Princess Arch Trail

Red River Gorge Geological Area, Kentucky

Princess Arch, spanning approximately 40 feet, is in our opinion one of the more scenic arches in the Red River Gorge Geological Area—finding the arch is also relatively easy, just follow the short 0.25-mile trail that begins at the Chimney Top Road turnaround.

The trail leaves the parking area and descends a slope towards the arch—just a short distance into the hike and you will reach a fork, take the left fork to reach the base of the arch or the right fork to hike out over the top of Princess Arch. Either way, the hike is not difficult—the route you choose just depends on whether you would rather climb up or down the steep section. If you choose to walk out over the top of the arch first, you might have trouble deciding how to get down underneath the arch—just continue walking across the arch and then watch for a well-worn path off to the left. Climbing off the right side of Princess Arch is a bad idea, unless you are a rock climber—best to stay on the safe side and hike down along the left side of the trail.