Kentucky trails · Auxier Ridge
Auxier Ridge
A 2.1-mile out-and-back in Kentucky, with 240 ft of climbing. Reaches Haystack Rock and other arch/summit/viewpoint destinations. Managed by the U.S. Forest Service.
Elevation profile
Most of the climbing sits in the first third — 64% of the ascent, between mile 0.0 and mile 0.7. It gives back about 192 ft along the way, so it rolls rather than climbing steadily.
3-D terrain
USGS 3DEP ELEVATION × ESRI WORLD IMAGERY · VERTICAL ×1.5
Reaches
- Haystack Rock (arch)
- Courthouse Rock (summit)
- Courthouse Rock (viewpoint)
- Haystack Rock (viewpoint)
Getting there
AUXIER RIDGE TRAILHEAD — parking nearby, restroom, water. 37.82002, -83.68087 · directions
Daylight at the trailhead
On August 31, 2026 — the day this page was generated — first light reaches this trailhead at 6:36 a.m., the sun rises at 7:03 a.m. and sets at 8:05 p.m., and the last usable light fades about 8:32 p.m. (EDT) — 13 h 02 min of daylight. At about 2.7 mph plus 30 minutes per 1,000 feet of climbing, the 4.1-mile round trip takes roughly 1 h 46 min, so leaving the trailhead at sunrise puts you back around 8:49 a.m. — 11 h 16 min before sunset.
Loop options
- Auxier Ridge + Court House Rock — 4.9 mi loop, 885 ft gain
Nearby trails
- Double Arch — 0.0 mi
- Court House Rock — 0.5 mi
- Rough — 0.7 mi
- Rock Garden No. 4 — 2.9 mi