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Looking for a great weekend family road trip? Check out Red River Gorge, Kentucky. It's gorgeous. (See what I did there? Is that where that word comes from?)
My husband and I lived south of Lexington, KY the first years of our marriage. Since both of us grew up in northern Indiana, spent our weekends exploring. By far, one of our favorite places to visit was Natural Bridge State Park in Red River Gorge in the eastern part of the state. We took our friends and family on day trips to hike and enjoy the breath-taking views and completely different scenery from what we were used to in Indiana.
This Fall Break was a great time for us to take our kids to see the place we loved to visit as newlyweds. We are a hiking family, but with a five-year-old in tow, we don't often take on trails more than two miles long. Red River Gorge is chockful of trails with various lengths and difficulty levels to choose from. But whichever ones you choose, I promise you'll discover natural wonders and amazing photo-ops.
Red River Gorge is an easy four-hour drive from Avon through either Cincinnati or Louisville, which makes it an easy road trip for a weekend getaway. Either way, scenes outside the car window will include the majestic Kentucky horses, black barns, white or stone fences near Lexington.
Our Family's Fall Road Trip to the Gorge
Lodging:
Plenty of cozy cabins (and even tree houses!) are available to rent. Google Slade, KY and the size/type of place that will fit your family's needs. We chose to spend 2 nights in a rental cabin that my husband found on Airbnb. For a five-person family, our rental was big enough to sleep six--with three queen-size beds and two bathrooms. The girls were excited to sleep in the loft and our son slept in the basement bedroom next to a pool table. Something we don't normally spring for, but wanted to try this time--was a hot tub! It was a perfect treat for soaking in on the cool nights after using our muscles to hike and climb all day.
Natural Bridge State Park also offers a campground, cabins, and Hemlock Lodge, an on-site hotel where you can stay with easy access to the main Natural Bridge trail, a seasonal outdoor swimming pool, and a gift shop.
Food:
Staying in a cabin or camping allows you to be flexible to prepare your own meals and snacks in your own way. The Gorge area has only a few restaurants, and the nearest grocery store is several miles away.
For a 2-night stay, we packed:
- food for 2 meals
- snacks for hiking and during the evening time
- easy breakfast
When visiting Red River Gorge, you have to go to Miguel's Pizza at least once during the trip. Eating at this little pizza place 20 years ago was a highlight for our visits. Today, it's a climber's hub, complete with tent campsites for climbers, a climbing equipment store, lots of outdoor seating, and an expanded menu to include amazing breakfast food like sweet potato pancakes, homemade bread, and fresh-squeezed orange juice.
Insider Tip: Another must for visiting this area is locally made Kentucky-made Ale-8 One, a ginger-ale-ish soda pop loved by locals. Indiana accents suggest pronouncing it "Ale-eight-one," but the proper way to say it is printed right on the green bottle's label: "A-late-one." However you say it, make sure you grab a six-pack to enjoy after a hike.
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Hiking:
Trails are located all over the Natural Bridge and Red River Gorge area that lead hikers to various rock formations unique to the area, streams & the Red River, swinging bridges, cliffs, and fantastic views. We saw some interesting (harmless) creatures on our journeys, too, including a snake, a lizard, and a super-tiny snail.
Our favorite hiking trails:
- Natural Bridge State Park Natural Bridge Trail
- Rock Bridge Trail
- Sky Bridge Trail
- Whistling Arch Trail
- Footbridge Trail (Hike 1/2 mile to the bridge and back.)
Insider Tip: Drive the Scenic Byway Tunnel Ridge Road (77), to drive through a long, one-lane tunnel.
Climbing: Our kids love to climb. Our favorite climbing gym in Indianapolis is Epic Climbing Gym. And we've tried gyms in other states during our travels. This trip, we wanted our older two kids (11 and 14) to experience climbing outdoors for the first. We highly recommend Southeast Mountain Guides if you want to try guided climbing in the Gorge. Our guide, Conner, was knowledgable, relatable, and very aware of safety. The kids learned a lot, had a great time climbing, and will have an outstanding experience they'll always remember.
Other Attractions: The Red River Gorge website links other fun activities to try, including underground river kayaking, zip-lining, and the Natural Bridge sky lift.
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