The Hidden Gem Of Red River Gorge
A new hike in one of my favorite places on earth
After years of hiking in eastern Kentucky, I still have yet to explore everything that the Red River Gorge offers. That’s why I think this place is so magical. Each visit brings something new and is a chance to discover different trails, often times ending with stunning surprises. That is exactly what happened a few Fridays ago when my older sister and I decided to take a day trip out to RRG for a short hike. The week before, I had completed a 10-mile long run in the Gorge and felt like I had gotten my fill of challenging solo adventures for a hot minute. It was time to do something outdoorsy and fun, yet not too soul-crushing since my older sister was tagging along as well. While scouring AllTrails for acceptable hikes, I found Tar Ridge—an easy ridge line out-and-back route that was mostly flat and almost four miles.
Since I had a habit of choosing hikes that are either too long or hilly for my family’s standards, I quickly ran this option by Tara, my sister, for her blessing. With less than 550ft in elevation gain, she felt confident in her abilities to do it with me. I remember joking about how she could come as long as she didn’t lie down in the middle of the trail and refuse to move like she did during our first 15-mile hike at Mammoth Cave National Park. With a firm scowl as a response, I promised this hike wouldn’t kill her, and with that, we drove off in the direction of the Gorge.
After an hour’s drive on Kentucky’s Mountain Parkway and a stop for iced coffee, we made it to the trailhead eager to get going. At almost noon, it was a gorgeous day with impeccable conditions. The sun was shining through the branches of the surrounding forest, and a light breeze was making the leaves shiver slightly. Despite a few dark green fur trees, everything was still brown and dull-looking since it was just barely the beginning of spring. I remember thinking that sooner than we would like, this area would turn into a tick-infested jungle with plumes of underbrush cluttering the woods. Thankful that the outdoors wasn’t a humid, hot mess yet, we strapped on our packs and sauntered off along the dry pine-needled path.
Hiking with Tara is always interesting. For the first few miles, we fall into a silence and mindfully walk at our own comfortable paces, with me stopping to let her catch up every so often. Usually, once we’re in the thick of the hike, that’s when we start rambling and yapping to each other about everything. Politics, small town gossip, generational trauma, whatever funny thing her dog did that week; we don’t hold back! As someone who currently lives hundreds of miles away from my family, I cherish moments like this. It’s not every day that I get to spend time with my sisters, so when I do, we make the most of it.
Along the gentle hike, it was hard not to notice the plethora of downed trees and trail maintenance that needed to be completed. At first, I was a little annoyed and concerned with having to duck under or make a large step over the fallen logs frequently. But then I remembered the mass layoffs of National Park and Forest Service employees and realized that I was witnessing the detriment of the Trump Administration’s rash decision to understaff our wilderness areas firsthand. From a hiker’s perspective, this uncaring attitude toward the backcountry and the people who care for it makes me incredibly livid. Each time I crawled underneath a tree sprawled along the trail, I thought about the workers who lost their jobs and couldn’t help but get angry at the injustice.
Even though steps are being made to right some of these wrongs by reinstating 1,000 probationary Park Service employees, there is still a major concern about the long-term impacts of these poor decisions. Because I am planning on visiting a few National Parks out west soon, I am legitimately worried about closures and limited access to certain areas due to understaffing. I am also apprehensive about the potential for maintenance issues and the lack of quality emergency services if I get lost or injured. Overall, it’s incredibly frustrating for all outdoor users and workers who take measures to ensure that the parks are well cared for and safe for everyone involved.
As we continued our hike, things got unexpectedly more exciting as we reached the end. After a brief incline, we both came face to face with a giant rock formation with a long blue rope tied to a tree on the top. This definitely wasn’t something I saw on every hike, so I was pretty stoked! I immediately started planning my climbing route up the boulder while Tara quickly said “no thanks” and had a snack nearby. As if I suddenly turned into a little kid again, I enthusiastically planted my feet on the rock’s surface, held onto the rope for dear life, and somehow shimmied my body over the lip at the top. Exhilarated from the effort, I yelled down to Tara and said that I was going to check out where the trail went.
Surprisingly, the path continued for almost another mile on the high ridgeline. On either side of me, I could look out through the trees and see the tall mountains surrounding me. “This is so cool!” I thought while I practically ran in search of the end. After several minutes of hiking, I finally saw a break in the branches and delicately stumbled upon the most incredible view I had seen in a long time. Although the hills were still dark and seemingly lifeless from winter, I gasped at how beautiful the Gorge looked from that high in the air. Around me, crows flew against the roaring wind, and a sea of stark trees filled the valley below. This totally wasn’t mentioned on the AllTrails app profile of this trail, so seeing the stunning landscape in front of me completely took my breath away.
I didn’t spend a long time there since I knew Tara was waiting for me, so as soon as I snapped a few pictures and glanced one more time at the view, I turned around to head back. I have seen plenty of beautiful sights at Red River Gorge, but because the one at Tar Ridge was just so unanticipated, it felt much more thrilling. Couple the view with the excitement of climbing up the rock formation as well and I was absolutely shocked at how much I enjoyed that hike. With my outdoorsy Missouri brain used to not seeing hardly anything fun during hikes, I approached this four-mile “easy” trail with a relaxed attitude. The entire way back to the car, I kept thinking about how wrong I was.
Before heading back home, Tara and I swung by our favorite food place in the area, Miguel's Pizza, for a few piping hot slices and Kentucky’s famous soda, Ale-8. With stomachs full and hearts happy from the fun hike, we drove away from Red River Gorge with wide smiles. After a day spent in the best place on earth and having discovered a hidden gem among several other amazing hikes, you could say I was pretty content. If you take anything away from this post, don’t underestimate short hikes. They might just blow you away.
Thanks for reading!
See you out on the trail!