Spanning the Tennessee and Kentucky border, Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area protects 125,000 acres of the Cumberland Plateau. Established in 1974, the Big South Fork preserves a huge variety of natural and cultural resources where logging and mining were once prevalent. Some of the most popular activities, limited to certain areas, include horseback riding, camping, star-gazing, kayaking, hiking, a railway excursion, hunting, mountain biking, backcountry camping, and fishing.
   Encompassing a free-flowing Big South Fork of the Cumberland River and its tributaries, the huge recreational area follows miles of scenic gorges and sandstone bluffs. Here at the Twin Arches Scenic Area hikers will find a pair of extra-special geological features. Carved from a sandstone ridge, the Twin Arches are among some the most impressive rock arches in the eastern United States. A popular hiking destination, the North Arch has an opening reaching up 51 feet and a width of 93 feet, and its sister arch, the South Arch, has a height of 70 feet and a span of 135 feet long. Taking a fairly easy trail from the parking lot, and depending which path you take from the trail junction, it's possible to walk along the top of the arches without knowing it. Stairs lead down valley floor where arch openings provide some awe-inspiring moments. The Charit Creek Lodge, located on a much longer loop trail, is available with restrooms accommodations.

     Area Map
     Trail Map