Red River Gorge Backpacking

I've been to RRG at least a dozen times over the last 25 years, and it's a 7 hour drive for me. Nearly all of it can be seen with day hikes, though you can certainly make an overnight (or 2 nights at a slower pace) loop using the Rough, Koomer Ridge, and Pinch-Em Tight trails. You definitely need to get a map showing the possibilities. Outragegis Maps (link below) have many of the unofficial trails leading to some of the best spots in the gorge:

link

Two of my favorite unofficial (but well-travelled) hikes are to Hansen's Point and Indian Staircase, but great places abound and you could spend weeks hiking without seeing it all. The last couple times in RRG I day hiked during the day (faster, less exertion), then parked the car on one of the forest roads for very short backpack hikes to unofficial campsites near great views to hang out for the evening.

Lots of great info about these unofficial campsites in the book linked below, which may or may not be available at the Shell Station at the Slade exit off the BTC Parkway. A great place to eat and hang out is Miguels Pizza.

Hinterlands by Jerrell Goodpaster

A crowded Labor Day weekend in hot weather would be the least likely time I would visit RRG, but this is an area you may want to keep coming back to see more of at all times of the year.

Natural Bridge State Park (adjacent to RRG) is also very nice. My favorite day hike there goes up the Rock Garden Trail to Natural Bridge; along the top of the bridge as far as you can go on the ridge; down the Needles Eye Staircase; back to Natural Bridge via Battleship Rock Trail; then back on top of Natural Bridge to loop back via Balance Rock Trail (entire loop about 3.5 miles).

Hikers who know RRG the best can be found at the forum linked below:

KyWilderness.com

+1 on Auxier Ridge, which can be a nice loop past Double Arch. Some very good unofficial trails in that area as well, to Stargap Arch and beyond.