Red River Gorge Scenic Byway
46 miles through Kentucky's Red River Gorge: sandstone arches, cliffs and a one-lane logging tunnel in the Daniel Boone National Forest.
Photo: U.S. Department of Transportation, America's Byways collection (National Archives), Public domain, source
- LengthAbout 46 miles[2]
- Drive timeAbout an hour without stops[2]
- RoadsKY 11, KY 77, KY 715 and KY 402[2]
- Start and endKY 11 near Stanton, looping along the river to near Zachariah[2]
- Fees and passesNone for the byway[1]Some Forest Service sites charge for parking or camping.
- Best seasonNot verified
- SurfaceNot verified
- Vehicle notesNada Tunnel on KY 77 is one lane; vehicles over 12 feet wide or tall may not fit. Large vehicles should enter from the KY 715 end or from the north on KY 77.[2]
- Seasonal closuresNot verified
Before you go
Road status and weather can change quickly. Check the official road-conditions link before you go.
Facts last checked against the sources on October 22, 2026.
About the drive
Red River Gorge is a National Natural Landmark and a National Geological Area in the Daniel Boone National Forest, known for its stone arches, cliffs, rock shelters and the Red River, a National Wild and Scenic River.
The byway starts on KY 11 near Stanton and loops through the gorge on KY 77, KY 715 and KY 402. Coming from the north on KY 77, you drive through Nada Tunnel, a one-lane rock tunnel built for a logging railroad. Big vehicles should use the KY 715 end instead.
Stop at the Gladie Visitor Center for trail information, and walk the short loop to Sky Bridge, one of the gorge's best-known arches.
Stops along the way
-
Nada Tunnel
One-lane rock tunnel from the early 1900s, built for a logging railroad.
Official information · 37.81723, -83.68098 · about 0.0 mi from the route line
-
Gladie Visitor Center
Forest Service information center for the gorge.
Official information · 37.83394, -83.60856 · about 0.1 mi from the route line
-
Sky Bridge
Sandstone arch on a 1-mile loop trail at the end of Sky Bridge Road.
Official information · 37.81843, -83.58047 · about 0.1 mi from the route line
Stops are listed in order along the route; the numbers match the map. Stop locations come from the National Park Service, the U.S. Geological Survey place-names database, the stop's own official page or, where noted in the data, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors).
Food along the way
Farmers markets within about 25 miles
- Powell County Farmers Market - StantonStanton, KY · about 0.0 mi from the route
- Wolfe County Farmers MarketCampton, KY · about 4.5 mi from the route
- Beattyville Main Street Marketplace Locally Made MarketBeattyville, KY · about 8.0 mi from the route · listed as year-round
- Menifee County Farmers MarketFrenchburg, KY · about 8.0 mi from the route
- Montgomery County Farmers' MarketMt. Sterling, KY · about 15.1 mi from the route
Markets keep their own seasons and hours, so check with the market before you go. Find more in the Farmers Market Finder.
Sources
- America's Byways: Red River Gorge Scenic Byway (FHWA) (checked 2026-10-22)
- Red River Gorge Scenic Byway (Daniel Boone National Forest, USDA Forest Service) (checked 2026-10-22)
- Sky Bridge Picnic Area (Daniel Boone National Forest) (checked 2026-10-22)
- Gladie Visitor Center (Daniel Boone National Forest) (checked 2026-10-22)
- Red River Gorge (Kentucky Department of Tourism) (checked 2026-10-22)
- Route line: U.S. DOT scenic byways map service (geo.dot.gov), retrieved 2026-10-22.
Written by VanillaGoods from the cited official sources. This is a drive to know, not a ranking. Road status and weather can change quickly; check the official road-conditions link before you go.
Spot something out of date? Email help@vanillagoods.com (help@vanillagoods.com).