Kentucky is filled with beautiful landscapes and natural formations, some recognized nationwide. There's a lot more to our state than just horse racing and bourbon, though some might find that hard to believe. We have incredible forests, rock formations, cave systems, and more, just waiting for you to check them out.
These 10 natural wonders in Kentucky are definitely worth seeing for yourself:
10. Yahoo Arch
This amazing natural arch is located in part of the Daniel Boone National Forest in McCreary County, approximately .8 of a mile from the beautiful Yahoo Falls. The arch itself is not as massive as some of the others in the state, but combined with the beauty of the falls and the area, it's magical.
9. Big South Fork National River Park
This beautiful area at 100 Henderson Street in Stearns offers visitors acres of incredible scenery, perfect for panoramic images. It's fantastic for hiking, fishing, boating, and even white water rafting.
8. Mammoth Onyx Cave
This amazing cave is in Horse Cave, and offers visitors some wonderful views of natural stalactites and other cave formed creations. The cave itself is like a canvas where Mother Nature has sculpted a barrage of shapes and structures, many with no purpose other than beauty.
9. Blue pool at Lost River Cave
This cave at 2818 Nashville Road in Bowling Green offers some unique and amazing views via an underground river tour. They have a kids discovery and crawl adventure, a seasonal butterfly habitat, nature preserve, hiking trails, and some all out, incredible, natural beauty. The Blue Pool is especially gorgeous.
6. Creelsboro Natural Arch
This natural formation of stone brings visitors from all around. The cool stone is a haven for mossy growths and offers a serene environment to relax in or have a picnic. This historic archway to Cumberland River also has an ancient Indian burial ground on top, preserving part of the old ways. It's located on Highway 379, Creelsboro in Jamestown.
5. Daniel Boone National Forest.
This amazing forest offers over 706,000 acres that cross over 21 counties from Morehead to the Tennessee border. Visitors will find over 600 miles of trails, and well over 100 developed campsites, if you don’t want to take advantage of nature’s own campsites. There's so much natural beauty to see and explore here that one cannot simply visit once. You will feel compelled to return.
4. Red River Gorge
The Gorge, as many Kentuckians affectionately refer to this incredible part of Daniel Boone Forest, is located along Highway 15 and 715 in Stanton. It's home to well over 100 unique natural arches and bridges. It's also home to beautiful and expansive lands, along with some huge rock formations. The Gorge is perfect for hiking, fishing, rafting, camping, and just getting away from it all.
3. Natural Bridge State Resort Park
This is a special part of the park in where the stone itself formed a bridge connecting two areas. Located at 2135 Natural Bridge Road, this Mother Nature made creation is truly a site to behold, and a fantastic place to relax. Visitors can hike up and walk across, or simply gaze up at the immense sandstone natural structure that is brimming with life.
2. Cumberland Fall's Moonbow
Though it has been disputed by some, it's said the Cumberland Falls is the only place where one can see an actual Moonbow. Rainbows are gorgeous to see anywhere, but a moonbow is truly a special gift to behold. There have to be specific conditions in order for the colors to peek out of the darkness.
1. Mammoth Cave
This Horse Cave attraction is one of the Seven Wonders of the World for a good reason. There are miles of cave systems under Kentucky, virtually covering "almost" the entire underbelly of the state. Mammoth Cave offers a variety of tours, depending on one’s style of exploration and stamina, but each has stunning natural works of art, that will boggle the mind and stir the curiosity. The history of the caves goes back for thousands of years. Mummified skeletons, Indian remains and artifacts and even giant skeletons have been found.
No one can ever dispute that Kentucky is a beautiful state. All doubters have to do is take a look around in order to defeat any disbelief. We are home to one of the Seven Wonders of the World, along with many other magical creations via Mother Nature. Which of the above is your favorite natural spot? If not one of these, please share other natural wonders, so we can all appreciate its beauty.
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