Carter Caves Region

This is a short walk to a fantastic view of the Ohio River on what the sign says is a 0.13 mile trail. Part of the Lewis and Clark Trail, this is a great stop when traveling the AA Highway/Route 9 or the more scenic Route 8 (River Road).

On the west side of the dam on KY-7 is a small tower, spillway, and trail. We popped in to checkout the tower and spillway and while the view from the tower is less than pristine, it does provide excellent birdwatching. And the spillway had a little manmade “waterfall” with a blue heron perched on the rocks - so not too bad for a quick stop on the way home.

This short hike is a nice walk through three distinct forest sections that passes the top of Lick Falls. Though the falls were barely flowing, it was a nice hike through the woods to round out our trip to Grayson Lake.

This was so much better than expected - and I expected it to be pretty awesome! The paddle to Grotto Falls was gorgeous with plenty of cliffs and boulders dotting the lake. And squeezing through the narrow channel before floating around the corner to have Grotto Falls revealed is the kind of thing that words can’t fully describe.

Let me introduce you to Kentucky’s Prettiest Half Marathon. Seven natural bridges/arches, a number of wet weather waterfalls, a lakeside vista, a clifftop vista, a pair of footbridges, loads of wildflowers, and plenty of gorgeous hardwood forest in between. There was so much to see - and photograph - that my phone died!

This is a great hike to pair with Smoky Bridge or to add to the Three Bridges Trail. Though this arch is much smaller than the natural bridges in the park, its intricate rock structure make it more than worthy of a visit - and it has some all natural air conditioning for those hot days.

This short hike will take you to the massive Smoky Bridge located below Caveland Lodge, but most easily accessed from this 3-season trailhead. There is an arch somewhat hidden above the bridge, a mini-cave that kids love, and a small (spring) waterfall just outside the bridge.

This beautiful cascading waterfall is just off the main road at Carter Caves State Resort Park and should be on your list each time you visit. The stream ducks underground before re-emerging here - providing an amazing little scene.

This is probably the most visited trail at Carter Caves State Resort Park with the trail just to the side of the Visitors Center. It is also the only natural bridge in Kentucky with an active roadway in use above it. Put simply, it’s huge and a must visit.