Cabins
There are several different cabins and cabin rental companies in the Red River Gorge. Red River Outdoors (www.redriveroutdoors.com) offers cabins of various size and price. Some of the cabins they rent are located at beautiful Torrent Falls, giving you easy access to one of the largest waterfalls in the state of Kentucky. Renting any of the cabins gets you a discount on canoe rentals, guided climbing trips, or exciting games of paintball. There are many, many other cabin rental companies in the Red River Gorge. Here are links to some of them: www.redrivergorgecabinrentals.com, www.naturalbridgecabinrental.com, www.naturalbridge-cabinrental.com, www.naturalbridgekentucky.com, www.redrivergorge.com/redrivergorgeous, and www.nbcabins.com. Whew. I’m sure there are more, but that list should have you covered. There are also some cabins at the state park that you can reserve at http://parks.ky.gov/findparks/resortparks/nb/.
Hemlock Lodge
This beautiful lodge is nestled on the side of a mountain in Natural Bridge State Park. Each room has a private balcony with a lovely view. The Lodge has wi-fi. For more information or to book a room, go to http://parks.ky.gov/findparks/resortparks/nb/.
Hostel
True North Inn is a fine hostel and restaurant. Beds rent for $16 to $21, with group rates available. Breakfast is only $3 if you are staying there, and it is $6 for everyone else. Either way, it’s a good deal. Call 606-688-3745 to book or get more information, or check www.truenorthoutfitters.com. Ownership has changed very recently, and the website will soon be www.truenorthinn.com, but that website is not up as of the writing of this article.
Developed Camping
There are a wide variety of campgrounds in the Red River Gorge area. If you are a rock climber, then Miguel’s is THE place to stay and meet partners. If you are not a rock climber, then you can’t stay there, but you probably wouldn’t want to anyway. Miguel’s has food, water, toilets, showers, and wi-fi. The price is only $2 per night, which is one reason it is so popular with dirtbag climbers. The website is www.miguels-pizza.com.
Land of the Arches is a new campground catering to climbers, but promising a more sedate experience than Miguel’s. They have free firewood, wi-fi, and on site climbing and bouldering, at the more upscale price of $5 per night. Click on www.landofthearches.com for more details.
Lago Linda’s Hideaway is a peaceful place south of the Red River Gorge proper. They have both cabins and campsites, and a restaurant that’s available to cater for you. Showers, bathrooms, and water are all available. Lago’s has a lake that is stocked with fish, and miles of trails for hiking. www.lagolinda.com can provide you with more information.
There are two campgrounds in Natural Bridge State Park: Whittleton and Middle Fork. Most campsites have utilities, but a few primitive sites are also available. Both campgrounds have restrooms, showers, water, and dump stations. For more information, check out http://parks.ky.gov/findparks/resortparks/nb/.
John Swift’s Lost Silver Mine Historic Campground is located in the Red River Gorge, right next to the Red River. You can rent canoes, kayaks, tubes, and bicycles on site, as well as purchase firewood. While here, visitors can learn about the historical mystery of John Swift and his silver. For more information, check the website at
http://www.swiftcampground.com/.
Bee Rock Village is located behind the rest stop in Slade. To get to it, turn into the rest stop, and then go left past the railroad car. Take a right turn and go past the Kentucky Reptile Museum, and you’ll arrive at Bee Rock Village. Bee Rock has some nice campsites and a fishing pond.
Koomer Ridge Campground is located in the National Forest, and offers semi-primitive camping. The campground is open year round, although water and the bathhouse are only available from mid-April to October. The fees for this time frame are $14 per day for a single unit, and $19 per day for a double. For the slow season of November through mid-April, any site is only $7 per day. For more information please see www.fs.fed.us/r8/boone/documents/rogs/stanton/koomer.pdf
Rustic Camping
You can camp almost anywhere in the National Forest. You need to purchase a parking pass for your car, (3 dollars for a single night, 5 dollars for three nights, or thirty dollars for the whole year) but other than that the camping is free. Be a courteous camper. Camp at least 200 feet away from roads, the trail, creeks, or rivers. DO NOT camp or build fires under a rock shelter. Doing so can severely impact archeological and ecological resources. It is also illegal to camp, build a fire, or use a camp stove within 100 feet of the base of a cliff or the back of a rock shelter, and you can be ticketed.
For things to do while you are staying in the Red River Gorge, check out http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1666856/top_8_activities_in_kentuckys_red_river.html?cat=16. For places to eat while you are staying in the Red River Gorge, check out http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1690240/restaurants_in_kentuckys_red_river.html?cat=16. Have a great time in the Red River Gorge.
