Hello hello! If you follow my insta @jessica.lee.travels, you probably already know that I just returned from a quick weekend getaway to the beautiful KY. I've had a lot of recent requests to start sharing more about my trips - so welcome to my first blog post!
If you live in Ohio, like myself, Red River Gorge was the perfect weekend getaway. With all of the COVID restrictions, a quick trip away from the big city was just what I needed. I booked a two night stay to the Natural Bridge State Resort Park in Slade, KY. I would have loved to camp, but the weather didn't look too promising for the entire weekend so I decided to book here instead simply for the amenities while traveling with my pup, Jo. I was extremely pleased with my stay for several reasons: dog friendly (obviously), the rooms were clean and perfectly sized, we had a large, covered private balcony that had gorgeous views of the Red River, and we literally could step outside of our door and hop on some awesome hiking trails. This property was truly amazing and I could go on and on about the amenities and things to do, but to save some time just visit the link above to read more!
For our first hike of the weekend, we woke up early and drove to the other side of the Red River Gorge Geological area to the Chimney Rock Top Trail. Caution: The last few miles that lead to the trailhead are on a narrow, winding, gravel road - I promise it is worth it! If you aren't a huge hiker and are looking for something easy with an incredible view, this is for you. If you are an experienced hiker and are looking for an amazing trail, this hike is also for you. It's a very easy hike (about .6 miles) with a partly paved trail and took us about 45 minutes round trip. You'll pass through a pine forest to jaw-dropping panoramic views of the surrounding valleys and some other impressive geological formations in the Gorge. If you peek through the trees at the start of the trail, you can also enjoy some of these breathtaking views of the valley below. Since this hike is a popular one (for good reason) I suggest getting up early and making it your first hike of the day!
Also located off of the same parking area is a trailhead called the Princess Arch. Since the previous trail was a short one, it was still early in the day to where we had both trails to ourselves! Again, this is another easy hike (about .6 miles) and is a must see if you just completed the Chimney Rock Top Trail.
After our hikes, Sean (boyfriend/travel buddy) and I decided it was time to grab something to eat. We chose Miguel's Pizza because of the great reviews and ease of placing an online, pickup order. We both got the breakfast bagels and were able to enjoy them on a picnic table outside! I am super bummed we weren't able to try their pizzas, everyone we talked to mentioned how delicious they are. There are so many food options in the area which makes staying at the resort so convenient - Red River Smokehouse was our favorite!
Next on the list was the Natural Bridge Skylift. Not only are the views at the top incredible, the ride up/down the mountain is so much fun! If you aren't a fan of heights, not a problem! You can also hike to the top to enjoy the same beautiful views. When you reach the top and exit the lift, there are a couple of trails (short ones) for you to enjoy. If you walk under the lift, you will find a trail that leads to the scenic Lookout Point. Look to your right and in the distance you will have a stunning view of the Natural Bridge! This is where the other trail leads to, as you will see people on top of it. If you are a photographer, like myself, bring a zoom lens - I was so disappointed in myself for not having it with me! If you walk back on the trail you just came from and continue around the skylift, this will take to the Natural Bridge for more incredible views.
I'm going to be honest with you guys, the reason I planned this trip to this area of Kentucky was not due to the beautiful scenery. I saw an ad (those darn Facebook ads) for an "underground" kayaking experience somewhere in Kentucky and knew immediately that I had to do it. Luckily for me, it was located in Red River Gorge and I was able to plan the rest of these amazing adventures to go with it. The Gorge Underground was hands down one of the coolest things I've ever experienced (literally and figuratively). You get to go on a guided tour (kayak, boat, or paddleboard) in a 100 year old abandoned, flooded mine. I made a reservation for 7:30 pm - I figured, why waste daylight if you are going to do something that's in the dark anyway? They called for our group and we were led into a large shipping container to grab life jackets, helmets with headlights, and to load onto our kayaks. Thankfully I read the email to bring a jacket because even with the southern heat/humidity, this mine stays 55 degrees all year round - if you go, take note of this or you'll regret it! We were then guided through the whopping 7 acre mine by the funniest, most friendly tour guides who made our experience that much better. The guide's kayaks had underwater lights that illuminated the crystal clear water and the massive rainbow trout and large boulders that lay underneath. The tour was an hour long, but Sean and I both wanted to immediately turn around and do it again. This was 100% worth this trip, and if you go for anything, I hope you make time for this!! Pictures were hard to capture in this dark environment, so please enjoy the poor quality iPhone photos that I was lucky to get.
Ok, now time for another one of my favorite parts about our weekend getaway. I am a huge planner and like to have a detailed list of every spot I want to visit, addresses, things to do at every location (everyone that knows me that is reading this is laughing, because they know it's true) but some of my favorite places and memories from trips are the ones I stumbled upon. One of these places was the Nada Tunnel. OMG guys, randomly turning a corner on some backwoods road to see the prettiest tunnel carved out of a mountain, almost hidden by the vegetation... it was too cool to even be real. I immediately made Sean pull over so I could get out and take some pictures (no surprise there) and then we proceeded to drive through the most amazing 900 ft., historic tunnel. Make the time to go visit this if you are in the area, you will not be disappointed and it will easily become one of your favorite parts of your trip, too. We loved it so much that we went back the next day to see it before we left!
Our final hike of the weekend was another short, yet sweet one to the Sheltowee Suspension Bridge. We parked at the designated lot and it took us about half a mile to reach the bridge. If you would like to make it a longer hike, the trail continues past the bridge to reach the Indian Staircase. The trail runs along the Red River, with many areas to jump in and cool off (in the summer months, of course). Jo puts on a good, adventurous front, but he was definitely less than impressed with the bridge.
I hope you guys enjoyed my first post, let me know what you think! There are so many other "must-sees" in the area that I wasn't able to get to in a single weekend, but I hope you can explore these and make your own memories! I will be adding more photos from this trip in my Instagram story highlights, so please check them out! If you plan a trip and do any of the above, I would love to see your adventures - tag me @jessica.lee.travels.
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