Two kids and the Red River Gorge

[wsp_scott]

Red River Gorge
3/25 - 26 (1 night)

The weather looked good and everyone was getting a little stir crazy. On top of that, my youngest kid was getting a tooth pulled so I took the older two on a quick overnight trip to the Gorge.

We hiked along the Red River ...


... saw some spring flowers ...




... checked out a waterfall ...


... did a bit of a scramble to get to the top of the cliff (above the waterfall), where we watched the birds soar ...






... and waited for the sunset ...








... and the stars ...




... woke the next morning and we were in the clouds ...




... it started to burn off pretty quickly ...


... but not before we saw a glory ...






... we packed up and had an easy hike back to the car.


When we got to the trailhead, there were about 40 cars parked all along the road. I talked to one group who said the trail to a nearby waterfall was packed. The next day the National Forest shut the Gorge. I'm glad we got out there while we could.

 

[Miya]

Flowers!!! Very cool to be in the clouds like that.
Guess you got out there just in time! Thanks for the share.

 

[BJett]

great pics! And good timing. Looks like the Douglas Trail and Eagles Nest.
The RRG is opening back up and its about to be an epic shitshow. I'll probably never go back there but I'm glad I was able to see it before it was ruined by the littering and rude masses. Saddens me every time I go

 

[slc_dan]

I was supposed to go to the RRG for a family trip over spring break. Wanted to do a little climbing there.

It really that bad @BJett ? MY brother lives in Nashville, so we're always looking for little side trips we can make while we are out there. Mammoth Caves NP was a very pleasant surprise. Beautiful!

 

[BJett]

I was supposed to go to the RRG for a family trip over spring break. Wanted to do a little climbing there.

It really that bad @BJett ? MY brother lives in Nashville, so we're always looking for little side trips we can make while we are out there. Mammoth Caves NP was a very pleasant surprise. Beautiful!

I've been exploring the RRG for over 25 years and its become so overcrowded and trashed out, especially after social media and the Instagrammers took over. The amount of disrespectful people I've run into, the garbage, the abuse of the area pushed me out. There are 700,000+ acres of National Forest with just as good, if not better places to recreate. You can still get off trail in the Gorge and find some quiet but its hard, except for winter.
the Big South Fork is the place to go, or exploring the NF. So much variety! It hurts my soul to see the RRG loved to death, but its just too accessible, well known now and not big enough to support the influx.

 

[b.stark]

I was supposed to go to the RRG for a family trip over spring break. Wanted to do a little climbing there.

It really that bad @BJett ? MY brother lives in Nashville, so we're always looking for little side trips we can make while we are out there. Mammoth Caves NP was a very pleasant surprise. Beautiful!

Did a little hiking in Red River Gorge in 2010 and even back then, I found the amount of garbage depressing. At one point we found a huge, amazing alcove type formation but the bottom of it was pretty much covered in trash. We were there in March so didn't see many people but there was evidence plenty used it at other times of year.

 

[wsp_scott]

great pics! And good timing. Looks like the Douglas Trail and Eagles Nest.
The RRG is opening back up and its about to be an epic shitshow. I'll probably never go back there but I'm glad I was able to see it before it was ruined by the littering and rude masses. Saddens me every time I go

Yep, Eagles Point, I had never camped there but it was perfect with two kids, easy water access and great views.

I hear you about the garbage and crowds, I avoid the crowds by never going on the weekend and usually spend most of my time on unofficial trails in the winter, most times I don't see anyone at all. The garbage seems to by a KY thing, I filled a grocery bag a couple weeks ago on the Sheltowee Trace in the Cane Creek area.

I was supposed to go to the RRG for a family trip over spring break. Wanted to do a little climbing there.

It really that bad @BJett ? MY brother lives in Nashville, so we're always looking for little side trips we can make while we are out there. Mammoth Caves NP was a very pleasant surprise. Beautiful!

I have not been going to the RRG as long as @BJett has, but it definitely has become more crowded during prime times (nice weather on the weekend). The middle of the week is usually not too crowded, especially if the weather is a little more iffy. There are definitely other places in KY that are less crowded, but for climbing I think that you are more limited. I'd give it a try, but don't expect pristine nature, there are too many idiots within a couple hours drive for that.

I don't climb, but I'd be happy to point you to interesting hikes or possibly meet up and show you in person

 

[OwenM]

I've never been to RRG. My climbing partner from years ago said she couldn't take me there, because I'd lose my mind and spend the whole trip picking up trash. That certainly didn't encourage me to hike there, either!

The garbage seems to by a KY thing...

Kentucky AND Alabama, apparently. Any beautiful spot here that's easily accessible, but not in full view of the public, will be a disaster area, particularly in summer. I've filled 2 full size trash bags around one waterfall before, and only that many because 2 is what I had.
I do most of my hiking in TN, and their trails and campsites are generally very well kept, which I'm very grateful for. I do find smaller trash and the occasional diaper at popular places, but nothing like where I live. Had the rare pleasure of interrupting the construction of, and destroying, some large cairns while in TN last week, but the litter I picked up around there and the parking area would've fit in a 1qt ziploc.