Kentucky's Land of the Arches

Rating:
Summary: Invaluable to back country hikers
Review: As the above review states, although very detailed, the author seems to jump around when describing trail directions etc. Be very cautious and read completely through trail descriptions before making a decision. Watch for massive drop offs (very hard to see sometimes in the thick woods) and copperheads.

Rating:
Summary: The only DETAILED trail guide I've found of the Gorge!
Review: If you've ever asked for directions in a small town, you know how easy it is to get lost even though you've followed the route suggested to the last detail. Inevitably the farmer assumed you would follow the road as it split to the right or forgot to mention that the sign is no longer there. Such it is with Ruchhoft's "Kentucky's Land of the Arches." While the trail guides are generally correct, many times one is left meandering through the woods, looking for that sign that is no longer there. This is a great guide to direct you to trail heads and to familiarize hikers with the beauty of the Red River Gorge, but sometimes leaves the reader lost before even beginning to hike the trail. This book is a "must read" for any avid hiker of the Gorge, but falls short of being the type of trail guide needed so desperately for the RRG. I tried to rate this book as if it weren't the only RRG trail guide on the market.

Rating:
Summary: The only DETAILED trail guide I've found of the Gorge!
Review: If you've ever asked for directions in a small town, you know how easy it is to get lost even though you've followed the route suggested to the last detail. Inevitably the farmer assumed you would follow the road as it split to the right or forgot to mention that the sign is no longer there. Such it is with Ruchhoft's "Kentucky's Land of the Arches." While the trail guides are generally correct, many times one is left meandering through the woods, looking for that sign that is no longer there. This is a great guide to direct you to trail heads and to familiarize hikers with the beauty of the Red River Gorge, but sometimes leaves the reader lost before even beginning to hike the trail. This book is a "must read" for any avid hiker of the Gorge, but falls short of being the type of trail guide needed so desperately for the RRG. I tried to rate this book as if it weren't the only RRG trail guide on the market.

Rating:
Summary: This book is a treasure map to the riches of Gorge!
Review: Overall, I rate the book 4 stars. It is the only detailed book I can find concering this incredibly fascinating area. The author provides a good summarization of the history of this area as well as a basic explanation for the geologic formations one will see when hiking the Gorge. The sections covering hiking trails are invaluable to anyone who wants to really see what the Gorge has to offer!

The only critique I have is that the author seems to jump around somewhat in providing trail directions. A straight forward reading of some sections leaves one lost as to which trail the author is speaking of. It would appear that the author is so familiar with area, having hiked the trails many times himself, that he assumes much of the reader. Beyond this I would HIGHLY recommend the book to anyone serious about hiking the gorge and obtaining the most satisfaction from his/her efforts. I would only comment that I disagree with the author's assumptions concerning causes for the geologic formations. I believe the entire Gorge area attests to the factuality of the Biblical Flood! The swirling texture of many of the rock formations coupled with the existence of rock caves and land bridges points strongly to the aftermath of flood conditions. Thanks for listening!