The Red River Gorge is one of the most stunning natural attractions in east-central Kentucky and is part of the Pottsville Escarpment. One of its top attractions is its miles of abandoned and flooded mines which have become a significant tourist attraction. Explore these eerie mines with kayaks, boats, and stand-up paddle boards.
Arguably exploring the Red River Gorge is one of the most amazing things to do while in Kentucky. There are plenty of things to see and do in the Appalachian state. Exploring the Red River Gorge's mine caves is a very different experience from exploring California's Canal Island's sea caves by kayak tours.
Red River Gorge & The Abandoned Mines
The Red River Gorge is in the Daniel Boone National Forest. The canyon features rock shelters, waterfalls, natural bridges, and high sandstone cliffs. Visitors can find over 100 natural sandstone arches in the Red River Gorge Geological Area. Just adjacent to the area is Kentucky's Natural Bridge State Park.
Kentucky is a state that boasts much more than its many famous bourbon distilleries (and its not-so-famous dry counties). It offers a one-of-a-kind water sports experience with kayaking tours through the Red River Gorge and its flooded caves. Visitors have a choice between clear-bottomed kayaks and paddle boards.
One of the caves has five miles of tunnels, and it's all flooded from an underground aquifer. The caves are old abandoned mines. The mines date from the 1800s with surface mines, but these became underground mines in the middle of the 20th century. They were blasted with dynamite.
- Tip: Keep An Eye Out For Rainbow Trout, Bats, An Underground Waterfall, and Fossils
But in the 1980s, the mine hit the aquifers of the area, and water soon flooded the mines and the hallways. Eventually, they were shut down and abandoned for around 30 years until being repurposed for cave kayaking and boating tours.
The mines are around 60 feet wide and about 30 feet high. The waters are always fully calm as there is no wind or waves in the caves.
Kayaking Tours Of Red River Gorge Caves
Classic Boat Tour:
Hop in a custom-built cave boat and wind one's way through a 100-year-old flooded limestone mine with their Classic Boat Tour. The tour is led by an expert guide, and one will learn all about the hidden secrets of The Gorge Underground. The tour is great for groups and families.
- Duration: 1 Hour
- Age Restriction: Ages 3+
- Inclusions: Life Jacket, Helmet, and Headlamp
- Adult Price: $49.00 Sunday to Friday; $59.00 Saturdays
Classic Kayak Tour:
The Classic Kayak Tour is another option that enables visitors to paddle their way through the mine. Paddle into the darkness with the expert guide and discover the Gorge Underground.
- Duration: 1 Hour
- Age Restriction: Ages 5+
- Inclusions: Life Jacket, Helmet, and Headlamp
- Adult Price: $49.00 Sunday to Friday; $59.00 Saturdays
- Weight Restrictions: 300 lbs (Single Kayak) or 475 lbs (Double Kayak)
Crystal Clear Bottom Kayak Tour:
Upgrade one's tour with their Crystal Clear Bottom Kayak Tour, and be prepared to have one's mind blown. With the LED lights, one will see the rainbow trout swimming below, which offers a great experience of the flooded mine.
- Duration: 1.5 Hours
- Age Restriction: Ages 5+
- Inclusions: Life Jacket, Helmet, LED Underwater Glow Lights, and Headlamp
- Adult Price: $75.00 Sunday to Friday; $80.00 Saturdays
Stand-Up Paddleboard Tour:
Have a similar deluxe tour with their 1.5-hour Stand-Up Paddleboard experience. Explore the flooded mine on a paddleboard - who would have thought using a stand-up paddleboard could be used to explore flooded caves?
- Duration: 1.5 Hours
- Age Restriction: Ages 5+
- Inclusions: Life Jacket, Helmet, LED Underwater Glow Lights, and Headlamp
- Adult Price: $75.00 Sunday to Friday; $80.00 Saturdays
Spooktacular Kayak + Walking Tour Experience:
The Spooktacular Kayak + Walking Tour Experience offers a chance to have 90 minutes of the Gorge Underground. This tour gives more autonomy where visitors can explore the caves with the guards all over the mine to haunt and keep visitors safe on the tour. Enjoy a mine walk-thru as well as a kayak tour.
- Duration: 1.5 Hours
- Age Restriction: Ages 12+
- Inclusions: Life Jacket, Helmet, and Headlamp
- Adult Price: $100.00
Exploring the mines by kayak is sure to be an experience no one will forget.
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October 17, 2022 at 06:30PM
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Explore The Caves Of Red River Gorge On This Kayaking Trip - TheTravel
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