Arches and Sunsets at Red River Gorge

Posted September 15, 200915 yr

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

My leg was quite stiff from a spill on my Cannondale SystemSix 4, where a softball-sized knot formed on my right knee after I did a quick save of my bike, but not my body. But I was not about to let a beautiful, sunny Saturday go by without at least heading out for my second trip to Red River Gorge for 2009. For this, I decided to take it easy and trek out on several smaller trails and take frequent breaks to let my leg rest up.

The first trail I pursued was the Whittleton Branch Trail (T 216) and the Whittleton Arch Trail (T 217). The trail begins at the Whittleton Branch Campground at Natural Bridge State Resort Park and meanders along an old logging railroad along the Whittleton Branch. Until 1928, the Mountain Central Railroad lumbered up the valley, crossing the creek an impressive 26 times in just two miles. The trail is almost entirely covered by dense second-growth forest canopy, and brilliant wildflowers blossom in the valley during the spring and summer months.

Approximately .8 miles from the campground is the junction with the Whittleton Arch Trail (T 217), which leads to Whittleton Arch -- the primary focus of this hike. It is an easy .02 mile trek to the waterfall step arch, one of a few within the gorge. It is relatively difficult to photograph due to its impressive size -- it is one of the largest arches in the gorge.

I then attempted the Hidden and Silvermine Arch Loop (T 208 and 225), located near the Koomer Ridge Campground. Beginning at the trailhead parking lot, I followed the Hidden Arch Trail (T 208) for about one mile to a overlook of a deep watershed that flowed northward to the Red River. Twenty-seven steps led away from the overlook, snuggled amongst rhododendron, before coming to Hidden Arch -- appropriately named for its location inline a rock house.