Red River Gorge hiking

Red River Gorge is a great area for hiking and has numerous trails for either day hikes or overnight backpacking. I have been backpacking a few times and it’s a beautiful area. Additionally, it is a popular area for rock-climbing.

Natural Bridge State Park

Natural Bridge State Park is located just south of Red River Gorge. It features a natural rock bridge formation that you can walk across. Also, you can either hike or pay to take a chairlift to the top of the bridge.

Red River Gorge underground

Nearby is Red River Gorge Underground, which has boat and kayak tours. It is not technically a cave, but an old, flooded mine that stretches for miles through the nearby hills.

We had some older and younger passengers, so we opted to do the boat tour. It is a little repetitive, but you can see some fish under the water as well as different lights that light up the tunnels.

Carter Caves State Park

Carter Caves State Park has a few different cave tour options. Additionally, there is a large campground located nearby the caves. Also, I have a friend who is enamored with the hiking in the area, so I am hoping to make it back soon to hike some of the nearby trails.

Maysville, Kentucky

Maysville is located just southeast of Cincinnati and northeast of Lexington. It is a pretty city located on the bank of the Ohio river and has a historic district with numerous restaurants. Additionally, there is the nearby Washington district, which dates back to the late 1700s and still has original log cabins. Also, there is the Old Pogue Distillery as well as the Baker-Bird Winery. 

John Rankin House

The John Rankin House is located just across the river in Ohio, not far from Maysville. See the NPS site or Ohio History site for additional information. It is a key location on the Underground Railroad. Also, the house and tour were interesting and the house overlooks the Ohio River. Lastly, the Rankins would set a candle in the window as a beacon for slaves escaping across the river.

ALSO CONSIDER VISITING THESE NEARBY AREAS

Check out some of the other sights around the best things to do in Red River Gorge in Cincinnati, Lexington, the Southeast Region or the Midwest Region.