This short out and back is an easy hike with one steep descent. Friendship Tube is neat, but I really enjoyed Friendship Arch’s smooth walls and large pockets. As a bonus, there’s a nice view above Laurel Branch just before the big descent. It’s best to hike this in dry weather when the descent is more easily managed.
Read MoreThis is a beautiful walk in the Clifty Wilderness through mature hemlock forest passing one of the largest bigleaf magnolias I can recall in the area. Turtle Back Arch is spectacular with a secondary window on the frontside and gorgeous sandstone erosion patterns on the backside. This hike is unmarked and has a short scramble that looked serious enough for me to fix some ‘just in case’ rope.
Read MoreIf you’re looking for a nice 3-ish mile hike, this one is fantastic! Enjoy playful Arch of Triumph and one of Kentucky’s best, Star Gap Arch. This is a ridgeline hike that is mostly flat, but comes with one tricky spot to descend to the last bit of trail to Star Gap Arch. Take your time and all will be well.
Read MoreThis is a tough hike with plenty of bushwhacking and frankly, a couple arches that aren’t exactly five stars:-) That said, I loved it! The hike back to Anvil Arch is relatively easy, but the ‘path’ to Eholia Arch is rough. It appears a wildfire devastated much of the vegetation in the area - leaving skeletons of rhododendron and mountain laurel on the forest floor. Be sure to read the cautions.
Read MoreThis is a gorgeous short hike with a little challenge, plenty of forest, a couple creek crossings, and beautiful Suzanna Arch at the end of the trail. While the trails were closed in Red River Gorge, private trails like these remained open. To access this trail, you must rent from a lodging partner in the Cliffview Resort Area.
Read MoreWe visited four arches on this day and Phalanx Arch was the perfect way to close out the day. It’s a big, beautiful arch and in terms of photo-friendliness, it’s a great one! LaFonda enjoyed looking up at the arch with sunlight coming through its chimney.
Read MoreThis was the third quick out and back hike of our day, and it’s a wonderful arch just off some double-track trail. There was a decent sized camping area just above the arch and plenty of space to play below.
Read MoreI do enjoy small arches like this one. It reminds me a lot of Arch of Triumph in Red River Gorge and is definitely on the playful side. It’s easy to miss even though it sits right off some double-track trail, so be sure to add the GPS waypoints below.
Read MoreThere are two Moonshiner’s Arches in Kentucky - this one in Whitley County and the other further north in Menifee County. Both are short hikes, large arches, and have chimneys in each, but this one is just a little prettier;-) Anytime you’re in the Cumberland Falls area, this arch is worth a quick stop.
Read MoreThis short loop and spur offers a nice walk in the woods plus a wonderful overlook of Downtown Cincinnati. Feel free to make a figure eight out of the loop with the connector trail that bisects it.
Read MoreThis is a really nice walk in the woods on well maintained, beautiful trails. There were plenty of wildflowers along the route and a couple small stream crossings with mini-waterfalls that were trickling along. After an extended wintertime hard freeze, these spots would be magnificent with icy cascades.
Read MoreThis is a nice, easy loop along the western banks of the Licking River in Covington. The portion on the flood wall is mostly paved with dirt and gravel on the trail section closest to the river. On this day, I enjoyed a massive patch of wildflowers at the trail’s southern end along the river. It was beautiful!
Read MoreI really do enjoy this hiking area. The trails are well-cared for and the surroundings are both varied and interesting. This double loop includes the Wetlands and Dickerson Trails with plenty of wildflowers, birds, and solitude to enjoy. Well away from densely populated areas, the sign-in sheet shows about one visitor per day - and that’s a wonderful thing.
Read MoreThis is a good sized park with lots of sports fields that happens to have a few trails mixed in. The trails weren’t very interesting and were largely devoid of even the most common wildflowers. I would suggest skipping this one unless you’re already there for an event.
Read MorePart gravel double track and part grass fields, this loop hike is a nice one on sunny days to catch some rays. It also had more bluebells along the forested trails than I can remember and side trail access to both Banklick Creek and Brushy Fork are available with varying degrees of effort.
Read MoreThis is a fantastic hike that includes Moser Branch Double Falls, and plenty of forested trails on the Highland Cemetery property. It is filled with wildflowers including a few varieties that I haven’t seen elsewhere in Northern Kentucky. Kids will love playing in the creeks and parents will appreciate the options to shorten up when needed;-)
Read MoreThis is a nice little treat in Northern Kentucky where waterfalls on public lands are scarce. And, while it is a waterfall in the lay sense, it is also man-made. The excavation work to create Doe Run Dam and the soccer field below the falls created Doe Run ‘Falls’. Regardless, it’s a very relaxing place to spend some time and unless there is a soccer match in progress, you’re likely to have it to yourself as I did.
Read MoreThe southern section of this loop is on single/double track dirt/mud trails and is both rugged and beautiful. The northern section is gravel double track with a few benches and picnic tables overlooking the lake. There are numerous challenges for hikers that complete the loop. For an easy hike, head to the southern section and turnaround at the badly damaged bridge.
Read MoreThis is a beautiful set of well-built and maintained trails with a little more elevation gain per mile than many trails in Northern Kentucky. The spur trail was cut by the NKY chapter of the Sierra Club, and it provides a great walk in the woods leading to a nice, but limited view of the adjacent ridgeline and the Licking River Valley. If you seek solitude, this is likely among the best options in the region.
Read MoreWildlife Management Areas are great hikes that usually have some unruly sections, and Mullins is no exception. Much of the hike is on double track grass (loads of ticks) with a short portion in the woods on single track trail. What you give up in comfort, you gain in wildness. We enjoyed our time here and didn’t encounter another soul. Also, there is a unique area on the loop that has a stand of dead trees and abundant fungus growth.
Read MoreFinding peace and happiness on the trails of Kentucky.
