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
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. |
