Slivermine Arch Coomer Ridge Campground Red River Gorge Geological Area Daniel Boone National Forest Kentucky Finally got to go down and visit Kentucky's Red River Gorge recently after several months of being super busy, although I didn't get to spend a whole day down there it was still nice to get out to the mountains and visit some places I had not visited in quite some time. The first arch on our trip was Silvermine Arch. I had last visited this arch back in October 2010 and had been eager to do a return trip. Located on a trail in the Koomer Ridge Campground the 1.5 mile hike for the most part is fairly easy, the last 1/3 involving some steps and a moderate decent where the trail ends at the top of the arch. The first place I headed was to the base, which, after visiting several perspectives, turned out to be my favorite view. I love the ruggedness beneath and the contrasting color between the green boulders below and the orange sandstone above. I'm definitely looking forward to visiting again on a gloomy day during fall foliage season, that's for sure.
Sky Bridge Red River Gorge Geological Area Daniel Boone National Forest Kentucky For whatever reason I usually end up at Sky Bridge anytime I go to The Gorge. Almost always it’s because I’m with someone who hasn’t ever seen it before, and if you’ve never seen it before then you must, because it is awesome. This time my good friend Dave Fishwick and I stopped by as he had never seen it before. There’s a one mile loop trail that takes you over the arch and then under it. The widest section of the arch is a span of 76 feet and 23 ft. tall and the smaller span that is to the right of the image has a span of 19 feet and is about 5 ft. tall. The arch sits atop a ridge at an elevation of 1,066 ft. and offers some stunning views the surrounding area. I always complain about coming here. I’ve been here so many times and I’ve always felt the arch is a very difficult subject to shoot and for two reasons, a) the area is always infested with tourists and b) I can hardly ever get a good shot of it. Enter the wide angle lens and no tourists and maybe I should quit being so hard on one of natures most incredible sculptures.
Sky Bridge Red River Gorge Geological Area Daniel Boone National Forest Kentucky Sky Bridge in Kentucky's Red River Gorge Geological Area is a place I've been many, many, many times and for a while I was really considering never returning. Although it really is one of my favorite arches, I was quite burnt out on it. But no matter how much I tried, I always found myself returning because I was with someone who had never seen it and I didn't think it was fair not to take them there because I was selfish. This past weekend I not only visited the arch once, but twice and a total of three times over the last three weeks. I took my good friends Scott and Monica to visit Friday evening and I didn't like the light at all but that visit inspired me to make a trip again Sunday morning. I knew the forecast called for clear skies and after having done some research I knew the angle the sun was going to strike with the early light. Although I wish I had of arrived a bit earlier (wasting time at Chimney Rock hoping for some cool fog effects), I really liked how this scene played out. After taking numerous compositions in the direct sunlight I decided to have a go at this angle, one that has never really worked out for me in the past, until this day. It just goes to show you, that you can go to a place 50 times and it's till possible to see it in a new perspective and in this case a new light.
