Hanson’s Point Trail: I promise you, you’re gonna wanna hike this one! One of the most outstanding overlooks of the Gorge! This is an unofficial “unmarked” trail, but it has gained a lot of popularity, so the trail is not hard to follow. The only places that could be a little troublesome are the points where you have to traverse through big open campsite areas along the ridge. Hopefully this video will help!
Anyway, put this one on your list. The views from Hanson’s Point are incredible. You gain new perspectives on other well known Gorge landmarks such as Chimney Top Rock, Cloud Splitter, and Half Moon.
The trailhead for this one is located along a section of Rough Trail very close to where the Rough Trail intersects the Pinch-em-Tight trail. The Hanson’s Point Trail itself is only 0.93 miles out, but adding in the hiking to reach the trailhead, it is a little over 2.63 miles one way. You can park at the Pinch-em-Tight parking lot on Tunnel Ridge Road to hike this trail. This trail is not difficult because there aren’t any “big climb” sections. There are severe drop offs on the overlook, so just please be aware of that and be careful while you’re out there! I use a leash with a locking mechanism for my dog when I hike with him in the Gorge. 🙂
Check out the videos below for trail information and views from Hanson’s Point!
Henson’s Arch Trail
Henson’s Arch Trail: This one is actually part of the Natural Bridge State Park trail system. While most trails within this state park are NOT dog friendly, Henson’s Arch Trail is one of the two that are! We love a good dog friendly trail. 🙂
You aren’t going to want to miss out on this one! The point of interest – Henson’s Arch – is really more like an arch/cave/waterfall all-in-one! The trailhead is located in Whittleton Campground on the tent-only side. You will not be able to park in the campground (unless you’re camping at the campground, which I recommend!), but there is a parking lot across the street that you can use.
This trail is about 0.31 miles out to the arch and is an out-and-back (so 0.62 miles round trip). Look for the wooden footbridge at the trailhead, and then after crossing, immediately start gaining elevation. I would call this a relatively easy trail, but you will want to watch your footing if hiking in snowy/icy weather like we are in this video, or even just in wet conditions.
Fun Fact – Henson’s Arch is one of the Gorge’s limestone arches! I can usually tell the limestone arches from the sandstone ones because the limestone ones have more of a “chunky” appearance (in my opinion).
Be sure to follow me on Instagram @Tread_the_Red for more RRG content!
So Many Poops
Buckle up, because this week we are talking about a handful of short trails along with one of our longer favorite trail experiences and overlook in the Red! Trails that are featured on this episode:
* Tarr Ridge West (kind of. The trail poop here just really stole the show…)
*Castle Arch Overlook Trail
*Camera Point Overlook Trail
AND, for the grand finale:
*Powder Mill Trail to Blackburn Rock Overlook!
This episode was also recorded on Instagram Live, so it might be a tad different than previous episodes. That isn’t something we will continue to do all of the time for recording, but we had fun!
As always, you can find me on Instagram and TikTok @tread_the_red and on Twitter @TreadTheRed. You can also find my website at treadthered.com where I have this podcast linked along with what Tread the Red is all about, Tread the Red “Trail Talk” videos, and my Etsy shop where you can find RRG goods. 😉
Hope everyone is doing well and staying safe and we’ll be back next time – hopefully with less trail poop talk???
This One Is Shrekcellent
Hikes featured in this episode:
*Whittleton Branch/Whittleton Arch Trails
*Castle Arch Overlook Trail
*Skybridge Trail
Also, here are some pages of things we talked about in the “Gorge Updates” section:
Instagram pages that you should follow:
@positiveattractionsoaps
@thehiveathighrock
@redoaks_explorers
@pinnacle_soapworks
Check them out and keep an eye out for our live stream happening soon! (Will be announced on Instagram beforehand).
You can follow Tread the Red on Instagram and TikTok @tread_the_red and on Twitter @TreadtheRed. You can also view the website at treadthered.com. Happy hiking!
X-Rated Moss Videos
In this episode: Trails of the Creekview Property at the Gorge. Darren and I stayed here last December and are just now covering the trails we hiked on the podcast! This includes Angels Falls Trail and Allison’s Trail (both have waterfalls!)
We also talk about how we like to hike the Original Trail up to Natural Bridge for sunset (before Rachel read about creepy cryptids of the area (: oops…)
Also. If you feel so inclined to pet the fluffy moss on trail, please send a video over to Rachel @tread_the_red on Instagram. Please.
We hope everyone is staying safe and doing well and getting some awesome hikes in as we wrap up 2021! If we don’t get to record another podcast before the New Year, then Happy New Year!! Hope to see everyone on the trails January 1st to start 2022 off right. 😉
Copperas Falls Trail
Copperas Falls Trail: This was one of the very first unmarked waterfall trails I did at the Gorge! Even though this trail is unofficial/unmarked, the waterfall at the end is a very popular destination, so the trail is hiked a lot. This has unfortunately led to the creation of a lot of “zoo” trails in the most recent years (a lot of trails made by hikers thinking they were going the right direction, but actually don’t lead anywhere, or use the harder route and trample surrounding areas). Even though this is a problem, the trail itself is still SO GORGEOUS. It is a pleasant change up from the ridge-line hikes of the Gorge and gives you a whole different “jungle-like” perspective. The trail mostly follows Copperas Creek the whole way (so if you stick by the creek for the most part, you’ll be on track). Just expect a lot of creek crossings – so dress appropriately! This trail is also relatively flat and not too long either (~3.52 miles round trip). Copperas Falls is a beautiful waterfall area and the pool at the bottom can sometimes be a turquoise blue…it is usually a clearer blue in the colder months. 🙂 This is definitely a trail that I would recommend to everyone, and there are also several unmarked arches in the surrounding area as well!
Arch of Triumph
Arch of Triumph: I wouldn’t necessarily call this one a TRAIL, but it’s a super short detour from the walking portion of Tunnel Ridge Road to a unique arch! For anyone who listens to the Tread the Red Podcast, the campsite closest to this arch is where the Poop Log incident happened…you gotta listen to know…haha! Anyway, you don’t have to walk far along the foot-traffic only portion of Tunnel Ridge Road before the right turn off to this arch. By following the trail, you’ll quickly pass through a large campsite area and then continue on the trail until you reach a smaller campsite area. The arch is super close to this if you follow the faint trail past this campsite. You’ll end up on top of it, and then you can easily climb down to the left to get views of the underside! Just be careful if you have dogs or kids with you, because (like a lot of places in the Gorge), there are some drop offs to the right hand side of this arch!
Chimney Top Trail #235
Chimney Top Trail (#235): If you are looking for a short, accessible/easy trail for a stellar overlook in the Gorge – look no further!! I love to take the short hike out to the overlook for sunset, as the sun sets perfectly behind the rolling hills in the distance. The trailhead for this one is located at the very end of Chimney Top Road (a 5 mile gravel road off of Route 715). The trail itself is only 0.25 miles out (0.5 miles round trip) and packs in so many amazing views! You can view Half Moon to the left as you walk out, and then from the overlook you can see that and other points of interest such as Hanson’s Point, Pinch-em-Tight Gap, and Cloud Splitter! Definitely do not miss the opportunity to add this to your trip to the Gorge.
Turtle Back Arch
Turtle Back Arch Trail: I love this arch! The patterns on the underside are SO COOL. This is an unofficial trail that makes a great addition if you are planning to hike the Rock Bridge official trail, but isn’t for everyone. Because this is an unofficial/unmarked trail, there CAN be route finding issues and there are a couple “rock scramble” sections that could be dangerous. Turtle Back Arch trailhead is found about 2.1 miles from the start of Rock Bridge Road. It is a pretty leisurely hike through the woods until you arrive at the first “rock scramble” portion. The arch itself is about 1 mile from the trailhead and then after another “rock scramble” portion, the trail connects to Swift Camp Creek trail at 1.3 miles. So, this is a pretty short hike, but completing it as a loop (trailhead>Swift Camp Creek Trail>Rock Bridge Trail) is longer.
View the other videos located here to see the continuation of this trail from the arch to Swift Camp Creek and then another video documenting the first rock scramble in more detail.
We Don’t Know What To Call This One, But Please Listen
You can check out Rachel’s website, Tread the Red, and her Etsy shop here ! And for all you podcast listeners, use: REDTREADERS for 20% off Rachel’s shop through December 4th. 😉 Y’all are awesome!!
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