Natural Bridge State Resort Park Trail System

Trail 1. The Original Trail Length 0.75-mile

This trail was built in the 1890s by the Lexington and Eastern Railroad and continues to be the most popular route today. It is the shortest and easiest trail for hiking to the Natural Bridge. Beginning at the gift shop the trail gently climbs 1/4-mile to the trailhead behind Hemlock Lodge. From here, you will see the steepest part of the trail before you, but at the top of the limestone steps it quickly levels off. There are four trail shelters, two of which were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps when there was a camp at Whittleton Creek in the 1930s. The trail climbs over 500-feet through an impressive forest of hemlock, yellow poplar, white pine, and dense thickets of rhododendron. It ends beneath the span of the Natural Bridge. Access to the top of the bridge is through a natural fracture on the other side of the arch.

Trail 2. Balanced Rock Trail Length 0.75-mile

Named for an extraordinary rock formation along the way, this is the steepest trail in the park. Beginning at the trailhead behind Hemlock Lodge, hikers are immediately faced with a steep series of limestone steps leading to a small cave on the right. It is possible to go through the cave and emerge on the Original Trail at the first trail shelter. Past the cave, Balanced Rock trail again climbs up steps and around a switchback to the Balanced Rock, a large sandstone block on the left. From here, the trail gets steeper until hikers find themselves at the base of the sandstone cliff called Rocky Point. The trail follows along a ridgetop and descends to the junction with Sand Gap Trail, then ends near the large wooden shelter at the top of Natural Bridge. Because of its steep grade, most hikers prefer to use Balanced Rock Trail as the downhill part of a loop trip.

Trail 3. Battleship Rock Trail Length 0.75-mile

This is the scenic route to the Natural Bridge. Start at the trailhead behind Hemlock Lodge and go up the Original Trail to the top of the first set of steps. Battleship Rock Trail forks off to the right and follows the ridge above the lodge parking lot. At the junction with Rock Garden Trail, Battleship Rock Trail makes a sharp left turn and goes up the hollow. At about 4/10 mile, you arrive at the foot of the Devil’s Gulch, one of two stairways that leads to the Laurel Ridge Trail on the cliffs above. Battleship Rock Trail turns to the left and continues under the cliff to its end beneath the Natural Bridge.

Trail 4. Rock Garden Trail Length 1.75-miles

Rock Garden Trail starts along the Battleship Rock Trail just above Hemlock Lodge. It follows the ridge out above the lodge and takes the long way around, ending beneath the Natural Bridge. This is an enjoyable walk, just long enough to keep the crowds away, and one of the best routes on the park for bird watchers and plant lovers.

Trail 5. Sand Gap Trail Length 7.5-miles

Our most challenging trail, Sand Gap requires 4 to 6-hours to complete. There are no shortcuts once you‘ve started, so allow adequate time to make this trip before nightfall. Sand Gap Trail begins near the upper end of the Balanced Rock Trail about 500 feet from the top of Natural Bridge. For the next 3.5-miles, Sand Gap follows an old logging road and is easy walking along the ridgetop. Watch for a steel gate about 1.5-miles from the beginning of the trail. Do not go through the gate. Beyond the gate is another road that leads off the park and into the land of lost hikers! The trail turns 90 degrees to the right, in front of the gate. About 3.5-miles from the beginning, the trail descends steeply into Lower Hood Branch, still following an old road bed. It will soon level out in the vicinity of a bog, then turn right across a narrow bridge and begin to meander below the cliffs. At about 6.5-miles the trail descends to a bridge over Lower Hood Branch. From here, the trail climbs up the other side of the valley for about 0.2-mile following a skid road built by loggers in the 19th-century. As you climb up this section, watch carefully for the sharp left turn where the trail leaves this old road. From here, you’ll wind around a couple of ridges then follow a fairly level grade for about 1 .5-miles to the Hood Branch Trailhead near the skylift parking area.

Trail 6. Hood’s Branch Trail Length 3.75-miles

Hood Branch Trail leads into the heart of Natural Bridge, and is just long enough so the crowds will be left behind. The trail begins under the Natural Bridge and follows the base of the cliffs to the Hood Branch Trailhead near the skylift parking area. About 2.25-miles from the Natural Bridge, the trail passes through a swampy section that was once cleared for a small farm. Cross two small footbridges and you’ll soon see a trail shelter built by the Civilian Conservation Corps when they maintained a camp at Natural Bridge in the 1930s. From here you are 0.75-mile from the Hood Branch Trailhead. An optional side trip along this route is about 1.5-miles from the Natural Bridge. The trail drops down and crosses Upper Hood Branch on a small wooden bridge. You have two options: you can bear left going upstream following the 0.75-mile Upper Loop that will bring you back to where you are; or you can bear right and follow the main trail out.

Trail 7. Henson’s Arch Trail Length 0.3-mile

This short trail leads to a small but unusual limestone arch at the entrance to a cave. The cave is too small to be of much interest, but a ladder leads down into a sinkhole so that hikers can appreciate the cool, damp air beneath Henson’s Arch.

Trail 8. Lakeside Trail Length 0.25-mile

This is a connecting trail between Whittleton Campground and other park trails and facilities. It begins across the road from the campground in the roadside parking lot, and follows the edge of the pond below Hemlock Lodge. It crosses a wooden footbridge and ends at the gift shop near Hoedown Island.

Trail 9. Laurel Ridge Trail Length 0.75-mile

Starting at the top of the Natural Bridge, this is easy walking around the rim of the cliffs. The trail goes past the skylift and winds out the ridge to Lookout Point, the sandy cliff visible from the Natural Bridge. Follow Laurel Ridge Trail on around the bend and you will come to the top of the Devil’s Gulch, a steep stairway that leads down to Battleship Rock Trail and a shortcut to Hemlock Lodge and the parking areas. If you continue on Laurel Ridge past the Devil’s Gulch, you will shortly arrive at another set of stairs on your right. This is the Needle’s Eye Stairway, built in 1934 by the Civilian Conservation Corps, and it will also lead you to Battleship Rock Trail. Laurel Ridge Trail continues on to a dead end at Lover’s Leap, with a commanding view of the canyon below.

Trail 10. Low Gap Trail Length 0.5-mile

This trail starts at the skylift parking area and climbs the hill to two footbridges. At this point the trail makes a switchback and continues to climb to a natural bench. After an easy walk, the trail ascends through a natural gap in the limestone. From here, the trail follows an old logging road and connects to the Rock Garden Trail. At this junction, hikers can go left to Hemlock Lodge, or right to the Natural Bridge. Low Gap Trail provides the shortest route from the Natural Bridge to the skylift parking area, a distance of 1.25-miles. Hikers can start at the Natural Bridge and follow the Rock Garden Trail down to the Low Gap Trail which ends at the skylift parking area.

Trail 11. Upper Hood's Branch Trail 0.75- mile

An optional side trip along this route is about 1.5-miles from the Natural Bridge. The trail drops down and crosses Upper Hood Branch on a small wooden bridge. You have two options: you can bear left going upstream following the 0.75-mile Upper Loop that will bring you back to where you are; or you can bear right and follow the main trail out.

Trail 216. Whittleton Trail Length 2-miles

This trail was developed by the U.S. Forest Service and begins on the state park at the Whittleton Campground. Hikers should park near the check-in station and walk to the end of the left fork of the road.Whittleton Trail is the easiest walking trail in the Red River Gorge. It follows Whittleton Creek for its entire length and ends along KY 15 at the entrance to the Tunnel Ridge Road. It serves as a connector between the trails in the Red River Gorge and Natural Bridge. Most hikers using this trail follow it to Whittleton Arch, a pleasant round trip of 2-miles from the campground. The arch is at the base of a sandstone cliff, and is not visible until you are there. It is not as spectacular as other arches in the area, but it is one of the largest. Whittleton Trail follows the grade of a logging railroad built in 1898 that ran from Natural Bridge to Chimney Top. Watch for signs of the Mountain Central Railway as you walk this trail.

Things To Remember

- Mile markers show distance to Natural Bridge.
- In a typical year, about 40 people fall from cliffs in this area; two die from their injuries, some are permanently disabled. It often takes several hours to rescue and transport accident victims to a hospital. Most victims are young adults who venture too close to the cliff edge.
- Trails close at night. Hikers must be out by sunset.
- Hikers must stay on the designated trails.
- Off-trail hiking is not permitted on this park.

Directions and Maps

1- Directions  2- Facility & Trail Map (pdf file)