Martin's Fork, Grays Arch, Red River Gorge

September 10: The Gorge offers great introductory experiences for overnight backpacking trips. With easy access to water, camping, and nearly a plethora of guides, maps, and websites, the gorge is one of the most scrubbed areas in the appalachian foothills. That said, we still saw a few parties that were utterly lost...without maps nor adequate provisions. The trails are all excellent singletrack that wind through hundreds of miles of scenic cliffline and often hang at the edge of rocky precipices. Each year the gorge claims the lives of a few inexperienced or unfortunate hikers who tarry too long at the edge. Memorials are found throughout the park. We started at Martin's Fork, then to Gray's Arch, Rush Ridge, Daniel Boone Hut and back to start: 6 miles.