BSA Troop 717 Nature Trail
This is a short lollipop trail across from St. Elizabeth Hospital’s Edgewood campus. Constructed by Boy Scouts of America’s Troop 717, this trail is a nice surprise in the heart of the suburbs with a nice variety of wildflowers on display inside of a nice patch of woods.
Anvil and Eholia Arches 1 & 2 Out and Back
It had been a couple years since my last visit here, and what a great day to be back! This hike not only has plenty of off trail flavor, I also noticed a third arch (Eholia Arch #2) on the route along with a gloriously eroded piece of sandstone (pictured below). This isn’t an easy hike and the arches certainly aren’t going to win any beauty pageants, but for off trail hikers and arch hunters, this hike is a winner!
Winter at Eagle Falls
With dry weather leading up to our hike, we opted for this dependable waterfall that flows year round with the rare exception during drought. The falls are gorgeous, the cascades above are peaceful, and the views of Cumberland Falls from the shoreline boulders are fantastic! This is a hike I like to revisit year after year and reasonable river levels make it all the better.
Osborne Bend Loop with Unicorn and Osborne Bend Arches
This quiet loop combines single track, double track, and road for a nice walk through the woods. Along the way, we enjoyed a pair of small, but beautiful arches with Unicorn Arch particularly stunning thanks to ice curtains on either side of it. Also, don’t completely discount the road walk. The wintertime views of Hens Nest and Sky Bridge are a nice bonus!
Snow Day at Tater Knob
Though the fire tower is closed, a pair of overlooks make this a great place to enjoy a big view of the many knobs on the south side of Cave Run Lake. This trail is highly developed with a ton of stairs marching their way up this gorgeous rock outcropping.
Snow Day at Bertis Arch
I thoroughly enjoyed this hike and the arch was more beautiful than expected. Most of the hike is on forest roads and trails, but the portion ascending to Bertis Arch and dropping down the other side of the knob does NOT have a trail. That final approach was dicey today with slick terrain thanks to a blanket of snow and frozen/icy ground and rock. I would suggest hiking this in dry weather for better footing and a much safer hike.
Snow Day at Zilpo Arch
This is a great stop whenever visiting this section of forest, as it’s only a few dozen paces off the road. Zilpo Arch is officially classified as ‘irregular’ just like a similar arch a little south - Devil’s Market House Arch. Arches like this are oddities, and explaining their formation would be clumsy at best, but hey, maybe this was a coffee table for giants:-)
Winter at Broke Leg Falls
This is a classic Kentucky waterfall with plenty of height to impress along with some beautiful cascades just upstream from the big plunge. The area is highly developed with shelters, picnic tables, paved walkways, and railings. Just take care to keep children close as soon as they exit the vehicle - trouble can be found only steps from the parking lot.
Devil’s Market House Arch and KY-122 Arch Out and Back
Devil’s Market House Arch is one of the most beautiful and distinctive arches in all of Kentucky. And, while KY-122 is relatively short in height, the sandstone patterning on the back side of the arch is phenomenal. For an easier day, skip KY-122 Arch and save half the mileage while still catching a highlight reel arch.
Snow Day at Whistling Arch
Finishing off the day at Whistling Arch was pretty much perfect. The clouds finally broke and the wintry scene here is fantastic - particularly at the overlook. When you step out to the overlook, take care not to get too close to the edge when ice/snow are present, but take your time enjoying the view and listening to the waterfalls below.
Snow Day at Sky Bridge
I’ve hiked this little loop more times than I can recall, and it’s always gorgeous. Taking in the views and arch with snow was especially nice - even if the clouds lingered much later than forecast. When visiting the area, this is a great, short hike with plenty of eye candy.
Snow Day at Devil’s Canyon Overlook
I stopped here twice waiting for the clouds to break and finally caught a big view with a beautiful sky. This little walk out overlook is always beautiful. It’s also a cool spot to watch sunrise as the sandstone cliffs light up with a little fog playing in the canyon when conditions are right.
Snow Day at Camera Point Overlook
This overlook features a distant view of Sky Bridge, a commanding view of the Swift Camp Creek Valley below, and a look at Castle Arch Overlook across the way. When hiking Sky Bridge, this is a nice stop to grab a big view.
Snow Day at Swift Camp Creek Overlook #2
From this overlook, you can see Swift Camp Creek and KY-715 down below with Castle Arch across the way. Also, a fresh ‘No Camping’ sign was prominently placed near the overlook since my last visit several months ago.
Snow Day at Rock Bridge and Creation Falls
This hike is always a pleasure - and getting a snow day before the road closes for the season is even better! With 6 to 10 inches of snow in the area, the setting was fantastic. I strapped on some microspikes and enjoyed a nice, safe hike over snow and ice.
November Sunset at Chimney Top Rock
In November, you can find the sun setting in the gap, south of Red River - making for a fantastic view. We visited on a beautiful Fall Saturday evening, and while there were dozens of other folks around, it remained a picture perfect sunset.
Red Byrd Arch Out and Back from Calaboose Ridge Road
This is a beautiful arch sitting up above Red River in Clifty Wilderness. Littered with deadfall from the last couple decades or more and featuring a steep final approach with a little spice, it’s a fun and enjoyable hike for experienced, adventurous hikers.
Russell Fork Overlook
This roadside overlook is on the west side of Breaks Interstate Park and offers a wonderful view of the Russell Fork below with Pine Mountain setting the backdrop. We stopped here after camping at the northern terminus of Pine Mountain State Scenic Trail across the river in Elkhorn City.
Little Shepherd Trail from Kingdom Come to US-119 - Pine Mountain State Scenic Trail
What an exciting weekend on Pine Mountain! We backpacked the brand new Little Shepherd Trail Section of Pine Mountain State Scenic Trail (PMSST) between Kingdom Come State Park and US-119 TWICE, and it was AWESOME! There are SIXTEEN named overlooks on this segment with some of the biggest and best views anywhere in Kentucky! If you don’t have this trail on your list, put it at the top right now. It’s that good.
Arch of Triumph, Star Gap Arch, Double Arch, and The Observatory for Sunset
This is a classic route in Red River Gorge using a combination of marked and unmarked trails that are easy to follow with a couple light class 2 scrambles as well. Star Gap Arch and Double Arch are hiker favorites while Arch of Triumph is small, but playful. And sunset at The Observatory? Fantastic!