Silvermine Arch
Koomer Ridge Campground
Red River Gorge Geological Area
Daniel Boone National Forest
Kentucky
Finally got to go down and visit Kentucky's Red River Gorge this Saturday after several months of being super busy, although I didn't get to spend a whole day down there it was still nice to get out to the mountains and visit some places I had not visited in quite some time. The first arch on our trip was Silvermine Arch. I had last visited this arch back in October 2010 and had been eager to do a return trip. Located on a trail in the Koomer Ridge Campground the 1.5 mile hike for the most part is fairly easy, the last 1/3 involving some steps and a moderate decent where the trail ends at the top of the arch. The first place I headed was to the base, which, after visiting several perspectives, turned out to be my favorite view. I love the ruggedness beneath and the contrasting color between the green boulders below and the orange sandstone above. I'm definitely looking forward to visiting again on a gloomy day during fall foliage season, that's for sure.
Check out more photographs of Kentucky Arches at wwww.fultzfotos.com!
Tags: silvermine arch red river gorge koomer ridge campground kentucky arch sandstone arch daniel boone national forest Red River Gorge Geological Area National Forest
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Indian Arch
Sheltowee Trace National Trail
Red River Gorge Geological Area
Daniel Boone National Forest
Kentucky
5 Image HDR
Many of you probably don't know this but Kentucky has the 3rd largest concentration of natural arches in the United States (behind Utah and Arizona) and the highest concentration east of the Rocky Mountains, many of which are found in The Red River Gorge. Interestingly, most of the arches aren't really noted on National Park maps so you've got to go find them. With a forecasted partly sunny day I headed out this past Sunday to specifically shoot arches, if the waterfalls are in the sun, then to me arches are the next best thing. We visited 4 this day and the one that I enjoyed shooting the most was Indian Arch. Located high atop a mountain that overlooks the Gladie Historical site along the Sheltowee Trace National Trail, the arch is a real surprise when you top the stairs as it stretches a short distance from the plateau and then over the cliff side a short distance. One thing I really like about this beauty is the color, rich red and orange tones. It's a must see, that is if you're willing to make the 2 mile hike with a 400 ft. elevation gain, and that's the quickest way to it.
Tags: indian arch red river gorge sandstone arch kentucky arch natrual arch sandstone daniel boone national forest sheltowee trace sheltowee trace national trail red river gorge geological area gorge
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Lookout Point
Natural Bridge State Park
Kentucky
5 Image HDR
This morning when we started our drive to Natural Bridge State Park we had a feeling we were in store for something epic as several inches of snow had blanketed Eastern Kentucky overnight. Leaving at 7am by the time we had reached Crittenden on I-75 it was quite clear that it was a heavy wet snow that had blanketed everything. It was just gorgeous. The drive down only takes a couple of hours, we arrived to the visitors center shortly after 9 am and there wasn't a soul to be found. The way we like it. So up the .75 mile trail to the top of the mountain we headed. The beauty was overwhelming, every tree branch, leaf, needle, trunk was covered in snow, there was no sign of the ground or ground cover, a winter wonderland. Our goal was to capture Natural Bridge surrounded in a white landscape meaning we needed to make a bee line for Lookout Point and the fastest way there was by way of The Devil's Gulch. I had hiked down the Devil's Gulch trail years earlier and I remember it was steep and a lot of stairs. I remember making a comment that I never wanted to hike up it. The ascent was not only as bad as I thought it would be, but worse, the last few steps steps at the top were a really sketchy, one slip on the etched sandstone steps and you could fall quite a ways down. In fact, when I looked down once on level ground I couldn't believe I ever went down it. As we walked across the ridge and arrived at Lookout Point we were greeted by a scene of breathtaking beauty. Although our goal was to shoot Natural Bridge, that was far from our minds, for as we looked out over the Kentucky mountains it was quite apparent that we were bearing witness to something truly special.
Tags: natural bridge state park lookout point kentucky state parks snowfall snow snowy mountians kentucky explore kentucky appalachian mountians
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Copperas Creek Falls
Copperas Creek
Red River Gorge Geological Area
Daniel Boone National Forest
Kentucky
5 Image HDR
I've come to the conclusion that the unofficial trail to Copperas Creek Falls in Kentucky's Red River Gorge is one of my favorite Kentucky hikes. This past Sunday was the second time I'd made the 5 mile in and out and I'm going to have to admit, it is a real workout. Although there's not much elevation change, it requires at least 10 creek crossings, lots of creek wading, 20 + tree straddlings, 1000's of fussy rhododendrons, and quite a few wrong turns. This trail makes you think. As you weave and bob through an almost primeval forest, an emerald moss covers much of the woods and the whole time nature in some way tries to hold you back from going any further. The rhododendrons tangle into you, a grove of downed trees force a substantial detour, a thorn bush grabs onto your jacket, it is truly rugged Kentucky. However, in the end there is a payoff and what a payoff it is. A 40 ft. waterfall drops into an emerald splashpool that is surrounded by a grove of rhodys and behind is a beach of sandstone pebbles. This is just one reason I love Red River Gorge. Today I may be sore in places that I am never sore after a hike, but that's OK, because it was well worth it.
Tags: Copperas Creek Copperas Creek Falls Red River Gorge Daniel Boone National Forest Kentucky Ketucky Waterfall sandstone appalachian mountians HDR rhododendron
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Broke Leg Falls #4
Broke Leg Creek
Menifee County
I was in the neighborhood a couple of Saturdays ago and I just couldn't resist stopping by what was at one time one of my favorite waterfalls, the towering 60 ft. tall Broke Leg Falls in Menifee County, Kentucky. Back in Spring of 2012 during a massive tornado outbreak the falls and the gorge took a direct hit competely raking the surrounding landscape. As we drove US 421 on our way to Red River Gorge it was quite apparent that the leaves were changing in the higher elevations and since the falls was just a little under 9 miles out of the way I just had to satisfy my curiosity. Boy, was I glad I did. One of the few remaining trees, which happens to be right in front of the falls, was in full color and although you can see there was still damage, I thought it was a pretty scene, a scene that at one time I thought would never want to shoot again.
Tags: Broke Leg Falls Menifee County Kentucky Kentucky Waterfall waterfall menifee county park eastern kentucky autumn fall red river gorge
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