Red River Gorge, Kentucky

Natural Bridge State Park

Our final stop brought us to Natural Bridge State Park in Kentucky—a place with some beautiful scenery, but a few camping caveats we wish we had known ahead of time. We stayed at the Whittleton Campground, and let’s just say this: if you’re towing a big RV, don’t do it. The roads are narrow, winding, and not made for large rigs. Getting in and out was a tight, sketchy adventure all its own. If you're traveling with a bigger camper, we highly recommend staying at Middle Fork Campground instead.

The park also has a hotel, a pool (though it’s $6 per person even for campers), and plenty of hiking options, but we found it a bit confusing to navigate and not quite as relaxing as some of our earlier campgrounds. It wasn’t the best campground to end on after the beautiful places we’d just come from, but we still managed to find adventure.

Hike to the Natural Bridge

As for the park itself, Natural Bridge is an impressive sight. We hiked up in the blazing heat to reach it, and although the trail was steep, the view was absolutely worth it. Standing underneath—and then walking across the top of the massive sandstone arch—was a pretty surreal experience. If hiking’s not your thing, there’s a sky lift that can take you to the top instead.

Nada Tunnel

One unexpected gem? The historic Nada Tunnel—a narrow, one-lane tunnel carved through rock that was once used for logging. Driving through it felt like a step back in time and leads you straight into the Daniel Boone National Forest, setting the stage for our favorite experience of this stop.

Off-Road Jeep Trip

The highlight of our stay? A wild off-roading Jeep trip. With steep drop-offs, creek crossings, boulder climbs, and tight forest squeezes, it was equal parts terrifying and thrilling. (I only closed my eyes twice, so that’s a win!) Our guide, John, was amazing—calm, knowledgeable, and always on the walkie-talkie talking Jess through every intense obstacle. It pushed us out of our comfort zone in the best way and gave us a truly unforgettable finish to our adventure.