Liz’s Arch

Liz’s Arch is located within Muir Valley. If you are unfamiliar with Muir Valley, I highly recommend checking out my other video/post that gives you the general information about Muir Valley (what it is/location/rules & regulations) and/or check out their website at https://muirvalley.org/ ! This is a great arch to add onto an outing to Horseshoe Falls! It is just a short detour from the Main Trail South on the way down to the valley. You will want to take a right at the sign for “Land Before Time” and head in that direction. To get from the parking lot to this arch is just half a mile (or slightly less)! This little arch is pretty neat and definitely something you’ll want to check out if you’re in the area.

Things to note during your trip planning to Muir Valley!:
*No dogs allowed in Muir Valley (I know, it sucks to have to plan without your furry friend(s), but don’t be THAT person that thinks they are above the rules) 😛
*There is a $10 parking fee
*Make sure to sign the waiver on their website before visiting!

I’m A Ghoul, I’m Not Cruel

This episode features a special guest – Darren’s brother, Dustin! Darren was hopeful that Dustin would be just as bad at remembering things as he is, but no such luck. Sorry, Darren. 😛

Anyway, if you listen to this episode, you will find out that Dustin went to the Gorge for the FIRST TIME EVER, which also happened to be his first ever hiking experience! What better way to be introduced to it than with the RRG?!

We visited on a *very* busy October weekend (peak Fall leaves season) and this is a rundown on what we explored:
*Tried to start with Auxier Ridge Trail – this is a trail I recommend to anyone visiting the Gorge for the first time! But, Tunnel Ridge Road was at max capacity and the Forest Service had it shut down. So, onto Plan B!
*We took a drive through the Nada Tunnel (pronounced, NAY-da) – this is also known as “The Gateway to the Gorge”, and rightly so!
*We stopped and took a quick hike out to the Sheltowee Trace Suspension Bridge across the Red River and proceeded down to Jump Rock!
*We drove along Route 715 and pulled off next to Bell Falls! We explored both Lower and Upper Bell Falls (and the area around Upper Bell Falls).
*We stopped on Sky Bridge Rd and visited Castle Arch Overlook and Buzzards Roost South (and had a run-in with a Carolina Wolf Spider)!
*Dustin was feelin’ fries, so we had to hit up Red River Rockhouse for dinner! We then stopped by Daniel Boone Coffee Shop to try their new “Dragon Punch” cocktail (super pretty color and tasty!)
*We did the Haunted Gorge Underground Kayak Tour! The Gorge Underground is an abandoned mine where you can rent kayaks to kayak underground! Every year they put on a “haunted” tour where there are “ghouls” and other frightening props and sounds to give you a truly sPOOooOky kayak tour!
*The next day we started with Rock Bridge Trail, where we saw Creation Falls and Rock Bridge!
*We then went back to Sky Bridge Rd and completed Sky Bridge Trail!
*We drove over to Chimney Top Road and hiked Chimney Top Overlook Trail and Princess Arch Trail (+Princess Arch Overlook bonus side trail!)
*We stopped at Sky Bridge Station for lunch (a great spot if you are already in the Chimney Top/Rock Bridge area of the Gorge)
*We then wrapped up our trip by taking the Sky Lift up to Natural Bridge (a great option if you are looking for a new experience, or if you are hiking with someone who may have difficulty making it to the top of the arch from the trails)!

Overall, I think we did a pretty good job of giving Dustin a “first time” Gorge experience.
Until next time!

You can follow Tread the Red on Instagram and TikTok @tread_the_red and check out the website at TreadTheRed.com where you can find more hiking information! I forgot to mention it in the episode, but we (Rachel and Darren) will also be set up at the Flea Off Market at the Germantown Gables (986 Swan Street, Louisville, KY 40204) on Friday 11/25 in Louisville!! Come by and say hi if you are in the area. 😀

Unexplained & Mysterious Encounters in the RRG: Part 2

Who’s ready for part 2 of CREEPY STUFF in the Gorge?! Well, it’s here – just in time for Halloween weekend!! Rachel’s computer was so full on space that she almost lost the episode after recording too – BUT THANKFULLY DID NOT.

Anyway, what you can look forward to in this episode:
*Some creepy W-word thing on the Original Trail in Natural Bridge State Park (did you like hiking this for sunset and hiking back down in the dark? Me too, but I don’t think I’m gonna for awhile now – lol)
*Daniel Boone Hut Trail. NEED I SAY MORE?
*Another random bigfoot encounter – question mark – ?
*A bonus true crime-y creepy thing in Daniel Boone National Forest

WOOF. Things are for sure messed up.

Anyway, HAPPY HIKING 😉

Follow Tread the Red on Instagram and TikTok @tread_the_red and on Twitter @treadthered. Also, check out the website for shop and trail details – treadthered.com

Thanks for listening and leave a *GrOOVy* review if you want!

Unexplained & Mysterious Encounters in the RRG: Part 1

We finally did it! Rachel and her friend, Sam Ludwig, take you through several creepy RRG stories. It wasn’t planned, but this ended up being a 2-parter! Apparently, there are a lot of weird crazy things that happens during the night (and the DAY?!) at the Gorge….
This episode MAY not be the best to listen to if you are planning a camping trip at the Gorge anytime soon and/or you have an active imagination.

Listen to this episode to hear:
*Creepy or true crime?
*Bigfoot encounter near Indian Creek
*A “Terror in the Woods”

Thanks for listening and stay tuned for Part 2!

Happy Time Living & Rough Green Snake Sounds

We’re back with another Tread the Red episode! How are you all? We doin good? It is finally Fall and the leaves are beginning to change in the Gorge and everything is amazing because it is SpOooKY SeASONNN. Hello. We are a hiking podcast. Thank you for being here.

PSA to watch out for danger noodles camouflaging in the fall leaves! We had a near-miss with Pippin this past weekend. Always always always look over downed trees before stepping over them! I caught Pippin as he tried to scale one on Douglas Trail this weekend and as I did, I heard rustling in the leaves on the other side. Sure enough, there was a copperhead staring us down! Everyone was fine (including the snake), but it is just something to keep in mind when hiking.

We talk about a Red River Gorge backpacking loop in this episode! You can check out the map and trail breakdown here:
*Tread the Red 14 mile Backpacking Route

We’ve hiked all sections included in the loop before, just not all at once. It would be an awesome 2 day backpacking route, or a very challenging day hike! Proceed at your own risk 😉

Be sure to check us out on Instagram @tread_the_red and our website at TreadTheRed.com
If you have any sPOoOOKy Gorge stories to share, send them to treadtheredpodcast@gmail.com. We would love to hear them!
You can also keep an eye out for a link to buy Darren’s “Vampires and Campfires” shirts! It will be posted on Instagram and the website.

Thank you so much for listening and we are hoping that you all are having a Happy Time Living (TM).

No Dogs or Presbyterians

We’re finally back with another episode of Tread the Red! This one is worth the wait – we recount our adventures with RRG Experiences and Bluegrass Climbing School!
RRG Experiences is a woman owned business, dually insured hiking guide and trip planning service committed to getting all people outdoors. We had the opportunity to hike with Jen and Jordan through Muir Valley to visit Nellie’s Falls and the old growth tree, Methusala. It was an amazing experience and we learned so much!! If you are trying to plan a hiking trip to the RRG, make sure to check out RRG Experiences.
Bluegrass Climbing School is a locally owned and operated climbing guide service, based in the heart of Red River Gorge, Kentucky. They specialize in providing customized guided climbing experiences for climbers of all skill and ability levels; ranging from complete beginners to seasoned pros. We offer top notch programming, designed to take your climbing to the next level. We had our first ever rock climbing experience with Bluegrass Climbing School and it was so much fun!!! We felt completely safe the whole time and loved learning more about the climbing world in RRG. We would definitely recommend booking a climbing experience with Bluegrass Climbing School!

In other news, we have new shirts and stickers and dog bandanas!
We are super excited to debut our new #LeaveNoTrace shirts – bringing back the expression Darren said during one of the earlier podcast episodes – “Enjoy It, Don’t Destroy It”. You can check all of them out on Etsy! Unisex T-shirts, Unisex Long-Sleeved Shirts, and Women’s Flowy Tanks!
We also have matching #LeaveNoTrace stickers to go with the shirts!
And last but not least, we have 3 new dog bandana prints! Halloween, Fall, and Camping!

Thanks for listening to Tread the Red and you can support the podcast by following us on Instagram and TikTok @tread_the_red and Twitter @TreadTheRed and checking out our website treadthered.com.

RRG Backpacking Loop – About 14 miles

This backpacking loop features Rough Trail, Koomer Ridge Trail, Buck Trail, Pinch-em-Tight Trail, and D.Boone Hut Trail and makes about a 14 mile loop. Don’t forget to take the side trail to Grays Arch at the end of Section C of the Rough Trail, and I have also included side trails to a huge heuco (right off Rough Trail Section B), Veranda’s Overlook, and Hanson’s Point. Veranda’s Overlook and Hanson’s Point are both unofficial/unmarked trails, but they also provide some awesome backcountry camping spots. Veranda’s Overlook is a great spot for sunrise and Hanson’s Point is a very popular overlook spot in the Gorge (for good reason). The later included sections of the Rough Trail and Buck Trail require creek crossings, so just be prepared for that. The water level is very dependent on weather/season.
I like this loop a lot because there are opportunities to shorten the hike (take Rush Ridge Trail after Section D of the Rough Trail to Pinch-em-Tight and then hike back the D.Boone Hut Trail from there), or even make it longer (maybe add in the Koomer Ridge area trails such as Hidden Arch and Silvermine Arch)!

Always feel free to contact me through the “Contact” tab on my website if you have any further questions and I’ll try my best to help!

Twerk the Red

First off, #sorrynotsorry for the title of this episode.

Now, welcome to Tread the Red! Thanks for being here. 😀
Lets talk about some trails and experiences! Darren, Rachel, and Pippin took a camping and hiking trip to the Gorge – this included a sunset/night hike with friends to Star Gap Arch (their first time!), relearning that trails look different at night – even if they are trails you are super familiar with (AKA #LeaveNoTrace principle – Plan Ahead and Be Prepared!), where there are tiny toads doing night things there are also hunting danger noodles, and sometimes you come out of a hike with 100 burs with no idea how you got them and that’s how you spend the rest of your night (…PIPPIN….)
Pippin was also very suspicious about our campground neighbors (no idea why, but it made sleeping a bit hard), Darren found a INTERESTING necklace at Koomer Ridge, and reaffirmations that Tower Rock is a BEAUTIFUL trail that y’all need to do ASAP if you haven’t! Or, go back and do it again…because it is a cool place. Also, even though the weather is determined to stay 90 degrees, the beginnings of Fall are blowing in, and it is IGNITING THE SOUL. Can we all agree to mutually manifest a loooooong Fall season this year? K, thanks.

Trails covered in this episode:
*Star Gap Arch Trail
*Tower Rock Trail

Places of interest:
*Koomer Ridge Campground

Things happenin’ at the Gorge!:
*RRG Farmers Market – every Saturday from 10AM-2PM through October
*34th Annual Living Archaeology Weekend – September 17 (10AM-5PM) @ the Gladie Visitor Center

Tread the Red Updates:
*New Tread the Red shirts and tanks available on Etsy! *Limited Quantities*
*New Tread the Red Podcast Stickers available on Etsy!
*You can show your support for the podcast by preordering your own “Tread the Red – A Red River Gorge Podcast” shirt at https://www.bonfire.com/tread-the-red-podcast/ !

Also, Rachel is now working with Red River Gorge United on their social media team! Please show that organization your support if you love the Red River Gorge region!

XoXo, Gorge Girl

Trail talk + a dash of ranting 😉

In this episode, we recount some hikes we did back in July (where has the time gone?! But also, who else is sooooo ready for Fall???) In this episode we take a sunset hike to Sky Bridge and listen to the whippoorwills, experience the rarity of having Auxier Ridge all to ourselves for an hour, watch Pippin get creek zoomies behind Hops, and hike to Whittleton Arch (also all to ourselves!) and Whistling Arch. Things to remember: Watch out for trail runners when taking a pee on hikes, #LeaveNoTrace so you do not get abducted by aliens, and let yourself enjoy what you enjoy while out on the trails!!

Trails featured in this episode:
*Sky Bridge Trail
*Auxier Ridge Trail
*Whittleton Branch/Arch Trails
*Whistling Arch Trail

Also some neat things happening at the Gorge this weekend (8/19-8/21):
*RRG Farmers Market – located at the Slade Welcome Center on Saturday from 10AM-2PM
*Natural Bridge Artisan Festival – located at Natural Bridge Campground (behind the Slade Welcome Center). Friday, Aug.19 12-6PM, Saturday, Aug.20 10-6PM, Sunday, Aug.21 10-6PM. While Tread the Red will not be set up at either of these events, we will be there on Saturday checking things out (the whole gang – Rachel, Darren, AND PIPPIN!) Come say hi if you spot us! 🙂

Shadytown Farm, Greenhouse, and Floral Creations – RRG Farmers Market Guest Feature

Hello! We are back with another Red River Gorge Farmers Market Vendor Guest Feature episodes! This time we are chatting with Oneida from Shadytown Farm, Greenhouse, and Floral Creations – she is really doing it all!
We hope everyone enjoys these mini episodes featuring all the hardworking and talented people involved in the RRG Farmers Markets. You can check it out for yourself every Saturday at the Slade Welcome Center (right off the Mountain Parkway Slade Exit 33) from 10-2! It is so much fun and we promise that everyone can find something they love there!

Thanks for listening! Rachel also just added podcast stickers to her Etsy shop so that you can show your support for the podcast! There are also new Tread the Red shirts and tanks available as well. Happy hiking!