Hopewell Arch Out and Back with Detailed Navigation

Hopewell Arch Out and Back with Detailed Navigation

Hopewell Arch is the most beautiful arch I’ve seen so far in Red River Gorge. While I’ve published trail navigation before, I took some extra time to put together detailed directions for this out and back. The reason is simple - when hikers don’t have marked trails, a zoo of trails invariably forms. These zoos detract from the hiking experience, damage vegetation and habitat, and generally turn what could be a beautiful forest walk into a trashy network of dirt. So, please take care to follow the trail and download an offline copy of this post in Chrome by tapping the download button. Alternatively, print a copy of this page to .pdf and save it to your device before you reach the trailhead.

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Hopewell Arch, Copperas Falls, and Box Falls

Hopewell Arch, Copperas Falls, and Box Falls

This is a seemingly short hike at just over four miles, but it takes a good bit of time if you want to keep your feet dry-ish. Plan for a half day or more to explore this hike that is unmarked and has some challenging (sometimes extremely so) sections. The falls are beautiful and Hopewell Arch is among my favorites.

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Bell Falls in Winter

Bell Falls in Winter

Waterfalls are best in Winter and Spring before Summer’s heat and Fall’s dryness sap their flow. Bell Falls is a beautiful and short roadside hike that can be done as a pair of out and backs to upper and lower falls or as a loop. On this day, we chose a pair of out and backs to reduce erosion impacts on the user trail near the falls.

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Little Stony Creek Gorge Overlook

Little Stony Creek Gorge Overlook

I have a rule. If there is an unmarked trail, check it out because odds are it’ll lead somewhere cool. This is the case here, as I passed a small pull-off with distinct trails when driving down to Little Stony Falls. This trail runs the ridge above the falls and comes to a point overlooking gorges in three directions. It is an EPIC view so don’t miss it!

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