Natural Bridge State Park is situated just outside the Daniel Boone National Forest but contains some of the best views within the gorge area. The most famous arch in the area, Natural Bridge, is just but one feature of the park. From campsites to paddle boats, this park has the amenities of a resort area but the seclusion and hiking trails of the national forest.

The center piece of the park is Natural Bridge. The 900 tons of stone that span between two ridges was formed by millions of years of wind and rain and the view of it and from it is impressive. In addition to the arch, there is Mill Creek Lake, a stocked fishing lake, a skylift to the bridge, and Hoe Down Island. There are two campgrounds (Middlefork and Whittleton Branch) within the park and are off of KY 11. Hemlock lodge is the state-run hotel that overlooks a small lake. The lodge is open year-round and has a restaurant in addition to separate cottages for rent. During the summer season, the park has scheduled activities for all ages including nature walks, films and every Friday and Saturday, an old-fashion square dance on Hoe Down Island. The lodge area also has a brand new swimming pool that looks fantastic, tennis courts, picnic areas, and paddle boats. There is also a junior naturalist program. For more information, visit the official Natural Bridge State Park web site or write:

Natural Bridge State Park                       

2135 Natural Bridge Road

Slade, KY 40376-9999

(606) 663-2214

1-800-325-1710 (Toll-free eservations)

Reservations should be made especially during holidays and the busy seasons

  The TrailS

AThere are only 9 trails within the park. Most of them lead to the arch and have various levels of difficulty. The rest branch off of them and lead you into more remote areas of the park. This map shows the major trails and landmarks. If you have any difficulty at all in hiking up hills, I would recommend using the skylift at the base of the mountain. It takes you directly behind the bridge where there is an easy walk to the bridge. The skylift does cost money however. Sand Gap trail, Hoods Branch, and Rock Garden are longer trails that lead to the arch (or arch area) after leading you through some of the more remote areas and seldom hiked areas of the park while the rest are direct, shorter routes to the bridge. NOTE: The Lakeside trail is CLOSED until further notice. A tree took out the bridge and though they plan to replace it, I don't know when

Natural Bridge State Park can be reached by getting off at the Slade exit on the Mountain Parkway and turning right. The park is about 3 miles up KY 11. If you are staying at the Lodge, access to the trails can be reached at the far end of the lodge parking lot. Take the asphalt path toward the activity center, and the trails start just about 50 yards down on the right. If you are not staying at the lodge, drive past the road leading to the lodge. About 1 mile up the road, there is a parking lot used for day hikers and people going to Hoe Down Island. Park here and follow the asphalt trail past the Gift shop but turn left onto the gravel path. The trail starts here and winds up the mountain. It meets up with the asphalt path the lodge. If you want to take the skylift up to the bridge, turn onto Natural Bridge Road but turn right instead of left toward the lodge. The skylift is at the end of this road.

. Trail Rules

The following acts are prohibited:

  • Hiking with pets
  • Collecting specimens, including those for research purposes.
  • Building fires or backcountry camping
  • Riding mountain bikes, ORV's and horses
  • Picking Flowers, digging, pulling or attempting to remove any plant material.
  • Carving or writing on rock formations, trees or manmade structures.
  • Disturbing, capturing, or killing any animal, including poisnous snakes.
  • Rock Climbing or rappelling.
  • Use of alcoholic beverages.

Things to remember:

  • Shortcutting the trails leads to unslightly soil erosion. Please stay on the marked trails.
  • Most forest fires are caused by careless people. Please don't smoke while hiking the trails.
  • Do not hike alone. In case of emergency you will need someone to summon aid.
  • Trails close each day at sunset. Hiking at night in this terrain is extremely dangerous.
  • Please do not be a litter bug.

Trail's Descriptions

While most of the trails eventually lead to the bridge, the only way up or down at the bridge itself is "Fat Man's Misery". This is a crack on the side of the arch that leads up (with the help of some steps) to the top of the bridge. Just about everyone can fit through the crack, except for some extremely large people, though it might get tight.

Original Trail 3/4 Mile

The original trail starts just past the lodge. It is the first trail head. The trail starts up some steps and levels out immediately. Further along the trail, off to the left is the opening to a cave, connecting the original trail and Balance Rock trail. A little bit up the trail, the first of the Battleship Rock trail accesses starts off to the right right before a shelter house. The main trail continues on gradually working it's way uphill until about 2/3 of the way up, there is a shelter house on the left one can rest in. From this point on, the tail gets pretty steep. The trail has several swithchbacks that ends up right under the bridge span.

Balanced Rock Trail - 3/4 mile

This trail starts along the asphalt pave from the lodge. Do not take the first tail head you come to. This is the original trail. Balanced Rock trail starts about 100 feet down from this trail. This trail starts up immediately. Just past the first steps, one will notice a cave off to the right. This cave was once lined with electric lights and leads through the mountain to the original trail. This entrance is fairly large; not so the other end. You will have to climb up if you want to go out the other end. If you continue along the trail, it levels out and you come along the namesake of the trail. To the left you will see a large rock seemingly balanced on a slender piece of rock. Right after the rock, you start climbing and basically climb the rest of the way to the top of the ridge. This part is fairly strenuous but this trail is not used as much and has some good views. As the trail tops out, it bends to the right and comes to a T here. Sand Gap trail starts here off to the left. Turn right and you come up to a Shelter house. The bridge is off to the left.

Battleship Rock Trail 3/4 mile

Battleship Rock Trail is a connector trail that loops along the base of the ridge of Lookout point and Natural Bridge. There are several trails which branch off of it which connects the top of the arch to the bottom or leads to the arch. The trail along the Original trail next to the shelter hut and leads towards the base of the ridge. You can also pick up the trail further up the Original trail or at the base of the Bridge. The connector trails which lead to the top of the arch are the Devil's Gulch and Needle's Eye Trail. Both of these are steep trails/stairs which connects to the trail on top of the ridge, Laurel Ridge trail. The trail itself is fairly level except around the staircases, where it gets steep.

The Devil's Gulch 1/4 mile,

This isn't an official trail, but a common name for a rather steep set of stairs connecting the top of the ridge (Laural Ridge trail) with the bottom (Battleship Rock trail). Take the Battleship Rock trail from the Original trail past the Rock Garden trail split. The trail will soon fork. Take the ride fork (formally known as the Salt Mine trail). You will see the Devil's Gulch staircase right in front. You could also take Laurel Ridge trail on top and use these to get back to Hemlock lodge or the parking lot.

Needle's Eye Trail 1/4

Again not an officail trail...Take the above trail description but instead of taking the Devils Gluch stairs, take the trail off to your right. You will come to another set very steep of stairs. Take these stairs to the top of the ridge. A path off to the right along the stairs will lead you to the Needle's Eye, a small arch. As of this May (1997), the path to the arch was closed. At the top of the staircase, to the left is the path which leads to Lookout Point; to the right is Lover's Leap.

Salt Mine Trail 1/4 mile

This trail is basically a connector trail between the Battleship Rock trail (lower half) and the staircases to the top of the ridge. The trail is rather steep as it was onced used by horses from a saltpeter mine that was located at the base of the cliff.. Their hoofs cut into the ground and eroision has done the rest. It also can be a shortcut back to Lodge and parking lot.

Rock Garden Trail 1 3/4 miles, moderate

This trail takes a longer route to the bridge, coming up from behind. The trailhead is located on the on Battleship Rock trail, so one must take that trail from the original trail get to the trailhead. It loops along the base of the ridge as an alternate way to the bridge. The trail continues back around the ridge passing under the skylift and then up to the arch. While the trail is not as popular as others leading to the arch because of it's length, it is an enjoyable hike. Another way to access this trail is to take the original trail up to the bridge, and then pick up the trailhead there. It will end on Battleship Rock trail.

Sand Gap Trail 8 1/2 miles

The Sand Gap trailhead begins off of the Balanced Rock Trail, 500 feet from Natural Bridge. This trail is the longest in the park and will take all day to complete. The trail loops around on the edge of the park and descends down into Lower Hood's Branch following an old logging road bed. The trail crosses the valley and follows the edge of the park all the way to Hood's Branch Trail head near the skylift parking lot.

Hoods Branch Trail 4 miles

The Hood's Branch trailhead under the Natural Bridge and leads through the center of the park to the parking lot near the sklift. The trail follows the cliffs and then desecends down to the Upper Hood's Branch. It crosses the stream then follow the cliffs down toward the parking lot. Once you come across a shelter house, you are about 3/4 of a mile from the skylift parking lot.

Henson's Arch Trail 3/10 mile

Henson's Arch is named for a former park Superintendent and is located just off the Whittleton Branch Campground. You can find the trailhead in the campground off to the right of the campground as you enter, behind campsite A8. There is a bridge across the ravine here. While the trail is only 3/10 long, it is uphill the whole way. Just past a large ravine carved by the stream there, a large sink hole appears with a ladder leading down. The arch is formed by a sink hole on the other side of this hole.

Lakeside Trail 1/2 mile

This trail begins in the Whittleton Campground and crosses the road to follow the lake below the lodge. The trail follows the edge of the farside of the lake until it crosses a wooden brige next to the souvenir shop. It connects the campground with the rest of the park. NOTE THIS TRAIL IS CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. A tree took out the bridge and the trail is in a general state of disrepair. I've heard they plan to replace the bridge and reopen the trail but I don't know when.

Laurel Ridge - 3/4 mile

This trail is on top of the ridge where Natural Bridge, Look out point and other features are located. The trail leads from the bridge towards the skylift, skirting the cliffline the whole way. It then passes under the lift (there is a nice view to the left of the lift), and proceeds to Lookout Point where you can get an excellent view of the bridge span. It then bends back, passing both the Devils Gulch and Needle's Eye staircases and terminates at Lovers Leap.

Whittleton Trail 2 miles to KY 15, 1 mile to Whittleton Arch

The Whittleton trail is on of the easiest walks in the park and gorge. It follows Whittleton Creek its entire length, from the campgound to KY 15 (near the entrance of Tunnel Ridge Road). The trail to Whittleton arch branches off fro the trail. The arch is located at base of the sandstone cliff and is one of the largest in the area. The trail follows an narrow gauge railroad that ran from Natural Bridge to Chimney Top in the 1800's. The trailhead starts at Whittleton Campground at the back. Park at the enterance and take the left fork of the campground loop. For a further description, Click here.