Album Arches & Natural Bridges

Off-trail, unnamed, untagged, and undoubtedly among the largest in the state.
I went on a search for 6 named arches yesterday and today, and found so many that I lost track.
This was certainly the most unexpected and exciting!
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And it's a double, with another arch clinging to its undrside.
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OwenM said:
I didn't know YOU were in the area!
How many Hopewell Arches are there, anyway?
This is what I found:
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This would have been mo' betta...
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Regardless, Rock Bridge Arch was my favorite at Red River Gorge.
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@wsp_scott and @OwenM - You two know Red River Gorge well. A friend with little kids (kindergarten and baby) is going to RRG around Thanksgiving and I'm trying to help her with hiking ideas. Do you have recommendations for short hikes (maybe an hour total?) to arches and/or fun rocks to play on that would be good at this time of year? Grey's? I saw info about Sky Bridge, the Labyrinth, and Hidden Arch but haven't been to those. I'm assuming waterfall hikes that would be fun in the summer don't make sense now. Or if you have other non-hiking suggestions, that would be helpful, too. Is the Gorge Underground boat tour fun?
 
Janice said:
@wsp_scott and @OwenM - You two know Red River Gorge well. A friend with little kids (kindergarten and baby) is going to RRG around Thanksgiving and I'm trying to help her with hiking ideas. Do you have recommendations for short hikes (maybe an hour total?) to arches and/or fun rocks to play on that would be good at this time of year? Grey's? I saw info about Sky Bridge, the Labyrinth, and Hidden Arch but haven't been to those. I'm assuming waterfall hikes that would be fun in the summer don't make sense now. Or if you have other non-hiking suggestions, that would be helpful, too. Is the Gorge Underground boat tour fun?
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If they want shorter (1 hourish), then the end of Chimney Top Road is good, Princess Arch and Chimney Top are both about a 1 mile round-trip. Sky Bridge is also a good short hike with some view. I'd rank 1- Chimney Top, 2- Princess Arch, 3- Sky Bridge. It would be pretty easy to do all three in a half day since they are in the same part of the gorge, pack a lunch and hope for sunny weather.

Here are a couple that would be in the 2 - 3 hour range, depends on how the kindergartner does with hiking.
- Creation Falls off the Rock Bridge Road/Trailhead is a good kid friendly loop, waterfall, arch, creek to throw rocks, highly recommended

- Double Arch is a mostly easy hike with a nice arch and a view. There are some stairs to deal with, if they want a nice flattish hike, the beginning of the Double Arch trail is an old road, walk to the end (~1 mile) and decide if you want to do the stairs and another mile roundtrip to Double Arch.

- Same trailhead but other side of the valley is Auxier Ridge, great views. In both places you want to hold on to the kids.

- Grays Arch is big and pretty and easy to get to and a lot less exposure than Double Arch or Auxier Ridge.


Never done the boat tour.
The Mexican restaurant in Slade is solid, I like it better than Miquels Pizza.

happy to provide more details of any of these
 
wsp_scott said:
If they want shorter (1 hourish), then the end of Chimney Top Road is good, Princess Arch and Chimney Top are both about a 1 mile round-trip. Sky Bridge is also a good short hike with some view. I'd rank 1- Chimney Top, 2- Princess Arch, 3- Sky Bridge. It would be pretty easy to do all three in a half day since they are in the same part of the gorge, pack a lunch and hope for sunny weather.

Here are a couple that would be in the 2 - 3 hour range, depends on how the kindergartner does with hiking.
- Creation Falls off the Rock Bridge Road/Trailhead is a good kid friendly loop, waterfall, arch, creek to throw rocks, highly recommended

- Double Arch is a mostly easy hike with a nice arch and a view. There are some stairs to deal with, if they want a nice flattish hike, the beginning of the Double Arch trail is an old road, walk to the end (~1 mile) and decide if you want to do the stairs and another mile roundtrip to Double Arch.

- Same trailhead but other side of the valley is Auxier Ridge, great views. In both places you want to hold on to the kids.

- Grays Arch is big and pretty and easy to get to and a lot less exposure than Double Arch or Auxier Ridge.


Never done the boat tour.
The Mexican restaurant in Slade is solid, I like it better than Miquels Pizza.

happy to provide more details of any of these
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Great info - thanks so much for your help!
 
@wsp_scott is doubtless a lot more familiar than I am.
RRG is outside my normal driving range, so I've only been there once. Most of the "big name" arches are both easily accessed and pretty easy hikes, though.
It's more out of the way than hikes along the main roads, but I especially loved the little Rock Bridge Arch loop. It's short, and easy, too. I enjoyed it so much that I was tempted to do it again when I got back to my car!
 
OwenM said:
@wsp_scott is doubtless a lot more familiar than I am.
RRG is outside my normal driving range, so I've only been there once. Most of the "big name" arches are both easily accessed and pretty easy hikes, though.
It's more out of the way than hikes along the main roads, but I especially loved the little Rock Bridge Arch loop. It's short, and easy, too. I enjoyed it so much that I was tempted to do it again when I got back to my car!
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Great to know about Rock Bridge Arch loop - thanks for your help!
 
@wsp_scott and @OwenM - Had to let you know my friends had a great trip and were able to do most of your recommendations. Mom & kindergartener also did the kayak tour and liked it. They're Israeli and enjoyed scenery so different from home. They had a bunch of other good experiences on the trip, including Thanksgiving dinner at Miguel's (not pizza - a totally different holiday menu served cafeteria style) and Dayton's Air Force museum to break up the drive. And the place they stayed was nice about letting them check out late to watch Michigan beat Ohio State. :) Thanks again for your help!
 
Not an arch but maybe in another million years

Sand Cave in Cumberland Gap

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From the other side
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Me for perspective, it's a pretty big space
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