Red River Gorge Elopement Guide // Everything You Need to Plan for 2023

Red River Gorge Elopement Guide

Red River Gorge is an intricate canyon system full of sandstone cliffs, natural arches, waterfalls, and rock shelters in east-Central Kentucky. It lies just two hours from Louisville, Cincinnati, and Huntington which makes it perfect for a day-trip not just for Kentuckians, but also for those living in Ohio and West Virginia. Visitors enjoy hiking, camping, rock climbing, and backpacking through the wide variety of landscapes the Red has to offer, but it’s also a perfect place to get married. Whether you choose to say your vows on a cliff as the sun first rises and illuminates the fog over the valley or you prefer your ceremony to take place deep within the forest while standing over a waterfall, Red River Gorge has scenery that will make your elopement memorable and breathtaking. 

View more from this adventurous hiking elopement here

Red River Gorge Elopement Locations

There are a huge variety of natural areas within Red River Gorge that will provide a stunning backdrop for your ceremony and vows, but there are also plenty of magical locations for your reception and great accommodations for an extended visit as well.

Wedding Venues in Red River Gorge

Hemlock Springs is a beautiful event venue located in the heart of The Gorge. With over 100 acres on their property, there is plenty to explore! You’ll have private access to rock shelters, waterfalls, streams, and mountain meadows, as well as their actual wedding venue which is eco-friendly! The structure features an impressive timber frame built using wooden pegs instead of nails in Amish style. You can also enjoy mountaintop views from the veranda or meadow views from the patio. They provide plenty of thoughtful touches that make logistics and planning easy— such as their hand-crafted harvest tables and other custom pieces like a rolling bar, signs, easels, and lawn games. The main ceremony site features a custom-built gazebo and benches tucked among the trees with amphitheater-style seating, but there are several spots to choose from for your vows! Hemlock Springs is the perfect spot for your smallest elopement up to 150 attendees.

Cliffview Resort offers a unique opportunity for you and your guests— you are able to rent out their 16-room lodge for the weekend so that you and your guests can all stay in one place and celebrate longer! You can say your vows at Overlook Point with a stunning panoramic view, but in case of rain, they have indoor options as well.

AirBnBs, cabins, and treehouses in the Red River Gorge Area

These treehouses by Canopy Crew make for a magical honeymoon suite!

Dome Town is a set of three geodesic domes connected by suspension bridges. You can rent one or all three.

There are several cabin companies as well if you’re looking for something a little roomier.

Airbnb offers several options including cabins, treehouses, yurts, as well as some unique tiny houses. We once stayed in an old mail house that was only 15 minutes from Sky Bridge!

You also have the option of camping. There are several campgrounds to choose from— or pick up a backcountry permit from the Shell station or the Gladie Visitor Center. You can learn more about dispersed camping on the forest service website.

Best Time to Visit Red River Gorge

Red River Gorge is beautiful all year, but April through November provide the warmest weather. In the spring, you can see rhododendrons and wildflowers in bloom— as well as larger waterfalls from the rainfall. In the summer it’s nice to cool off in the creek or even brave Jump Rock if you’re feeling adventurous. In the fall, the leaves put on quite a show and later in the season you can have a better view from the ridge-line, plus it gets just cool enough to snuggle up by a fire at night.

Best Red River Gorge Hikes For Your Elopement

I recommend downloading the Alltrails app when planning where to hike. Reviews and images from other users can be really helpful— especially when trying to find something more off the beaten path. I have a list of favorite locations that range from overlooks that only require a few steps from your car to longer hikes that have a rewarding view at the end. When talking with my couples about their elopement, I’ll suggest hikes based on what time of day they are wanting to share their vows, their prior hiking experience, and how much time they would like to spend exploring. Chimney Top and Auxier Ridge are two hikes that should be on anyone’s list who wants to see the epic views from the cliffs of Red River Gorge. Please keep in mind that I do not personally offer elopement planning services— it is up to all of my couples to plan their day, but I love providing feedback, talking about options, and giving a jumping-off point for your own research!

View more from this autumn elopement here.

Permitting information for elopements, weddings, and photographers

If you are only using private land (i.e a wedding venue, cabin, or restaurant) for your elopement then you would not need to worry about obtaining a permit for your ceremony. However, if you will be using public lands such as a national forest, national park, state park, or local park then you would want to reach out to the appropriate office to make sure you have the correct permissions in place.

RRG is part of Daniel Boone National Forest and permitting is handled by the Cumberland Ranger District. On their website as of fall 2022 they say. “Permits may be required for certain special activities, such as large groups (75 people or more), educational activities, or weddings. In general, permits are necessary for any activity that requires the forest to be altered in any way. Please contact any Ranger District Office for information about any special use permits.” Please know that rules and regulations around permitting can change as staff evaluates the impact of different events on the land. By reaching out ahead of time for your specific event you can ensure you won’t negatively impact the land— and make sure you don’t show up at your preferred ceremony site only to find another wedding in the same location!

All photographers will need to submit an application for a special-use permit with the Cumberland Ranger District if they are photographing weddings or couples on national forest land within the Red River Gorge.

National Bridge State Park is managed by Kentucky State Parks and requires different permits. Photographers must submit this form and couples can learn more about their options for weddings in state parks here.

Ready to experience the beauty of Red River Gorge for your elopement?

Elopements begin with three hours and can be customized to fit your needs from there. All elopement packages come with personalized planning assistance*, vendor recommendations to fit your style, curated suggestions for locations & activities, and an online gallery full of edited high-resolution photos you can download and print. *Please keep in mind I am not an elopement planner or a guide— I am happy to make suggestions & offer feedback, but ultimately you are responsible for planning your day and hiring your vendor team.

You can view all of my pricing details here, then contact me so we can start talking about how your elopement could look!

I also have guides for how to elope in Kentucky and a more general one for wedding planning!

Autumn Red River Gorge Hiking Elopement

Is there anything more romantic than leaves crunching under your feet, the smell of fall in the crisp air, & light filtering through colorful foliage as you walk down a trail you’ve never explored before? As I drafted up a few options for how we could spend Kate & Ben’s elopement day I had that idea in mind, but of course it ended up being even more magical than I could have imagined. We spent the afternoon hiking a couple of different trails and were rewarded with stunning views that included a sea of yellow leaves floating along a stream that led to an arch across the water, deeply textured lichen-covered sandstone, and a waterfall surrounded by golden leaves where Kate & Ben pulled off their boots to wade and dance in the water. We saved the cliffside trail for sunset and they watched the sky turn from red to magenta to blue. They snuggled on their blanket as the moon rose. We drove the windy road back to their cabin and shared potato soup on their porch from a safe, responsible, distance. Ben got a fire going and they ended the night enjoying s’mores under the stars.

My spouse Joyce captured video of the day as well which gave the whole experience a very double-date feel that I highly recommend. We swapped stories of our favorite trips—they also love Peru. They hiked the Inca Trail when they visited which isn’t accessible during the rainy season when I was there...so now I’m looking forward to another visit if I can convince Joyce that hiking for several days at a high elevation is a fun idea. 

As is the case with most weddings right now, this wasn’t the original plan for the day. At first, they were going to have a more traditional ceremony & reception at Yew Dell Botanical Gardens in September and then we were going to go to RRG the next day for a day-after session. In June, they asked if I’d be free for a backyard wedding in a couple of weeks. Everything came together quickly & beautifully and they were able to have a small backyard ceremony with their closest friends and family that Joyce and I were able to document. They were still going to wait and see if in September it would be safe enough to have a larger group gather for a reception. As the date got closer and it became apparent that it was not getting any safer, our current plan was formed. Their ability to go with the flow, never get discouraged, and to focus on the most important parts of it all reminded me why I love what I do. Kate was in the middle of finishing up school & getting her nurse practitioner license while all of this was happening. I am beyond impressed that she managed to juggle it all with so much grace and compassion. 

For all of you who are planning your wedding or elopement during this chaotic time— focus on each other, embrace adventure, and everything else won’t seem quite as daunting. Hint: It helps to have a photographer who is down to help you dream and plan your perfect day. This elopement planning guide is also full of resources to help you along the way and I also have an elopement guide specific to Red River Gorge here!

Adventurous Red River Gorge Hiking Elopement

Back in early February, Shannon & Tim reached out to me while planning their intimate wedding. I was immediately excited since they wanted to collaborate on locations— they were looking for something woodsy & adventurous, but also somewhere that would be easy for folks carrying kiddos and older family members to get to. So, I made a list of accessible options that still felt natural and wild for them to choose from!

Originally the idea was for twenty or so family members to join them as they said their vows, but then everything changed in March. Since their original plan would involve a whole lot of people traveling, they made the decision to get married in their backyard with family, and then come down to Kentucky with just the two of them to explore, read letters to each other, and have an elopement day full of adventure.

Once the location we choose didn't need to allow for a group, Red River Gorge moved to the top of our list! Shannon and Tim had never been to RRG before, so for their elopement, I acted as both photographer and tour guide. I had so much fun planning their day and even more fun actually getting to hike around with them! Our goals were to see some cool rock formations (Shannon teaches about rocks to her students), interesting water features, and some expansive views...and y'all I don't want to toot my own horn, but I think we nailed it. We got really lucky and had a gorgeous foggy sunrise with almost all the trails totally to ourselves! I don't think the day could have been any more perfect.

If you're in the process of planning your own Kentucky elopement and don't know where to start, I made a blog post outlining how to elope in Kentucky that should be helpful! I also offer location assistance, help building timelines, and feedback on just about anything for all my wedding and elopement clients. Contact me and let’s start making magic!