Hiking Project Logo

A true backcountry experience in the Red River Gorge area.


Your Rating: Rating Rating Rating Rating Rating      Clear Rating
Your Difficulty:
Your Favorites: Add To-Do · Your List
Zoom in to see details
Map Key

6.8

Miles

10.9

KM

Point to Point

1,231' 375 m

High

751' 229 m

Low

758' 231 m

Up

728' 222 m

Down

4%

Avg Grade (2°)

26%

Max Grade (15°)

Dogs Unknown

Features Birding · Fall Colors · Wildflowers · Wildlife

This trail is all within Clifty Wilderness. All wilderness restrictions apply.

Description

The western terminus is not well marked. Just past Tower Rock find a pull-off on the right just past a deep drainage. Look for the trail with a sign on the left (opposite side of the road from the river).

From the road, the trail climbs steadily until it gains the broad forested ridge. There are no sweeping vistas to be had on this trail. It's solely under the tree canopy and does not feature any of the iconic arches or rock formations the Red River Gorge is known for.

That said, the Osborne Bend Trail offers solitude and distance.

Once on the ridge the trail continues on old doubletrack (which feels like singletrack) around the watershed rim of Copperas Creek. Eventually, you'll begin a slippery and technical descent back to the river valley. The only difficult sections are compressed near the ends of the trail. The bulk of this trail is non-technical and relatively flat.

Contacts

Shared By:

Chris Chaney

Trail Ratings

  3.0 from 5 votes

#27299

Overall
  3.0 from 5 votes
5 Star
0%
4 Star
40%
3 Star
20%
2 Star
40%
1 Star
0%
Trail Rankings

#282

in Kentucky

#27,299

Overall
5 Views Last Month
2,193 Since Jul 9, 2015
Intermediate Intermediate

0%
0%
100%
0%
0%
0%

0 Comments

Weather


Current Trail Conditions

Unknown
Add Your Check-In

Check-Ins

Oct 16, 2021
Brian Mcintosh
May 8, 2021
Jared G
Mar 23, 2019
Carleton Sloan
6.8 miles trail, plus 2 miles on the road 8.8mi
Mar 12, 2019
Landon Withers
2h 30m
Sep 29, 2018
Trevor Aten
2mi — 1h 00m
Feb 25, 2017
Brady McClure
6.8mi
Nov 12, 2016
Dakota Clark
First hike at the Gorge and it got me hooked 8.8mi
Aug 27, 2016
Caitlin Foster
Welcome

Join the Community

Create your FREE account today!
Already have an account? Login to close this notice.

Get Started