• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Champagne Tastes

Seasonal Eating + Travel Blog by Sarah Trenalone

  • About
  • Travel
    • Food Travel
    • Trail Guides + Gear
  • Recipes
    • Pumpkin
    • Fall Recipes
    • Instant Pot
    • Game Day
    • Fermented + Foraged Foods
  • Subscribe!
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
Home » Travel » Trail Guides + Gear » Natural Bridge: Hiking in Kentucky

Natural Bridge: Hiking in Kentucky

Original Post: May 27, 2019 Updated: September 19, 2019 By Sarah Trenalone Leave a Comment

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

If you’re planning to go hiking at Natural Bridge State Resort Park in Kentucky, here’s what you should know before you go!

Natural Bridge in Kentucky
Natural Bridge

Have you ever discovered something amazing that was really close to your home?

Something that’s been there for years– or maybe for always– and you had no idea it existed?

That’s what happened for me with Natural Bridge in Kentucky.

Natural Bridge State Resort Park is in Slade, Kentucky near Lexington.

The husband and I drove there last summer, strapped on our hiking boots and too-heavy backpacks, and went on a long hike to prepare us for backpacking in Yosemite.

As we walked, climbed, and scrambled along rocks– I found myself wondering how it was possible that I’d never known this place existed!

Love hiking in Appalachia? Make sure to go hiking in the New River Gorge in West Virginia and on the Three Bridges Trail in Carter Caves (Kentucky)

Why Visit Natural Bridge in Kentucky?

Probably the biggest reason is that it’s just so beautiful!

Last summer, I watched the rhododendrons grow bigger and bigger each time we visited. This year, the mountain laurel were at their peak in late May.

Planning your next trip? Check out my favorite camping and hiking gear.

mountain laurel at natural bridge
Mountain Laurel at Natural Bridge in May
mountain laurel at natural bridge
Mountain Laurel at Natural Bridge in May
rhododendron at Natural Bridge
Rhododendron at Natural Bridge in July

Are the Hiking Trails Difficult?

There’s a whole range of trails at Natural Bridge!

Some of them are a little tricky– there’s even a spot or two where you’ll need to rock scramble.

If you’re looking for the (relatively easy) rock scrambling– head towards the Devil’s Gulch and Needle’s Eye Stairways.

Want more trail information? Check out the Natural Bridge trail maps and descriptions.

If hiking’s not your thing, you can take the sky lift to the top of the hill, wander around a few easy trails, and check out the natural bridge without much hiking at all.

Natural Bridge hiking trail
Natural Bridge hiking trail

Can I Camp Nearby?

You sure can!

You can camp at the campground inside the park, or if you’d rather sleep in a hotel– there’s a lodge on-site!

Honestly, we live so close to Natural Bridge that we’ve always simply driven home after a long day of hiking.

What’s the Best Food Near Natural Bridge?

Hands down– my favorite place so far is Miguel’s Pizza. It’s just outside the park, and the pizza is SO GOOD.

In fact, it’s won my heart so completely that I’m a little ashamed to say that I haven’t tried any other restaurants nearby, because about halfway through each hike– I start dreaming of pizza.

That said– our friends have been more adventurous than I have, and here are their top food picks near Natural Bridge:

  1. Miguel’s Pizza
  2. Red River Rockhouse (fancy American-style food)
  3. Sky Bridge Station (hot dogs, some vegetarian options)
Natural Bridge hiking trail
Natural Bridge hiking trail

Have you visited Natural Bridge in Kentucky? What was your favorite part?

Filed Under: Kentucky Trails, Trail Guides + Gear

Previous Post: « Palak Paneer with Feta (Saag Paneer)
Next Post: Badlands National Park in One Day »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Sarah Trenalone of Champagne Tastes

Hi, I'm Sarah!  I'm a traveler who loves to eat.   Follow along to join me on my next adventure-- in food or on the road.

© 2015 - 2019 Champagne Tastes


· Interested in Working Together? Check out our Partnerships page


· Questions? Check our FAQs page or Contact Us


· Recipe and Photo Reuse Terms 
Here


· Use of This Site Constitutes Acceptance of Its Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions