Red River Gorge Question

“I know there are some here that have extensively hiked in the gorge, and I think I would like to try to find Red Bird Arch. It is on one of my topo's but is out on the far east side of the park, and not on any established trail.
Has anyone been there?
Is there an unmarked trail leading to it?
Would anyone like to go bushwhacking with me for about 3 days?”

“where is that, exactly? is that in clifty? sounds familiar, but all my maps are on the other side of the planet”

“No It's on the east side. I don't have my map with me but the trail that goes bast creation falls, and rock bridge would make a good starting point. About 3 or 4 miles in you would head east up one of the ravines to the ridge top then go north. It is out on the very edge of the maps that I have. I just thought it would be cool to get somewhere that was much less traveled, and practice my topo skills along the way.”

“thats clifty wilderness. swift camp creek trail”

“I thought that was the name of the trail but didn't want to be smited for blasphemy. That's clifty? Than what is the name of the place where the lodge is? I thought that was clifty.”

“Crash must be looking for a map on-line.
I'll just go home and try to commit every contour line to memory while killing brain cells with a coctail or four.”

“the place with the lodge with a great buffet is natural bridge state park

there is also clifty falls, but that is close to madison, indiana
last edited: 8/02/07 4:02:46 PM”

“OH PHUK! That's right! I forgot!
That trail goes by Canner falls and moonshiners cave too right? That is about where I think you would need to cross the creek, and head up to the eastern ridge top.”

“Is this a dayhike or a backpack?

MG, aren't you off on Sunday and Monday or something like that? If it's a dayhike, let's go some Sunday soon. It sounds cool.

I guess I could look at my map and answer my own question.”

“I'm guessing this means you have never been there? Maybe Jerbear has.
Sounds cool though don't you think? That section of the trail has tons to see and do, then you go up and do some trailless ridge walking and get to see a cool arch, then go home.


Sorry this was meant for Crash Bang
last edited: 8/02/07 4:12:50 PM”

“This is totally a bp trip ductape. It would be pretty durn challenging to do it as a one nighter with drive time and all, but if you are serious, I'm game. Lets give it a shot. I love the gorge and am itchin to get my new gear out for some real miles.
last edited: 8/02/07 4:17:05 PM”

“I loaned my topo to someone I work with. He's taking his wife and kids to Natural Bridge this weekend.

So all I have is the crappy "Map not to scale" map from the gas station.

How far off of Swift Camp Creek Trail are the places you mentioned?”

“I'm at work right now but I thnk it is about 1/2m E. to the ridge top then a couple more miles N. to the arch. Bare minimum of a one nighter, unless you got some off-road, jet powered roller skates for hiking boots.”

“Sorry, the actual places mentioned are ON the trail except for Red Bird Arch.”

“using the topo for the wimpy trails at natural bridge is a bit overkill, ducky. you shoulda given your friend the crappy not to scale map”

“NABSQNO 17S 275489 4188382

would this help”

“I gave him the map and told him to take his kids to Gray's Arch and the swinging bridge over the river.

His kids will get a kick out of climbing up on the arch and having lunch. And I know they will have a good time crossing over that bridge and finding a jump rock.”

“What is that, Sticks? Doesn't look like lat. & long. Have you been there?”

“When ya going?”

“I dunno. Probably the last of this month or some time next month. I'm a broke bltch till then. Of course it would have to be a Sun - Mon or Tues thing for me.”

“So are you serious about doing this DT? What about you Windi? I have had my eye on this place for a couple months now. I really want to go.”

“Well, it depends I guess. I'm using up my off time to go to Hawaii later this month. That's why I was asking if it was a dayhike or a backpack. I have no problem driving to the Gorge early Sunday and going back home the same day. But it's only a little over 2 hour drive for me, I'm not sure how long for you.

My thinking was we could put a car at the end of Swift Camp Creek Trail and start at Rock Bridge. That trail is 6.7 miles I think. I could handle a side trip that would make the day anywhere up to 15 miles probably, maybe more. It depends on how "off-trail" we're talking. I'm assuming there's actually a decent unmarked trail.

I never did figure out how far the side trip would be.”

“I didn't get a chance to look at my map last night. I would be coming from the far west side of Indy so it takes me 4.5hrs one way. A day trip is out for me but we could still do this. You can day trip it and I will camp somewhere near the end.
The side trip will probably add 2-3 miles to the total for the day but I'm not sure with out looking at my maps. I have no clue if there is any kind of trail at all. The map does not show one but you know how the gorge is about that kind of stuff.”

“I say it's a definite go then. I have no doubt there will be some kind of trail.

It's gonna be hot this Sunday, but it's gonna be hot and raining next Sunday. I am out of town for the following 2 Sundays.

I'm game for this Sunday. If so, what time would you be there.

Also to consider, Labor Day is coming up. A Sunday-Monday backpack would be cool that weekend. That would allow me to spend part of the weekend with my wife and part out hiking.”

“Damn, that is like the day after tomorrow. Uh the absolute soonest I could be there is 1000 or so because I don't get off work till 800pm Saturday night. IF I could work out a sitter I might be able to make it. I wont know till tomorrow morning, or late tonight. Logisticaly though it may be better to do it now than in a month when school is started.

Swift camp creek is in a deep ravine as I remember it, so it may not be as brutally hot.

Windi if you can do this we should car pool and come home on Monday. What do you think?”

“Ok let me know. My schedule's open Sunday so last minute is fine.

10 am? Are you on different time than me? I think you're an hour behind. That would be 11 my time, which is totally fine.”

“I've got the ok to go. Let me know if you can find a sitter.”

“Cool.

I will try to find this arch on my National Geo Topo! program when I get home from work tonight.”

“the trip is posted!!!”

“i would be up for this. i have read about this arch. i may want to see if i can climb it or something.”

“I saw a new book written by Jerrell Goodpaster, the guy who wrote the RRG Trail Guide, called "Hinterlands." It's supposedly a trail guide for all teh unofficial trails in RRG. I don't have it nor have I read it, but I bet your arch is in there.”

“Cool! Thanks BigBen. It wont help us today, but it might later. I'll keep that in mind.”