
Don’t miss walking the Laurel Ridge Trail for 0.3 miles the other way for a viewpoint of the gorge and the Natural Bridge off in the distance.
It only took us about an hour to ride the Skylift up, see the viewpoints, and then ride back down. I’d recommend squeezing this in if you can before you head back home!
This area does get busy on weekends, so if you can swing it to visit on a weekday, that would be ideal! We were here on a Monday morning and there were only 3 other people on the Skylift with us.
If You Have More Time
If you have an extra day or two to spend in Red River Gorge, you can explore the Kumar Ridge part of the park. There are a few hikes here that take you to more arches. You can hike to Gray’s Arch, Hidden Arch, and Silvermine Arch.
You can also go kayaking on the Red River. There are a handful of local companies that will rent you kayaks or canoes and shuttle you to/from the river.
What to Know Before You Go
The Red River Gorge area is quite remote, so services and amenities are a bit limited. There are 2 gas stations at the Slade exit and some local restaurants, but no chain hotels or amenities.
There are no fees or passes needed to visit Red River Gorge during the day. If you plan to camp or park overnight, you will need a pass. More info on overnight use can be found on the US Forest Service’s website.
Cell signal in this area is spotty at best, so make sure to grab a map at the visitor’s center and download any directions offline ahead of time.
We also noticed a lot of poison ivy along almost every hiking trail in the park. Keep an eye out and consider wearing long sleeves and pants!
Red River Gorge is truly a special and unique area. Who knew all of these cool features were located in Kentucky? You can’t beat the sandstone arches, towering cliffs, and vast scenic views!
I hope you enjoy your weekend in Red River Gorge just as much as we did!
-Megan
