Red River Gorge Kentucky

Written By Kelly Smith

Bee Stings, Batman, and Bison Way: Our Red River Gorge Misadventure

Dates: September 20–22, 2025
Location: Red River Gorge, Kentucky
Vibe: 10/10 nature, 0/10 bee diplomacy

There are camping trips, and then there are camping experiences. Our weekend at Red River Gorge definitely falls into the second category — complete with unexpected stings, failed superhero missions, and a whole lot of hiking (mostly in circles).

🐝 It Started With a Buzz...

Our trip was off to a solid start — until Adam accidentally stepped on a nest of ground bees and got stung. Multiple times. Because apparently nature doesn’t believe in subtle warnings.

The silver lining? The park owner took one look at us (well, mostly at Adam doing his best to pretend he wasn’t in bee-related agony) and upgraded our camping site. So… bees = pain, but also perks?

🥾 Hiking Like Heroes (Who Can't Navigate)

We spent most of our three days hiking the Bison Way trail, chasing legends of the elusive climbing spots known as "Here Comes Batman" and "Robin’s Revenge." With names like that, we were expecting dramatic cliffs, maybe a grappling hook, and at least one bat signal. What we got?

Miles of trail and exactly zero superhero sightings.
At one point, we thought we found Robin’s Revenge... but it turned out to be another dead end. So close.

☕ Trail Mix, Dirt, and Delusions

Between snack breaks, trail debates (yes, we definitely already passed that tree three times), and moments of quiet awe at how pretty Kentucky can be in September, we laughed a lot — mostly at ourselves.

Also, we learned:

  • Bees don’t care about your weekend plans.

  • Hiking to find things that may or may not exist is still weirdly fun.

  • Adam is a trooper. A slightly swollen, itchy trooper.

💬 Final Thoughts

Even though we didn’t find Batman or Robin, and even though our trip started with a literal sting, we had an unforgettable time. There’s something about being out in the woods, slightly lost, full of snacks, and with your favorite person that makes everything feel like an adventure — bee stings and all.

Next time, though, we’re bringing bug spray, a better trail map, and maybe a Robin decoy — just in case.

Kelly Smith