Cloud Splitter Loop
8.5 miles hiking, 3.7 miles paddling (8-14 hours)
Good Hiking Scenery, Interesting Float If It’s Running
Overview
The hiking section of this loop looks otherworldly in the morning mist as the trail contours in and out of multiple hollows. With a side trip up to the top of Cloud Splitter and another one to descend the Indian Staircase, there is a good bit of classic Gorge scenery on this route. The Gladie Creek return paddle is easy and fun creek boating when the water is high enough, so be sure to check. This route goes in a day for faster hikers, or make it an overnight to slow things down a bit.
Parking
The best parking for this loop is the Chimney Top trailhead just off KY715. There is a half-mile spur trail that connects it to the Sheltowee Trace.
Route
Follow the spur trail north along the river, then make a left when you see the hiker bridge across the Red. Well, maybe grab a couple pics from the bridge before you hike on. You’ll follow the Sheltowee north until you get to the turnoff to leave the official trail and head up to Cloud Splitter. You can use GPS for this, but check out this hilarious video from Johnny Bluegrass and company to see exactly what you’re looking for before you go (4:07-8:30). After Cloud Splitter, head back the way you came to rejoin the Sheltowee.
Continue north until you hit the ridge top where this route diverges from the Sheltowee. Here, you’ll find a well used local trail that follows the ridge top for some nice views. There are quite a few good campsites up here as well. As you hike, watch out for the Indian Staircase. It’s a relatively steep bare rock pathway heading down from the ridge line, with some primitive steps cut into it. You’ll want to leave the local trail here to descend, where you’ll end up back on the Sheltowee. The use trail continues on past the Staircase, so don’t miss it.
You’ll continue on the Sheltowee until you come to the Salt Fork branch of Gladie Creek, which enters on the left. This is as good a place as any to put your boat in, as Gladie Creek gets thinner and bonier the further upstream you go.
Enjoy the easy and fun 2.5 mile paddle back down past Gladie Learning Center and into the Red River, where you’ll paddle another 1.5 miles back to the trailhead.
Water Level Check
Gladie Creek is only boatable after rain. How much rain? I don’t know, unfortunately. You’ll need to play this one by ear, as it’s often just too low to paddle. Make a visual check from your car on the Gladie Creek water level from the KY 715 bridge as it crosses the creek. Continue to check the water level as you hike upstream, as it’s fairly easy to outhike the water for this creek as you go upstream of its tributaries. If you do find the water too low, you can always hike in the creek bed, instead of boating, to complete this loop.
According to Paddling Kentucky, the Red’s minimum navigable flow is 180 CFS at the gauge at Clay City. With a packraft, you can probably fudge that a little. Winter and spring are almost guaranteed to have enough water, but summer and fall are more conditional. There are two bridges in the area that make it easy to visually check the level.
Mapping Resources
CalTopo map of all routes
KML file of Cloud Splitter Loop
How to use the CalTopo Map
In the sidebar on the left, there are folders. Each folder represents a route, and can be toggled on or off depending on which route you want to see. Just check or un-check the folders. If more than one route at a time is checked, it will be hard to separate them visually. There is also a folder labeled “Global Objects” that you should keep checked. It contains points that belong to multiple routes, as well as some other scenic points that might spark your curiosity and may be worthy of a diversion.
Mile markers do not necessarily start at the trailhead, as you’ll choose your own starting point for each loop.
These maps can be printed cheaply online using Skurka’s printing advice.