Rock Bridge Trail

Rock Bridge Trail is a 1.4-mile loop trail that traverses a variety of habitats from xeric uplands to mesic streamside. The area is at the southeast corner of the Red River Gorge Geological Area famous for its cliffs and vistas. Upland sites have forests of pitch and shortleaf pine and various oaks with a variety of ericaceous shrubs such as blueberries and mountain laurel beneath. It is common to find catbriar and sawbriar thickets off the trail. Upland sites are usually rocky with thin sandy soils. Vegetation in this harsher environment is usually woody, but some herbaceous species are present. More mesic forests include yellow-poplar, eastern hemlock, eastern white pine, sugar maple, beech, and black birch. Shrubs found in this moister environment include spicebush, pawpaw, and mountain pepperbush. Herbaceous species are common in the mesic areas throughout the growing season. Sandstone and conglomerate cliffs are abundant in the Rock Bridge area and the trail works its way over and along cliffs in the descent from upland to streamside.