Red River Gorge/outdoors thread

[DA#23]

Really happy you guys got to go and see it. I’ve been up the Douglas trail but not to eagle’s buttress/nest. I figured going in on Osborne bend would be the best way for me to get there.

[surveyor]

Nice pics, Blue.

[Blue Heaven]

Really happy you guys got to go and see it. I’ve been up the Douglas trail but not to eagle’s buttress/nest. I figured going in on Osborne bend would be the best way for me to get there.

Yeah we did it in reverse. In hindsight I would've liked to skirt the river first to get it out of the way and coming down would've been easier. Apparently one could do a Copperas Creek to Eagles Point loop. Doing it that way you can see Sandy Arch and Moonshiners Arch. Have always wanted to see Moinshiners. Next hike I do will be to Hanson's Point.

[DA#23]

Have you been there before? I like to go to Koomer ridge, go to buck trail, then to pinch ‘me tight, take it to rough trail where I always hit up hanson’s point. From there I take rough trail back to Koomer ridge which is a good little walk with 3 or 4 creeks. Very scenic and a sort of variety pack in one day. Hidden arch is along the way and a person could walk to grey’s arch as well.

I would like to walk the rough trail and then just bicycle back to the parking lot.

[Uncle Dave]

Awesome pics!!!

[Blue Heaven]

Have you been there before? I like to go to Koomer ridge, go to buck trail, then to pinch ‘me tight, take it to rough trail where I always hit up hanson’s point. From there I take rough trail back to Koomer ridge which is a good little walk with 3 or 4 creeks. Very scenic and a sort of variety pack in one day. Hidden arch is along the way and a person could walk to grey’s arch as well.

I would like to walk the rough trail and then just bicycle back to the parking lot.

No I haven't been there but heard it's one of the best views in the gorge.

[Dwight Schrute]

Did our trip this weekend. Rain kept us away the last few weeks. We hiked up to Eagles Nest. Rough trip back as the trail by the river was muddy and debris on parts of it due to high water but the river had already receded quite a bit and we managed. That trail in those conditions proved how valuable a good walking stick is. At least for me anyway. It was a perfect hiking weekend. Rained a bit last night but wasn't when we left at 7 this morning. Gonna try and throw some pics up.

In college my friends and I called that rock shelter just beneath Eagle's Nest 'Dead Body Cave' because when we hiked up to it, my friend saw the remnants of someone's camp site that, from the distance, looked like a body bag.

The portion from Eagle's Nest to the main road is tough. It's not an official trail and isn't maintained as such. You have to climb over a bunch of rocks and debris. That section in the middle where you have to climb over the big rock is really tough, and I see a snake there EVERY SINGLE TIME I go through it. Whenever I'd go with friends, my geologist buddy always had to explore that cave and that's where I realized I was claustrophobic. Now I don't do caves.

That is a tough trail to do in the wetter months because it's always so muddy and tough to gain any traction.

[Dwight Schrute]

Looks like you approached Eagle's nest a different way than I normally do - I've never been this route before.

[Blue Heaven]

Looks like you approached Eagle's nest a different way than I normally do - I've never been this route before.

Dwight, we parked at Osborne Bend and took the trail leading uphill. Most people go down and skirt the river first. I was just following our buddy who serves as our guide. I didn't realize most people start by the river until I looked up a bunch of info about it when I got home.

[Blue Heaven]

In college my friends and I called that rock shelter just beneath Eagle's Nest 'Dead Body Cave' because when we hiked up to it, my friend saw the remnants of someone's camp site that, from the distance, looked like a body bag.

The portion from Eagle's Nest to the main road is tough. It's not an official trail and isn't maintained as such. You have to climb over a bunch of rocks and debris. That section in the middle where you have to climb over the big rock is really tough, and I see a snake there EVERY SINGLE TIME I go through it. Whenever I'd go with friends, my geologist buddy always had to explore that cave and that's where I realized I was claustrophobic. Now I don't do caves.

That is a tough trail to do in the wetter months because it's always so muddy and tough to gain any traction.

Starting out wasn't bad but it was straight uphill but the tree canopy kept it drier than it should've been. Lot of rocks to use for leverage. Coming back was a different story. The trail by the river is rough anyway but the rains had pushed a lot of debris up but it did also bring sand which was a big help. Still it was very rugged. I slipped once and my left foot landed on a debris pile and it started cracking. I could look through it and it was a straight drop to the river. If I didn't have my walking stick I woulda been toast. We also saw a crap ton of bear tracks along the river and especially near that cave. I picked up speed as I didn't wanna be last, lol.

[Dwight Schrute]

Dwight, we parked at Osborne Bend and took the trail leading uphill. Most people go down and skirt the river first. I was just following our buddy who serves as our guide. I didn't realize most people start by the river until I looked up a bunch of info about it when I got home.

Where you started goes straight uphill, right? I think I have done the first part of this trail but turned back due to time.

Edit - LOL, didn't see your last reply.

[Dwight Schrute]

Starting out wasn't bad but it was straight uphill but the tree canopy kept it drier than it should've been. Lot of rocks to use for leverage. Coming back was a different story. The trail by the river is rough anyway but the rains had pushed a lot of debris up but it did also bring sand which was a big help. Still it was very rugged. I slipped once and my left foot landed on a debris pile and it started cracking. I could look through it and it was a straight drop to the river. If I didn't have my walking stick I woulda been toast. We also saw a crap ton of bear tracks along the river and especially near that cave. I picked up speed as I didn't wanna be last, lol.

I've heard of people seeing bears down there, but the only place I've ever encountered a bear is the parking lot of the Park Vista in Gatlinburg.

[Blue Heaven]

Fishing wasn't on like I thought it would be today. Tried a new lake in Hodgenville. Caught 11 keeper crappie. Still early I feel.

[Joneslab]

The family and I went to Asheville for three days last week. First time I've been.

One of the things we did was take a drive (45 mins.) outside Asheville to Dupont State Forest, which is where they shot some of the Hunger Games movies and Last of the Mohicans.

Unfortunately I have no pictures to share but that's okay, because the pictures don't do this place justice. Probably the most beautiful place I've been in the outdoors, and the only thing that would rival it is the Redwood Forest. The most beautiful part is Triple Falls, which is an extraordinary waterfall that sort of slants instead of falls straight down, which gives it a more majestic look.

We hiked past Triple Falls, made an error in judgment (my bad) and went about a mile away from the water, then came back to a covered bridge and walked down to another waterfall, called High Falls. High Falls was almost as nice as Triple Falls.

This is an incredible place and if you're ever in Asheville I highly recommend you take this hike. All in all we walked for a little under 3 miles, but half the hike was uphill so it isn't the easiest. But the views and scenery are absolutely worth it.

[Dwight Schrute]

Fishing wasn't on like I thought it would be today. Tried a new lake in Hodgenville. Caught 11 keeper crappie. Still early I feel.

Which lake?