Red River Gorge – The Veranda

One of my favorite spots in the Gorge, so far.

The Veranda offers an interesting view, if the elusive, seldom hiked, “Revenuer’s Rock” is interesting to you. This unmarked trail accurately described in Hinterlands, is not hard to find, if you know when to jump off the main trail. Then, you follow the trail until you get to the flat rock Vista, complete with one of the best stargazing locations and very little noise from the distant highway. It feels secluded, for sure. Once standing on the flat rock of The Veranda vista, you’ll see Hanson’s Point trail to the southeast and Revenuer’s Rock to the northeast.

The Veranda Trail looks more like a well used animal path, including some slight uphill and downhill grades. Along the path is well wooded, but very little signs of usable firewood, so plan accordingly. Some side trails might entice you, so take good care when coming up on the end of each trail, because it’s most likely an overlook with an exciting free fall.

Two campsites will appear along the short hike to the vista, complete with fire rings and plenty of trees to string a bear bag or hammock. Since this trail’s destination is a vista, please note there are health issues if you were to wander too far to the left or right of the trail.

My first night out on The Veranda was shared with two other couples who were hiking into the Gorge a bit late still looking for a place to setup camp. So, they followed me in, with a warning that I had not explored this area prior. As a summary, they got the better campsite, but I enlisted them in firewood collection, so it was a win for all of us.

From the hammock, the view was amazing. The golden hour of sunset and the sunrise the next day was certainly a treat, especially swinging back and forth with the occasional breeze. At night, you might hear some chatter and fire glow from nearby campsites, but that can be fun too. I often hear barred owls calling from this area, so keep your ears open, as they might be closer than you think.

There are some obvious signs of wear and tear to the campsites, so please be thoughtful in your selection of firewood and how you’ll dispose of your trash. Hint: don’t cut down live trees and take your trash with you!