May 13: A nice 10-mile loop with portions on the Sheltowee. Gray's Arch is perhaps the Red's most impressive arch.

Owner: Boyd

March 31, Fortress wall in the Red River Gorge, near Mile 70. Booked a guided climb with the new owners of Red River Outdoors, Amy & Matt Tackett. My sister and her family were in Kentucky for their annual visit from Berkeley, California. They enjoy Gym climbing on a regular basis while in CA, and wanted to do a trip in the Gorge to give their kids a chance to climb outdoors on the legendary crags of the RRG. Our guides (Charlie, Virginia & Aaron) were very friendly and knowledgable. Matt got us all fitted with harnesses and shoes, and off to the wall we went - all six of us, including three kids age 7 to 13. What a day! Everybody had a great time, and as you can see from the pictures, the kids felt totally comfortable and really enjoyed themselves. Matt and his crew @ RRO come highly recommended and also rent canoes and mountain bikes. They can be reached at: 859.230.3567

Owner: Vinny the Squirrel

A nice section of singletrack; one of my favorites. No steep, killer climbs. Just gently rolling grades. A tornado in 1995 once had the north face of the hill in a tangled mess, but the Forest Service contracted someone to clean it out. I think they routed the trail a little different than it was. It was such a mess it was hard to tell where it went. I'll have to go back sometime for a pic of the suspension bridge over Triplett Creek.

Owner: railbiker

Okay, everyone knows this section is all on paved roads-6.8 miles. I road this section in early 1998 with my cross tires. I made a round trip east on US 60 back to KY 32 in Morehead, and back to Kroger where I was parked. Later that afternoon, I rode the Caney Loop section of the Sheltowee to the Buckskin Trail, and back, with the same cross tires. And they worked pretty well, except in the mud.

Owner: railbiker

This section is a total of 12 miles. I like to start from Rodburn Hollow Park and ride up the old logging road. It's a killer climb, but worth it. At the top, right goes to KY 977; left goes to KY 32. The FS 977 end goes for about 2 miles before the singletrack starts. It goes in and out of the forest road a few times before it is all singletrack along that ridge behind Morehead. The Eagle Trail is a nice 1 mile detour, down some switchbacks to University Lake. The KY 32 end just drops off on the cliff blasted out for the straightened road. I take an alternate path down to the left. It's much easier, and safer.

Owner: railbiker

This section is only 2.2 miles, and hardly used. Almost pristine. It is probably still closed for ice damage at this writing 04-2005.

Owner: railbiker

This another favorite section of the motorcross bikes. It is only 2.25 miles long, and in fairly good shape. Easy to mountain bike; no steep climbs.

Owner: railbiker

This is the first part of the trail I mountain biked on in 1995. It was so sweet then. 9.9 miles along the ridge, down to Dry Branch Rd, and 10 miles back on KY 377. A nice days ride. Now, the motorcross bikes have found it. I just hope it survives.

Owner: railbiker

April 9-10: The plan was to hike the Sheltowee around Laurel Lake. Diversion due to no open campgrounds. Camped in open first night near White Oak campground at Laurel Lake. Received citation from Laurel County Sheriff at said camp. Hiked Cold Rock School Trail then the Corps of Engineers Laurel Lake dam and spillway trail. Lesson learned: unless you have a boat to visit boat-in campgrounds, which are open all year, one should be careful camping at Laurel Lake off-season. Camped at Bee Rock the next night, which was open but full. Visited the Sublimity Bridge Overlook for sunset. Hiked the loop around the mouth of Rockcastle starting at the Scuttle Hole Overlook. Connected Dutch Branch, Ned Branch, Twin Branch, and Lakeside trails for counterclockwise loop. The Rockcastle Campground was open and little used. This loop is one of the best in the London Ranger District of the Daniel Boone National Forest.

Owner: Boyd

Cromer Ridge...the infamous. The trailhead at mile 160 lists prohibitied vehicles. Because this is a county road any street legal vehicle can drive its length. Due to erosion of topsoil into the Rockcastle River, this playground has problematic impacts on the local environment. In an ironic twist, I think, this area has not succumbed to pine beatle epidemic. The ST leaves the county road and decends into a beautiful Hawk Creek gorge and suspension bridge.

Owner: Boyd

March 11: This loop is about 8 miles from the furnace, to the arch on the Sheltowee, and the gravel road back to the hardtop. A map makes it simple, plus you get a chance to bush-whack up to Gate Post Hill and *hump* the impressive arch....and then visit the popular Clear Creek shooting range.

Owner: Boyd

February 26: The Red River Gorge is good hiking any time!

Owner: Boyd

February 19-20: Tucked in the Cumberland River valley, the Sheltowee Trace passes numerous waterfalls and secluded ravines where hemlock and rhododendron grow profusely. Such examples are Devil's Creek, Dog Slaughter Falls, and Bear Camp Creek falls. BTW, although the bridge across Bear Camp was demolished in 2004 flooding, a 3/4" nylon rope anchored to opposite trees offers a support line. Our trip of 8 hikers ended at Laurel Lake's Holly Bay marina. Laurel Lake is the second largest lake in the Daniel Boone NF, behind Cave Run Lake. The two contrast: where Cave Run is shallow and silty, Laurel Lake is deep, cliffy, and clear.

Owner: Boyd

Jan. 30, 2005. A GPS excercise on the Kentucky Trail in the Big South Fork NRRA (BISO). The Kentucky Trail intersects the Sheltowee Trace on Wilson Ridge at mile 235. Hiked by THOR, Vinny the Squirrel, & Boyd (the trail photographer).

Owner: THOR

January 28: Trails above the Morehead District (Cave Run Lake) visitor center snake around some of the tallest knobs in the northern section of the Daniel Boone NF. Big Limestone is 4.5 miles on trail north of the visitor center and has about 750 feet of vertical relief...almost a textbook definition of a mountain. Atop Big Lime (and neighboring Little Lime) are a few large outcroppings of eroded sandstone that could be considered a nice bouldering site if the thrush of undergrowth wasn't so heavy. As one travels southward, the boulders become progressively cliffline and geographically similar to the Red River Gorge. If you're looking for about 100 miles of singletrack and isolation, Cave Run is the destination. Side note: The Sheltowee Trace visits the Morehead District Visitor Center at Cave Run Lake. This is one of three visitor centers the trace crosses and is a good drop point.

Owner: Boyd