Jean and I like to chase the migration of spring. We follow the first spring green, the new buds on the trees, and the early flowers blooming on the forest floor. This is a short, but spectacular time of year when the days are warm, but the woods still open and sunny. With the flowers just emerging and forest canopy still not leafed out, we enjoy both the views of winter and the emerging colors of spring.
Usually, we ride the wave of spring upwards as it climbs from the valleys to the tops of the mountains in the Smokies. This year though we tried a different plan, following spring as it moved north. We decided to head for Kentucky’s Red River Gorge hoping that we’d arrive during the bloom of the first flowers and find the woods still open enough to enjoy the gorge’s world famous rock formations. We booked two nights at Hemlock Lodge in Natural Bridge State Park, and planned a series of hikes that combined trips we’d written up in 50 Hikes In Kentucky, with a few side trips to off trail attractions we hadn’t visited previously.
Grays
Arch Loop and Hansons Overlook 4-11-21
The
drive to Red River Gorge from Knoxville is about 3:15, so we planned an easy
hike for the first day. Like so many well-known hiking areas in the era of
Covid, RRG is increasingly crowded with hikers on weekends. We found the Grays
Arch Trailhead full, but snagged a spot at the adjacent Pinch-Em Tight
Trailhead. It is a flat, easy mile out to the Arch, so the start of the loop is
always busy. Grays is one of the largest arches in the region at 80’ long and
50’ high. Temporarily though, the side trail to the base of the arch is closed
by the USFS, due to a small landslide, so the arch is now only visible from a
distance. However, the unusual concretions in the sandstone along the trail are
still there to puzzle hikers with the question of their origin.
Grays Arch
Concentric concretions near Grays Arch.
Beyond
the Arch the crowds thinned somewhat, and we enjoyed both the flowers and the
views. It seemed we’d hit the magic window where we still had the very early
season flowers, but the trees were not so far along to disturb the views. The
gorge trails always find the highest and most intricate rock walls to visit,
and feature plenty of wooden stairs to connect them. As we approached the
junction of the Rough and Pinch-Em Tight trails we debated cutting the loop
short to allow time for some off trail exploration. We expected to find an
unmaintained trail leading north to Pinch-Em Tight Gap, that also had a spur to
Hansons Overlook.
Arriving
at the start of the manway, we found it a bit narrower that the maintained RRG
trails as it led north through some doghair pine. But once through the doghair,
the lack of official USFS blazes was the only thing to distinguish it from the
maintained trails. We passed by several well used campsites before turning east
to reach Hansons Overlook in about 0.8 mile.
At Hansons Overlook.
The
overlook was all we could have asked for. There were great views of Chimney Top
Rock to the east and of the swinging bridge on the Sheltowee Trace Trail over
the Red River to the north. We struck up a conversation with another couple
there who were regular RRG visitors. They told us that hiking off the
maintained trails had really exploded in the last few years, due in part to a
recently released guidebook. They guessed that many of the best features in the
gorge were located off trail and that the area contained as much hiking off
trail as on. Their information prompted us to lean more towards exploration on
our trip, rather than to simply field check the descriptions in 50 Hikes in KY
four years after its publication date.
On
our return route we branched north hoping to see the famous squeeze at Pinch-Em
Tight Gap, but just short of the gap we were blocked by an occupied campsite.
In RRG the USFS prohibits camping with 300 feet of roads and trails and within
100’ of the cliffs. Given the topography of the gorge, this doesn’t leave many other
options. I’d wondered where hikers camped that conformed with the rules, and now
realized that most were now choosing campsites along these now unofficial
trails. While these sites lacked water, they made up for the inconvenience by
offering some great viewpoints.
Back at the Rough Trail intersection Jean and I decided to skip the far lobe of our loop and followed the “official” section of the Pinch-Em Tight Trail back to the trailhead.
Courthouse
Rock and Star Gap Arch. 4-12-21
We
wanted to save the best hike for our middle day. Courthouse Rock, with its
out-west scale scenery had always been my favorite hike in the gorge. We were
only the second car to the trailhead, and had the trail to ourselves as we
walked out along the top of Auxier Ridge. The trail starts with some nice bluff
line walking, then moves up to the ridgetop for the bigtime views. Near the
north end, Courthouse Rock looms ahead, but you only reach it after descending
a long series of wood and metal stairways.
Courthouse Rock from Auxier Ridge.
Beyond
Courthouse Rock the trail descends to Auxier Branch on what is usually merely a
connector between two parallel ridges. But our luck was holding, and we were
again blessed with a wildlife display bountiful in both the number and variety
of blooms. After a brief snack stop along the creek, we took a side trip by
climbing to Double Arch atop the north end of Tunnel Ridge. This alluring arch
shows itself to hikers from a couple spots along the approach trail, but you
must wrap around the nose of the ridge and climb the west side before you reach
it. We were still early enough to have the arch to ourselves, and took plenty
of pictures. Back on the main trail it is only a short walk to the old
trailhead, but that section includes another steep ladder section.
Double Arch.
The
USFS has converted the last 1.2 miles of the gravel road to Double Arch to a hiking
trail. But you can still see the old trailhead parking area, and even after
several years the “trail” is much more of a road than trail. It was still early
in the day, so Jean was willing to try to find Star Gap Arch, a spot that came
highly recommended by our friends from yesterday. We found the start of that
manway easily enough, and after a stop to study the map, we got ready to head out.
Just then another couple arrived and asked if we were headed to Star Gap. I
replied that we were hoping to find it, but that we hadn’t been there before.
They replied with the magic words, “That’s where we’re going, want to follow us?”
The answer, of course, was yes. Not too long ago I’d led a merry band of racers
on an all-day 20+ mile, mostly off trail trip, so I figured I deserved a little
time at the back just following along. As we headed out, I squeezed off a
couple GPS points, one at the turn onto the ridge, and another where we left
the ridge to descend to the arch.
The
difficulty in finding Star Gap Arch is because the main manway goes right over
the top of the Arch without showing any trace of it. You need to scramble down
a steep sandstone cliff to get below the rim and reach the base of the arch.
Our new friends knew where to go and we were glad to follow. They also
confirmed that the off trail hiking in RRG was exploding and that manways that
were once obscure and overgrown were now open and easy to follow. To RRG
beginners like us the increased access is a blessing, as it makes the features
easier to find, but the veterans are losing much of the challenge of exploring.
Star Gap Arch.
I’d seen online images of Star Gap, but these did not give me a good sense of the size of the arch. It appeared rather small, but actually is 60’ long and 15’ high. Another group was already there, planning a longer trip further out on the ridges to the west. But, both we and the other couple headed back to our cars after a healthy round of picture taking.
Whittleton
Arch, NBSP 4-12-21
After
a rest in our lodge room, I hiked down to the lodge lake and then through the
campground to the Whittleton Arch Trail. It is only a fairly level mile from
the trailhead to the short side trail to the arch, and another quarter of a
mile to the arch. I didn’t have any good photos of Whittleton, and hoped some
good afternoon light would help. But the Arch is tucked back into the far end
of large rock house and doesn’t present many good photo locations. I snapped a
few images anyway and was happy for the chance to visit another arch.
Whittleton Arch.
Original
Trail and Devils Gulch, NBSP 4-12-21
When
I got back to our room Jean was rested up, so we decided to head up the short
walk to Natural Bridge to enjoy it in the evening light. Since the Original
Trail (built by the developers from the railroad company in pre-park days)
started right outside our room, we headed up it. We were late enough in the day
that the crowds had thinned and even when we reached the base of the Bridge
things were nice and quiet. We took some pictures at the bottom and walked up
the narrow slot to the top. Enjoying more soft light, we walked out past the
Sky Lift to Lookout Point, where the real money view of the Bridge is.
Natural Bridge from below.
After
another round of pictures, we had plenty of time left we decided to walk back
via Laurel Ridge Trail and Devils Gulch. On previous trips we had taken pains
to try to hike all the trails in the state park, but Devils Gulch must have
been one we had overlooked. The top side of the trail is a fearsome view. The
gulch plunges down a sheer slot in the massive sandstone walls that form the
ridge containing Natural Bridge. The slot is filled with a super steep series
of steel, then wooden steps and handrails, all covered with dripping water. We
both gingerly eased ourselves downward, while confirming that the other did not
remember ever having descended this route. After a perilously long time, we
reached gentler ground and relative safety on the Battleship Rock Trail. Not too
long afterward we were happily dining in the park lodge.
Devils Gulch.
Balanced
Rock and Rock Garden Loop NBSP 4-13-21
Wanting
a different route for our morning walk we decided to head up the Balanced Rock
Trail to the top of Natural Bridge. Besides its namesake formation, this trail
features extensive views of the cliffs below the Bridge and a small cave formed
in the limestone that forms the floor of the valleys in the gorge. Again, we
were ahead of the crowds, and had the Bridge and Lookout Point nearly to
ourselves. On our return we chatted briefly with the Sky Lift operator who told
us usually he rode the lift to work, but that the day was so pretty he had
hiked up.
Balanced Rock. 
Stairway and Squeeze to the top of Natural Bridge.
We
returned by the Rock Garden Trail, one of the park’s overlooked gems. This
trail winds around the back side of the bridge along the base of the bluff
line, which gives hikers both great views of the cliffs above, but also plenty
of close ups of the rock houses and intricate concretions formed in the bluffs.
Rounding the nose of the ridge, the scenery changed dramatically with the rock
garden, a wide level area covered with large boulders and densely decorated
with a wild splurge of flowers. Back at the lodge we decided we weren’t ready
to leave yet and drove over to Koomer Ridge for one last arch.
Natural Bridge from Lookout Point.
Hidden Arch, 4-13-21
Compared
to Tunnel Ridge Road, the Koomer Ridge area was quiet. I had last visited
Koomer for the Rough Trail 50K, so things now looked quite different to me. We
parked in the hiker lot and followed Trail 208 out to the arch. Most of the
trail is on a level ridgetop, with Trail 208 closely parallel to the main Trail
220. But all of a sudden, the trail drops off the cliff edge down a steep set
of wooden stairs.
About
halfway down, right in front of you is Hidden Arch. It is a small, but aptly
named. We wondered how anyone found it, tucked into a gentle curve of the rock
wall and protected from below by thick, nasty looking patch of rhododendron.
Compared to other arches seen we’d seen on the trip which formed holes
completely through large ridge lines, Hidden Arch is more of a buttress-type,
with one leg reaching out from the cliff face as if to offer support for the
entire wall. It was a quick walk to complete Trail 208 and then finish the loop
back to the car on Trail 220.
Hidden Arch.
