Great Hike. We had lots of run on this trail and reaching the Devils Bathtub…read moreTake the plunge and jump in it play in the water.

Strenuous hike with multiple creek crossings. Be mindful of your steps as you trek over roots &…read morerocks. A stellar experience the whole way. Please carry trash out. It's a very special place. Plan to spend the day, it's worth immersion in the whole environment.

Had the best time! The trails were very kid friendly and the waterfall was beautiful!read more

Very good place to camp and have events. Spacious, clean and all around very well kept.read more

Located at the intersection where Main Street meets the bridge, Triangle Park has street parking…read moreand a colorful green space. It is the home to Thursdays on the Triangle, a series of local art & culture mini-festivals helping to create space for art and local food in the downtown economy. It is also set up as a transportation hub with a covered area for buses to stop and load/unload. There isn't much shade here, making it quite hot on a July afternoon. There are a couple of benches. [Review 13465 overall, 784 of 2020.]

It is on the backroads and not much to see but the visiting center is super inviting and…read moreinteresting. The people who work there really care about the place.

This forest is a true gem for anyone who wants a glimpse of what the mountains of Kentucky used to…read morebe. Half the 500-plus acres is designated old growth forest, which is about as common as a steak at a KFC. We loved our very peaceful two-hour hike, especially the tall timbers. Understandably, they are very protective of these forests, so access is only allowed through guided tours. But the tours are highly informed and free, courtesy of the commonwealth of Kentucky. Be sure to call ahead of time to make plans, since the full time staff consists of two hardy souls that tend to the whole property in addition to babysitting any tourists. Notably, they don't get a lot of visitors here, so don't be surprised if your guided tour is private and exclusive. As for all you smartphone nerds out there, good luck checking into this place. The landscape that has helped save the timber for generations also turns your phone into a lump of coal. Be sure to pay close attention to the directions to get here. By all means, the trip is worth the effort.

Kingdom Come State Park is my favorite nature park, and I love to return there when I can. It is…read moreKentucky's highest state park, with an elevation of 2,700 feet. The scenery of the mountains and the beauty of the forest is what really makes this a special place for me. Located in the Appalachian Mountains in Harlan County, Kingdom Come was established in 1961. Prior to its designation as a park, much of the land was subject to extensive logging and coal mining. The park's name comes from the novel titled "The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come" by John Fox Jr., published in 1903. The book tells the story of orphan Chad Buford and his journey through the hills of Kentucky into the furor of the Civil War. It was the first novel to sell a million copies in the US. The hiking trails of the park offer truly great scenic overlooks. Before you start your trip, you should get the trail map from the visitor center at the parking lot. Only foot travel is permitted on the trails, but there is Little Shepherd Trail leading to the overlooks on Pine Mountain. This road is open to cars, foot travel, and cycling. The visitor center has a gift shop and a pedal boat rental for use on the lake. The park also has two picnic shelters with grills and several picnic areas.

Apparently you can come here and see bears wandering around, lazily eating and napping all over the…read morepark. I, however, must want to see them so bad that they sense my desperation and are thus disinterested. However, that being said, the park has views for days, overlooks, and beautiful trails that interweave for different tastes. The log rock arch was impressive, and the park was so quiet and peaceful. There's a lovely mountain lake, biking or hiking opportunities, and if you're not cursed like me, the opportunity to see BEARSss!

We stayed at Carr Creek State Park Campground for 3 days at $25/day. Some map apps may shows this…read morecampground as Littcarr Campground. As with any Kentucky State Park campground; we can either choose AAA discount, or 2nd day half off. We found this campground on our way to Red River Gorge. What caught our eyes was the deep lake and tall mountain surrounding the campground. Our site#31 has very good shade and little farther to comfort station than we normally wanted, but the site was spacious and plenty of privacy. Our site was half paved and half graveled, but fairly leveled. WiFi is none existence and LTE/3G barely worked. OTA TV has 6 digital channels. Power pedestal and water hookup were in convenient spots. Park staff was very gracious and helpful; point out the best sites, available discounts, etc. Marina for kayak access to Carr Fork Lake about 1 mile east of HWY15 from campground. Swimming beach access by walking down the flagstone steps. Although it was closed for the season, nonetheless, we saw family still enjoy the lake down there. Bathroom with showers and toilets were outdated and needs serious scrubbing. Not whole lot of things to see or around this area, more like a relax pad before continuing on our way.

Nice park. Small playground area, but very cool view. Great swing set. Right next to ball fields…read moreand a splash park. Cool place to bring family for a picnic or just a place to play on a road trip. Hidden Gem.

As I write this, Yelp reviews for the state park, the lodge, and the restaurant are all rolled into…read moreone, so for better or worse, some of the ratings for this 1500-acre forest are being brought down by a disappointing salad bar experience or two. But make no mistake here -- the state park and the hiking trails are really very good and very well-maintained. We did have a 2-night stay in a cottage that is at least 50 years old - maybe more - and we were very happy with its offering modern amenities (thermostat, full kitchen, wifi) in an old wooden cabin. Nearby Honeymoon Falls is a a loop trail that is every bit as good as anything we saw in Cumberland Gap National Park, and we also thought highly of the Chained Rock trail, silly as the chain story is. The lodge seems nice too, although we didn't stay there. The dining area is a little more utilitarian looking than I might hope for from a 100 year-old lodge, but the view from the big windows makes up for it. The food? Yeah, it's nothing special. But we've seen worse from similar places. If you're here for the food and not for the other stuff then yeah, rethink your life choices or do some soul-searching.

Amazing views of the city if you drive up to the parking area for Chained Rock. Once you park there…read moreis a great view area on one hike and the chained rock on the other. There are several other hikes you can do. This is very easy going down but be ready for coming back up. Steep but go slow, watch your footing and take step by step! For sure bring a bottle water with you and do in the morning. It is very cool to do and it brings life to pineville. There is several spots to camp and chill as we saw on drive up the mountain!! Would totally recommend to anyone of multiple ages!!

This will have been our 2nd time to Red River Gorge, except we took our fam plus some. I love…read moreviews, mountains, family, and good food! We rented out thee most cutest cabin. We took a hike one day and rested another. When we go again, the itinerary will look different, trying other places we didn't get a chance to experience.

Please go visit these wonderful parks and trails - I highly recommend a long with hiking poles…read more Happy trails!!!