Whittleton Arch Trail Hiking Guide
Whittleton Arch is a massive sandstone opening set in a shaded rock alcove, reached on a gentle trail that starts inside Natural Bridge State Resort Park and crosses onto national forest land. It is the one hike at Natural Bridge where your dog is welcome. Expect wet feet in places and wildflowers in spring.
Distance and Who Manages It
AllTrails maps the hike from Whittleton Campground to the arch and back at 2.7 miles with 308 feet of gain; plan on roughly an hour to ninety minutes. Kentucky State Parks rates the Whittleton Trail moderate and 2 miles long as a linear connector, and notes it was developed by the U.S. Forest Service. The Forest Service's trail table lists Whittleton Branch Trail #216 at 2 miles and the short Whittleton Arch Trail #217 at a quarter mile. AllTrails also lists a longer 4.8-mile version from the campground with 616 feet of gain.
Along Whittleton Creek
The state park says the trail follows an old logging road built in 1898 up the length of Whittleton Creek, with wooden bridges and small water crossings along the way, and calls it great for wildflowers in April. AllTrails describes a gently rolling dirt path that can be muddy, with a few shallow stream crossings before a short spur climbs to the arch in a shaded rock alcove. The park calls Whittleton Arch one of the largest natural arches in the area.
Bringing a Dog
Most trails at Natural Bridge are inside a Kentucky State Nature Preserve where pets are banned, but the Whittleton Trail is one of two exceptions the park names, the other being Henson Arch. Kentucky State Parks requires pets to be leashed. Past the park boundary you are on the Daniel Boone National Forest, where dogs are also allowed.
Parking and Connections
Park in the Whittleton Campground parking area; AllTrails reviewers note space near the campground is limited, so arrive early on busy weekends. The trail doubles as a connector between the state park and the Red River Gorge: the Forest Service's Sheltowee Trace segment from Pinch-em Tight Trailhead ends at Whittleton Campground. If you are linking a longer walk, carry a map.
Rules at the Arch
The arch sits on national forest land, so Forest Service rules apply: no fires or camping in rock shelters or within 100 feet of the base of a cliff, and no digging or moving rocks in shelters, which hold archaeological sites. Bears are increasingly common in the gorge, and the Forest Service requires food and trash to be stored securely.
Hiking tips for Whittleton Arch Trail
- Wear shoes you don't mind getting wet at the creek crossings.
- Come in April for the wildflowers the park highlights.
- Keep your dog leashed; this is the only dog-legal trail at Natural Bridge besides Henson Arch.
- Arrive early; parking near the campground is limited.
- Don't build fires or camp under the arch's rock shelter.
Nearby trails to explore
- Natural Bridge Original Trail and Laurel Ridge Loop
- Double Arch Trail (Red River Gorge)
- Rock Bridge Trail (Red River Gorge)
Hike this trail with TrailMates
Whittleton Arch is the easygoing Natural Bridge hike that the whole crew, dogs included, can do. Use TrailMates to find hikers around the Red River Gorge and plan the outing in the event's group chat. Download TrailMates on the App Store or Google Play.