The Perfect Crime

It’s another Darren-Rachel-Gorge-Time-Fun-Time-Adventure-Time episode! We’re going back to September in this episode with a backcountry camping trip and a couple of cool hikes! 


We camped on a neat trail with a REALLY cool overlook with our friends LeighAnne, David, Brittney, and Joey! If you have a copy of the “Hinterlands” by Jerrell Goodpaster, he refers to this trail as “Chimney Top Road Trail N” – there is a camp spot up to the left right after the trail starts, and if you keep going, there is another camping spot further in and that’s the one we stayed at. We wanted to camp at the third camp spot closest to the overlook, but someone had already taken it by the time we got there (first come/first serve with these backcountry spots!). Even if you are just hiking for the day, we totally recommend giving this trail a go (adding it on to your other hikes in the Chimney Top area) and checking out the overlook – it is situated right between Chimney Top Overlook and Half Moon, so you get cool views of both with Pinch-em-Tight gap/Revenuer’s Rock, etc! Such a good spot for sunset too. 


We also hiked Rush Ridge to Veranda Overlook – right around 3.5 miles round trip from the Grays Arch picnic area. This one is nice because it isn’t a super challenging hike and it leads out to another amazing overlook. Veranda Overlook is best for sunrise but it is pretty at all times. Usually when we hike this one, it is part of a longer loop (either looping together Grays Arch + Veranda and back Rush Ridge or you can keep going on Rough Trail and connect to Hanson’s Point and then back Pinch-em-Tight for an even longer loop)…it makes more sense if we had a map to show you – haha. 


The last hike we cover is taking one of the Adena Arch direct trails (the one we haven’t done before) up to Adena Arch and then hiking clockwise to Indian Staircase and then down the Indian Staircase Bypass Trail. This one was around 3.69 miles for the whole loop, but it is a more challenging trail than Rush Ridge to Veranda. It’s definitely an epic trail though and it was neat getting to hike around more of the top section of the Indian Staircase rim (skipping the rim section that is very narrow with a drop off) and then hiking the Bypass trail down instead of up (we’ve only ever gone up). 


Anyway, we hope everyone is doing well and that December is starting off good! The Gorge got a good snow last night/this morning and is looking so pretty! ’Tis the season!

We just restocked Rockhouse with more stickers, so if you’re looking for stocking stuffers and a good meal, you can head there! We also dropped off more framed prints and some original painted wood slice incense holders to the RRG Earth Shop! 


You can follow us on Instagram @tread_the_red or at @ttr_sidequests (this page is reserved for things we’re up to that aren’t the RRG, whereas Tread the Red will always stay RRG only)!! Happy hiking!