Natural Bridge State Park and the Red River Gorge National Recreation Area may be primarily a hiking destination, but there are many other activities to pursue in evenings or days between hikes.
Some of these, like canoeing, kayaking, backpacking and advanced climbing, are mainly done over in the Gorge, which directly borders Natural Bridge State Park to the north. Others, like underground paddling, horseback riding, ziplining and the Via Ferrata course, are mainly done along Route 11 just southeast of the state park entrance.
Most of these are suitable for families, beginners and young children. But some, like canoeing the Upper Red and climbing the more advanced cliff faces, are limited to experts with their own sophisticated equipment, training and experience.
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The easiest and most convenient activity is pedalling a paddleboat around the lake just below Hemlock Lodge. When the lake is full it's beautiful and the paddleboats are very relaxing. This is a great evening activity after a long day of hiking, although you are using the same legs you just used up on the trails. But you're comfortably seated and leaning back, so it's a great way to relax those leg muscles. A paddleboat seats two and really needs two for balance and to spread the pedalling load.
The only problem with paddleboating is that for the last several years it's been limited to the Spring and Fall. In the long Summer drought the lake dries up.
There are also canoes, kayaks and rowboats to check out, but of course their availability also depends on the lake's water level. However, canoes and kayaks can be rented across Route 11 on Mill Creek Lake all Summer. |
| Fortunately, the other easy and convenient activity doesn't depend on rain. Natural Bridge State Park has a beautiful pool down that long staircase from Hemlock Lodge. It has one large shallow area for kids, seen closest to the camera in the photo at right, and a large deep area for adults, seen in the distance. There's a lifeguard on duty and a bath house and concession stand. After a long day on the trail, just sitting in the water or floating on an inner tube feels wonderful. There are chaise lounges and room to spread out a blanket or beach towel. After mid evening the Sun begins to set behind the huge trees and the pool area cools down, which in the heat of June, July and August feels great. The pool is only open to guests of the lodge, cottages and campgrounds, and their use is spread out over the entire day, so it never gets really crowded. The shallow end has bubble fountains and a "zero depth" edge with no entry steps. The adult end has water jets and floor bubblers. |
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Fishing is available year round across Route 11 on Mill Creek Lake. This lake is 27 acres in size. It is approximately 49 feet deep at its deepest point. Black Bullhead, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Green Sunfish, Largemouth Bass and Rainbow Trout are caught here. No power boats are allowed except for canoes with trolling motors. Kayak fishing is very popular at Mill Creek Lake. You can also fish from shore, but banks here are steep right down to the water's edge so it's difficult. For much of the year only artificial lures can be used and fishing is catch and release but in June, July and August these rules do not apply. However, during these Summer months, a limit of three fish per person and a minimum of 15 inches per fish is enforced. Since there's only one access point Mill Creek Lake is easy to patrol. Fishing licenses are not required to fish in State Park lakes in Kentucky. |
Perhaps the most unique adventure you can have while at Natural Bridge is The Gorge Underground. Just a few miles southeast from the state park entrance, this is a trip through an abandoned limestone mine. The mine is very extensive and could be explored all day, but you'll take a one hour guided trip in a kayak or a pontoon boat. The mine is lighted, including underwater lights which allow you to see the huge Rainbow Trout which live there. The guide will explain the history of the mine, the geology of the area and the ecology of the mine. There's another entrance from which you can take a paddleboard tour if you have good body balance and experience using a paddleboard. This is a great activity on a hot Summer day because the mine is quite cool. It's also a good rainy day activity. |
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Canoeing The Red River is extremely popular. It's an incredibly scenic river and the Lower Red is considered one of the best canoeing runs in a state filled with great canoeing rivers. It's about a 30 minute drive from the state park to the Red River Adventures Canoe Livery, where you'll park. They'll shuttle you up to the Copperas Creek put in and you paddle 10 miles back down to your vehicle. You may hear talk about paddling the Upper Red. This is considered one of the three most difficult canoeing runs in the state. 35 people have died trying to run the Upper. It requires specialized equipment and years of training and experience. The Upper Red ends at Copperas Creek. Like the lake at Natural Bridge, the Lower Red often has a problem with low water levels in July and August. At these times the livery will put you in at Hog Snout Rock and you'll paddle the four mile section where more creeks feeding in create enough water. You'll still get to sample the Red but only for half a day instead of a full day. The best time to paddle the Lower Red is in May. |
| It IS Kentucky, so horseback riding is always popular. The two main providers near Natural Bridge State Park are Cable's, Whisper Valley and Middle Fork Stables. The first two offer rides near the park, although no trails actually enter it. Middle Fork is a little further away, down in Lee County (Beattyville), but is still only a 30 minute drive and offers a great trail network. For those who don't spend much time on horseback, the usual ride is 1-2 hours. More than that and you're likely to be feeling pretty sore for a few days. But for those with more experience, and in better shape, they offer rides three hours and longer. All their rides spend some time on high ridges and some time in deep valleys with waterfalls and rock formations. Whisper Valley rides follow trails, while Cable's follow an old country road that was never paved and is long abandoned. Middle Fork rides often cross large open meadows. |
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If you have a strong heart and can handle heights, one of the most spectacular activities near Natural Bridge is Ziplining. Only a few miles from the park entrance on Route 11, this is a ride across a deep canyon on a steel cable. It's quite safe, but your heart rate is guaranteed to leap as you soar across while seated on a small saddle and holding on to a cross bar. You're wearing a harness so you can't fall. There are five lines of varying lengths with the longest, the two shown in the photo at left, being 1900 feet. Most customers ride all five in their one hour visit. You're going to want somebody taking photos and videos while the rest of your group ride, because you're going to want to show those photos and videos off to everyone back home. The company is Red River Gorge Ziplines. The lodge in the background is Cliff View Resort. |
| The Red River Gorge is famous for rock climbing. Rock climbers from all across the nation come here for the spectacular vertical rock surfaces which are ideally suited for technical climbing. You can get just a taste of this by visiting Southeast Mountain Guides a few miles south of the park entrance on Route 11. The headquarters seen here sits at the mouth of a magnificant horseshoe canyon. They built a Via Ferrata ("Iron Way") course, which has hundreds of steel rebar steps inserted into the rock. You wear a harness, with straps and hooks you clip onto the steps before and behind you. So you climb the cliffs step by step. The course begins rather easily but gets gradually more difficult until by the end it's extremely difficult. Few climbers actually finish. Enlarge this photo and look just to the right of the roof peak, and you'll see climbers high on the cliff. It takes several hours to work your way from the start to where they are. At any point, if you become tired, or it gets too difficult, or you want a break, you can just lower yourself to the ground and come to the house for restrooms or concessions. Southeast Mountain Guides can also teach you advanced rock climbing and take you to sites over in the Gorge. |
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