Red River Gorgeous

Click through for the remainder of the blog post, along with photographs and links.

 

It was a sunny Saturday in late August when I trekked to Red River Geological Area in Kentucky to explore some of the trails on the eastern front near Swift Creek and the Clifty Wilderness. It had been almost a year since my last trip to the area, so an excursion to what is one of the commonwealth's most popular recreation areas was well overdue.

 

The first leg of the trail involves the Wildcat Trail (T 219), a 1.8 mile trail that involves a mostly gradual descent. I parked at the Wildcat trailhead off of Kentucky State Route 715, and started out on the Wildcat Trail. The path begins to make a gradual descent towards the creek, but at .3 mile, the trail makes a sharp left and parallels the state route, although it is out of sight. The trail turned a short time later onto an old logging road before descending down into the Swift Creek valley though thickets of rhododendron and towering oaks. Numerous wildflower species lined the trail, becoming especially vibrant and noticeable as I petered further from the main road.

 

The Wildcat Trail follows closely to sandstone outcroppings.

 

Late summer wildflowers dot the mixed woodlands.

 

Click through to read the remainder of the blog entry, and for links to even more photo goodness from my trip along the Wildcat and Swift Camp Creek trails at Red River Gorge.

 

Stay tuned for my early September trip to the Gorge in my next entry!

Thanks Sherman.  I love RRG!

In a few short weeks, I'll be relaxing and hiking through Red River Gorge myself.  Good stuff.

Yeah, I used to backpack in there when I was in college.  Dayhikes, too.  Probably have a heart attack if I tried that now.  Thanks for the pix (beautiful as always) ...and for bringing back those memories.

 

 

 

Beautiful!

 

Seeing those boulders/rocks reminds me of Clifton Gorge in Yellow Springs.