And speaking of the forest… Red River Gorge is full of family-friendly trails. We started our hiking with the popular Natural Bridge trail--a mile-long (but pretty darn steep) trail that takes you to what seems like the top of world. The kids faired the trail with ease (but grandma was a little winded) and just before the actual stone arch deemed "Natural Bridge", hikers must squeeze through a long rock corridor that looks like something out of Indiana Jones. The kids, of course, loved that. Once on top of Natural Bridge, you can overlook Red River Gorge way above the tree line--stunning this time of year. There are no rails here, so keep the brood close, but this is definitely a must.

Next, we ventured to the very easy, but equally as beautiful, Sky Bridge. This trail offers a paved footpath (you could even push a stroller) to another natural arch sans railing. The beauty of this trail, however, really starts underneath the arch where intricate swirling patterns appear on the rock surface and the lush and damp vegetation makes you feel like you are in a rain forest. About a 1.5-2 mile round trip hike, this is also great for little feet as there is a clear, easy pathway and plenty of rock formations to climb on and pretend you're Yoda on Luke's home planet of Tatooine. There are several steps to the top at the end of the loop, but simply taking your time (and having some snacks on hand--but heed the bears!!), the family can endure.