Trip Beta - Red River Gorge
Welcome to another edition of trip beta — where we go on a trip, then give you the deets on how to make a trip of your own happen!
Recently a number of our Toprock Climbing staff ventured to the Red River Gorge in Kentucky, and I thought I’d fill you in on the local beta.
Firstly, if you are a boulderer only, please stop reading. The Red River Gorge is the mecca for sport climbing and without a great deal of bouldering, you wouldn’t be interested in a trip there. For everyone else, the Red is home to over 1400 sport routes, with more getting bolted each year. (Check out Mountain Project to see a full break down of the area.) These routes are steep and packed full of fun moves. The term “the Red pump” comes from people who climb here and very quickly realize their endurance is not quite what they thought it was. Regardless, the sandstone is amazing to climb, the views are breathtaking, and the routes are well bolted.
Photo by Jessica Arwen Best
Accomodations / Travel:
You need a car if you are traveling to the Red since all of the crags are a decent drive from any of the available campgrounds. Personally, I would drive a car with 4X4 control since some of the roads can get pretty tricky when it is wet outside. Choosing to stay at a campground near to where you want to climb will save a lot of driving time.
This area has a lot of tourists so there are a number of motels as well as Airbnb’s to rent. Typically it's about $60 - $100 a night to rent something with 4 walls and a roof. If you are like me and want to save money, the camping option it is much more affordable. Every year I notice more areas to camp at in the Red, like the Bald Rock Campground beside the Bald Rock area. The main 3 climbing camping spots are Miguel’s, Lago Linda’s, and Land of Arches. Hear is a very brief breakdown of all three:
Miguel’s - The cheapest place to stay in the Red! $3 per person per night, with showers available for $1 every four minutes. Food, beer, and coffee can also be purchased in their restaurant. The bathrooms leave much to be desired and the demand far outweighs the supply, though there is lots of covered space to hang out in if it rains. A younger crowd tends to frequent here if you are also looking to be a bit rowdier. There is internet, but the signal only really works right beside the main building. Miguel’s is located in the north part of the Red River Geological Area. Miguel’s is the most iconic destination in the Red, and is home to some of the best pizza in Kentucky.
Lago Linda’s - $6 per night per person, with a covered area to cook under, as well as an indoor area to hang out in. The internet works in the common areas which is nice. Showers are included in the camping price and the bathrooms are not too bad. Linda’s is located in the south which is good if you are climbing at the southern crags. This is a quieter place to stay and usually an older crowd.
Land of Arches - $8 per night per person, which includes showers and internet. The internet is okay. For an extra $2 a night you can camp indoors — this is really nice when it starts to get cold late in the season. Typically an older crowd frequents here so people are not too loud. Land of Arches is located in the most central spot in the Red. They host the Rocktoberfest Climbing Festival, which is said to be a great time and always coincides with Canadian Thanksgiving.
Restaurants / Alcohol:
In the past, the only place to purchase beer and liquor was at the beer trailer on hwy 11, as the Red River Gorge was situated in a dry county. You will be happy to know that recently they have changed the laws so you can now buy alcohol throughout the area. Restaurants like Miguel’s now sell beer and margaritas.
Recommended Climbs:
There are a lot of climbs in the Red, and in order to find them all you need a good guidebook. Classically there has been a north and south guidebook, however this year a new guidebook was published which combines the two areas called “The Red” by Brendan Leader. Having one book is very convenient, and it can be purchased at the Miguel’s gear shop.
Classic climbs are the Red tend to be severely overhung, and big moves on big holds is quite common. There are some great slab climbs to choose from as well, so something to suit everyone’s dreams.
Here are some climbs I think should be on every climber’s bucket list:
5.10D - Fire and Brimstone - PMRP - Driveby
5.11B - No Place Like Home - Emerald City
5.11B - Fuzzy Undercling - Military Wall
5.12A - Nicorette - Military Wall
5.12C - Malice - Bald Rock Rec - Chocolate Factory
Rest Day Ideas:
The Red has a lot of beautiful hikes, which are particularly breathtaking in autumn. The Natural Bridge hike is quite enjoyable and I recommend visiting it at least once. If you would rather hit up a city and enjoy some more luxurious comforts on your day off, Lexington takes less than an hour to get to and has some fun coffee shops and breweries.
When should I go?:
Kentucky is far enough south that it is too hot to climb in the summer, and far enough north that the winters are too cold. This means that prime seasons to climb are spring and fall. Personally, I think September - October is the best time to climb. The rock is sticky and the temperature is reasonable enough to tent outside in. The number of overhung walls means that rain is not a big problem — you can always find something dry to climb!
Overall:
Kentucky is home to some of the best route climbing in the world. If you live within a 12 hour drive of the place I would highly recommend slotting it in for one of your trips in the near future.
Written by: Kevin Allen @thecommonclimber