Winter in Kentucky is always full of surprises. Temps topped the mid-50s, with threats of rain as we headed into Daniel Boone National Forest for a day of hunting off-trail arches. We did a roll call to make sure everyone had rain ponchos, then dove into the tree cover. Dale had optimistic plans to find five natural arches. Some were considered forest "folklore"; their locations only handwritten estimates from decades old maps of the area.
We began in search of Log Arch, named for its similarity in appearance to a fallen tree in the woods. To locate it, we navigated through rhododendron fields and brier tangles that would be impenetrable any other time of year. Like most of the natural arches in Red River Gorge, Log Arch is only visible when you're standing next to it. We dropped in on it from above but no one felt confident enough to walk on across the top of the narrow ribbon of arch.
Only a short walk away was Little Log Arch, a miniature version of its cousin. Specifications for what can be considered a natural arch are quite detailed. Anything with an opening or length that is less than three feet wide is considered a window, generally. Little Log Arch still qualifies, but it was close. Rock nerds have devised an entire cataloging process that involves careful measuring of the rock opening before it can be classified as an arch. Check out the Natural Bridge & Arch Society for more details.
The valley floor was surprisingly cool, with a significant drop in temperature from the higher elevations where we had started our hike. Ice still bounded both sides of the creek and along the cliffs where water drainage creates occasional waterfalls. We had shed a few layers of clothing while making our way to the creek, but after relaxing and taking a lunch, we had to bundled up again.
From there, we combed the cliffs for a poorly documented arch. We were told its location was a matter of "forest folklore". In order to locate it, the three of us spread out across the cliff side, walking at different levels to conduct a thorough search of the area. Eventually, we came upon a large rock cave that was home to Packrat Arch. The rock cave was incredibly roomy, but we climbed through the arch to find ourselves on the edge of the cliff! Dale hung off the side to get a shot of me with Packrat Arch for scale.
And here's a shot of Dale from my perspective in the arch. 😸
Next we traveled to Fire Hearth Arch, now officially one of my favorite arches at Red River Gorge. The rock cave had a well constructed stacked stone fireplace which had not been used in a long time. It was free from ash. Emily's Arch was a short distance away in the same rock formation. The cave offered views of a deep valley filled with rhododendron and a parallel cliff with several cave openings just visible through the leafless winter trees. We vowed to return to explore the other side of the cliff at some point in the future.
The trip back to the road from the last arch felt like a death march, but was worth the effort. We hiked in silence, using the last of our energy to power back up the mountain without a trail. All in all, we logged about 9 miles but it was all tough going through wilderness. As soon as we reached the car and pulled out of the forest, the rain started to fall. We had really pressed our luck but had a very successful day. Looking forward to returning again soon!
We began in search of Log Arch, named for its similarity in appearance to a fallen tree in the woods. To locate it, we navigated through rhododendron fields and brier tangles that would be impenetrable any other time of year. Like most of the natural arches in Red River Gorge, Log Arch is only visible when you're standing next to it. We dropped in on it from above but no one felt confident enough to walk on across the top of the narrow ribbon of arch.
Only a short walk away was Little Log Arch, a miniature version of its cousin. Specifications for what can be considered a natural arch are quite detailed. Anything with an opening or length that is less than three feet wide is considered a window, generally. Little Log Arch still qualifies, but it was close. Rock nerds have devised an entire cataloging process that involves careful measuring of the rock opening before it can be classified as an arch. Check out the Natural Bridge & Arch Society for more details.
The valley floor was surprisingly cool, with a significant drop in temperature from the higher elevations where we had started our hike. Ice still bounded both sides of the creek and along the cliffs where water drainage creates occasional waterfalls. We had shed a few layers of clothing while making our way to the creek, but after relaxing and taking a lunch, we had to bundled up again.
From there, we combed the cliffs for a poorly documented arch. We were told its location was a matter of "forest folklore". In order to locate it, the three of us spread out across the cliff side, walking at different levels to conduct a thorough search of the area. Eventually, we came upon a large rock cave that was home to Packrat Arch. The rock cave was incredibly roomy, but we climbed through the arch to find ourselves on the edge of the cliff! Dale hung off the side to get a shot of me with Packrat Arch for scale.
And here's a shot of Dale from my perspective in the arch. 😸
Next we traveled to Fire Hearth Arch, now officially one of my favorite arches at Red River Gorge. The rock cave had a well constructed stacked stone fireplace which had not been used in a long time. It was free from ash. Emily's Arch was a short distance away in the same rock formation. The cave offered views of a deep valley filled with rhododendron and a parallel cliff with several cave openings just visible through the leafless winter trees. We vowed to return to explore the other side of the cliff at some point in the future.
The trip back to the road from the last arch felt like a death march, but was worth the effort. We hiked in silence, using the last of our energy to power back up the mountain without a trail. All in all, we logged about 9 miles but it was all tough going through wilderness. As soon as we reached the car and pulled out of the forest, the rain started to fall. We had really pressed our luck but had a very successful day. Looking forward to returning again soon!
Much appreciated, Chrissi, both the text and the photos!
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