I am interested
in the natural arches and bridges of Kentucky and
Tennessee, and to a lesser degree, the surrounding states.
This survey of these wonderful geologic formations is not meant
to be complete . . . that would be impossible. So, what this
web page encompasses are some of the publically accessible arches in the
area. While many people are aware of the arches out West,
it is my hope that this page can encourage appreciation for the arches
of this region. And with that, an effort to protect these bastards.
To think at one time or another the Corp of Engineers wanted to
dam both the Red River Gorge and the Big South Fork! Hopefully,
someone somewhere might find some of this interesting. |
Locations . . . Because most arches in this
region are either off trail or on private property this webpage only deals
with publically accessible arches. Sadly (that is not a strong enough
word) a significant number of arches I have visited show signs of
human destruction. The better known and more accessible arches
have all been vandalized to a degree. Also, in many instances,
natural arches are located in environmentally or archaeologically sensitive
areas. All that to say, this webpage is nowhere near comprehensive.
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Case in point . . . the image above, taken at Bolton
Branch Arches (KY-16), is but one example of how "MAN IMROVES NATURE."
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The Arch Seekers of the Southeastern States are a loose knit group of natural arch enthusiasts who are interested in seeking out these geologic features primarily in the states of Kentucky and Tennessee. While some of us routinely gather to bush-whack, we "officially" meet bi-annually for a long weekend of arch hunting, information sharing, and intellectually stimulating conversation. Follow this link for group photos and lists of arches seen at these get-togethers. The A.S.S.E.S. are an official Chapter of the Natural Arch and Bridge Society. |
Sources: The Internet Natural Arch and Bridge Society . . . This organization's web site has pretty much any link and/or information on arches that you need. Mike's Red River Gorge Arch Hunting Weekend Page . . . Mike's photos of the arches we saw at the Spring 2002 Red River Gorge Weekend arch hunt. The Kentucky Wilderness web page . . . has information on some arches in the Red River Gorge and the Big South Fork. Ohio's Natural Bridges . . . Web page of the Ohio Division of Natural Areas and Preserves. It contains information on the publicly accessible arches of Ohio. Books Beveridge, Thomas. Geologic Wonders and Curiosities of Missouri . Rolla: Missouri Department of Natural Resources, 1990. Corgan, James X. and John T. Parks. Natural Bridges of Tennessee . Nashville: Tennessee Division of Geology, 1979. McDade, Arthur. The Natural Arches of the Big South Fork . Knoxville: The University of Tennessee Press, 2000. Ruchhoft, Robert. Kentucky's Land of the Arches - The Red River Gorge . Cincinnati: The Pucelle Press, 1986. Journals and Newsletters SPAN . . . The Newsletter of the Natural Arch and Bridge Society. Contact the NABS web site for information. The Journal of Natural Arch Discoveries . . . Edited by Chris Moore. Contact Arch Hunter Books for information. Ohio Geology (Summer 1988 - Out of Print) . . . A newsletter of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. This particular issue contains information on 40 arches in Ohio. Other The World Arch Database on CD-ROM . Contact Tom Van Bebber at Stone Canyon Adventures for more information. |
Miscellaneous:
-State abbreviations followed by a number (RR is for Red River Gorge) represent the The Journal of Natural Arch Discoveries numbering system. -The postcard shown on the Index Page is of Mantle Rock (postmarked 1914). The card gives an incorrect measurement of 225 feet (it actually measures about 154 feet) and Livingston Co. is spelled incorrectly. -All photographs on this webpage were taken by V. Fife or T. Fife, unless otherwise noted. -While this web page is only concerned with the arches of Kentucky, Tennessee and the surrounding states you can follow this link to see my pilgramage to Arches National Park . Thanks: I would like to thank V. Fife, S. Fife, C. Mansfield, Z. Mansfield, J. Mathison, L. Peterson, J. Vansant, C. Moore, B. Wheeley, A. McDade, T. Des Jean, N. Terzakis, K. Garnes, T. Brothers, D. Brandt-Erichsen and J. Burns for support, shared information, bushwhacking companionship, etc. Finally, I would like to give a big thanks to J. Horstmann and the NABS for hosting this site. Comments: Send all comments to T. Fife at : kyandtnarches@msn.com |