Daniel Boone National Forest, KY - Grays Arch Loop

ABOUT THE PARK:
Grays Arch Area Trails Brochure - US Department of Agriculture
Red River Gorge Geological Area - US Department of Agriculture

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 37.820351, -83.666821

Parking at Martins Fork Trailhead because it is much less crowded than the Grays Arch parking area and allows for a nice lollipop loop.

TRAIL MAP:
Grays Arch Area Trails Brochure and Trail Map - US Department of Agriculture

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HIKE DISTANCE:
7.6 miles without Left Flank Wall
8.2 miles with Left Flank Wall

THE HIKE:

A right turn out of the parking lot and a short road walk to ...

...  Rough Trail on the left.

If I counted correctly, there were 11 bridges to cross back and forth over Martin Fork.

Rough Trail also known as Trail No. 221.

At an intersection we continued left...

... and would be returning from the D. Boone Hut Trail on the right.

Continuing on the Rough Trail towards Grays Arch.

Huge rock formations come into view.

Once at the base, the rock formations are too massive to fit into a picture.

Some rock scrambles up.

At the top, a short stretch of pine forest ...

... then a left, still on Rough Trail but the part that leads from Grays Arch parking to Grays Arch so it gets pretty heavily trafficked for the next mile.

At this fence ...

... is the only place you can capture a full picture of Grays Arch, which looks diminutive in this picture but it is huge.

Heading down steep flights of steps ...

... then a little bit of a scramble up ...

... to Grays' Arch.

You can appreciate how huge it is by the size of the person at the bottom.

Heading back, everyone will be going back up the steps to the left but we continued to the right where ...

... we left the noise of the crowds behind us and continued into quiet, peaceful woods.

At a little camp site on the left we stopped for a break.

A couple of rock hops over the creek ...

... before climbing up out of the gorge on steps.

At the top, we left Rough Trail and turned right on Rush Ridge Trail.

This trail follows the mostly flat ridge with drops on either side but never very close to the trail.

A view across the gorge where we were hiking before.

At the end of the Rush Ridge Trail, right towards Grays Arch Picnic Area.

A right on Tunnel Ridge Road a short distance.

You can either stay on Tunnel Ridge Road or go through the Grays Arch parking area...

... which passes by the D. Boone Hut parking area back to ...

... Tunnel Ridge Road where the D. Boone Hut Trail starts and runs parallel to the road for a bit.

Steps down into the gorge.

White-haired Goldenrod

On the right uphill on a side trail then right to D. Boone Hut.

Keep following to the end...

... and into the rock shelter.

Looking out from the rock shelter.  Where Grays Arch was so busy, nobody else was here and this spot is equally interesting.

Heading back out.

Back on the D. Boone Hut Trail, a left towards Martins Fork.

Back at that intersection from the beginning of the hike, left on the Rough Trail.

Because we finished a whole hour ahead of schedule, we went up the Left Flank Trail which is a short distance before the end of the hike.

This trail leads uphill to giant rock walls...

... where climbers were scaling the walls.

Retracing back and continuing on to ...

... the short road walk along Route 77 ...

... back to the parking area.

Not a peep out of him on the 6-hour drive to St. Louis, MO.

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