BJett
Member
- Joined
- May 3, 2013
- Messages
- 564
The Red River Gorge in Kentucky has the second highest concentration of arches outside of Arches NP, and many of them are off trail and hard to access. Red Byrd arch is elusive, but there are a few options. I've been mapping out packraft adventures around the state, most are not obvious but if you get creative there are good routes out there.
For this day trip I hiked up the Red River about 3 miles (lower end of the National Wild & Scenic section), inflated the packraft and ferried across the river. I bushwacked up thru the rhododendron tunnels to a cliff wall which I followed to the arch. Snapped some pics, found a better route back to the boat and paddled the 3 miles back to the car. Water level was just high enough (100 cfs) to get down, could have used more lube though. Regardless, it was a perfect day and a route that probably hasn't been done before.
Hiking up the Red River
![2A4A2028.jpg 2A4A2028.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109611-ccc2704415c8917ec57e239f0d921d15.jpg)
![2A4A2032.jpg 2A4A2032.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109612-89af739541f25c538e2fe1e1417b11d7.jpg)
Inflate and ferry across...
![2A4A2040.jpg 2A4A2040.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109613-2a5f04ebe1e93fc63efd18da2fbae62f.jpg)
Red Byrd Arch
![2A4A2061.jpg 2A4A2061.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109615-14ed522526acfe303cf819fc053fd099.jpg)
![2A4A2053.jpg 2A4A2053.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109617-17c1b4a041b6defac0bb08bb545d66fd.jpg)
![2A4A2072.jpg 2A4A2072.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109618-49918db458c702cbdca8a24a126138ad.jpg)
My ride back to the car
![2A4A2073.jpg 2A4A2073.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109619-991ec6c31c4c7e7907cc124cd9037c81.jpg)
caught some invasive Swedish Fish
![IMG_0925.jpg IMG_0925.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109620-e1180aa9b5909d77c934f4028767d259.jpg)
The beautiful paddle back to the car.
![IMG_0937.jpg IMG_0937.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109621-fe78bbd28d813d6258b34a2ebf08607b.jpg)
![IMG_0927.jpg IMG_0927.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109622-9cb3e0e2820466132c5bb6a281e7e65d.jpg)
For this day trip I hiked up the Red River about 3 miles (lower end of the National Wild & Scenic section), inflated the packraft and ferried across the river. I bushwacked up thru the rhododendron tunnels to a cliff wall which I followed to the arch. Snapped some pics, found a better route back to the boat and paddled the 3 miles back to the car. Water level was just high enough (100 cfs) to get down, could have used more lube though. Regardless, it was a perfect day and a route that probably hasn't been done before.
Hiking up the Red River
![2A4A2028.jpg 2A4A2028.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109611-ccc2704415c8917ec57e239f0d921d15.jpg)
![2A4A2032.jpg 2A4A2032.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109612-89af739541f25c538e2fe1e1417b11d7.jpg)
Inflate and ferry across...
![2A4A2040.jpg 2A4A2040.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109613-2a5f04ebe1e93fc63efd18da2fbae62f.jpg)
Red Byrd Arch
![2A4A2061.jpg 2A4A2061.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109615-14ed522526acfe303cf819fc053fd099.jpg)
![2A4A2053.jpg 2A4A2053.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109617-17c1b4a041b6defac0bb08bb545d66fd.jpg)
![2A4A2072.jpg 2A4A2072.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109618-49918db458c702cbdca8a24a126138ad.jpg)
My ride back to the car
![2A4A2073.jpg 2A4A2073.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109619-991ec6c31c4c7e7907cc124cd9037c81.jpg)
caught some invasive Swedish Fish
![IMG_0925.jpg IMG_0925.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109620-e1180aa9b5909d77c934f4028767d259.jpg)
The beautiful paddle back to the car.
![IMG_0937.jpg IMG_0937.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109621-fe78bbd28d813d6258b34a2ebf08607b.jpg)
![IMG_0927.jpg IMG_0927.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109622-9cb3e0e2820466132c5bb6a281e7e65d.jpg)