KY>Red River Gorge

[Donfish06]

I love that area as well all the way up the Sheltowee Trace trail to Cave Run Lake. But the area around the gorge can get pretty busy on the weekends so I try to hike that area during the week. Last time I was there on the weekend I got off the trail for about half a mile before hanging to try avoid the crowd. But I still had a guy yelling at his dog all night to shut up, A couple of drunks with a guitar trying to sing which was downright painful. Then about 2am someone decided to let off some fire crackers. So the hills were alive all night. And it was not even a holiday weekend. Good thing I carry ear plugs.

I always stick to the clifty wilderness and seem to do okay except around rock bridge or Indian staircase

[Broken Halo]

Have you been to cloud splitter? I'm planning on going there either this month or April.

Surprisingly, I have not. Lately I've been exploring more off trail stuff.

Going off marked trails and cold weather helps with the crowds.

[Donfish06]

Surprisingly, I have not. Lately I've been exploring more off trail stuff.

Going off marked trails and cold weather helps with the crowds.

There's some great off trail 'splorin to do along the ridge on the osborne bend by the rock bridge trail head.

That's where I found this, which was quite fun:






My guess is that the shelf was 60-75' above ground.

Have you been to Eagle's Point Buttress? I have yet to go there, but it too is on my list!

[KYHiker]

Nicely done Broken Halo! I hear Copperas Creek got a write up in backpacker magazine recently and has become quite popular. Its a shame, I always found it to be a quiet retreat drain when the Gorge gets busy. My first experience in Copperas Creek was around 1981. It was barely a deer path on the South bank of the creek for 1/4 mile then it was bush whack city back to where the large campsite is. I always found that strange, because the trail from the campsite back to the falls was clear and well worn.

[Broken Halo]

Nicely done Broken Halo! I hear Copperas Creek got a write up in backpacker magazine recently and has become quite popular. Its a shame, I always found it to be a quiet retreat drain when the Gorge gets busy. My first experience in Copperas Creek was around 1981. It was barely a deer path on the South bank of the creek for 1/4 mile then it was bush whack city back to where the large campsite is. I always found that strange, because the trail from the campsite back to the falls was clear and well worn.

I agree, it was always a fairly easy place to go to when a you needed a quick place to camp (which I think it why it's seeing a lot more use). The whole CC area has definitely seen a lot more use just since the last time I was there (2015). Even the trail to Snow Arch has become a fairly well worn path.

[Broken Halo]

There's some great off trail 'splorin to do along the ridge on the osborne bend by the rock bridge trail head.

That's where I found this, which was quite fun:






My guess is that the shelf was 60-75' above ground.

Have you been to Eagle's Point Buttress? I have yet to go there, but it too is on my list!

Nice find!

I have been to Eagle's Point Buttress a few times. There's a stand of pines up in that area that would be a great place to hang. I intend to go back and hang there.

[PixTrekker]

That's true. There are many trails off the main ones where it is pretty quiet even on weekends. I think I was pretty close to Indian staircase the night it was so noisy. I had been hiking a couple of days and was making my way back to the parking lot when it got dark a couple of miles from the car. I thought about just hiking on out in the dark but it was so nice I decided to spend the night.

I always stick to the clifty wilderness and seem to do okay except around rock bridge or Indian staircase