October day trips | Fall into fun trips this October

October is back around! Pumpkin décor, fallen leaves, and taste buds savoring the return of pumpkin spice lattes is not the only thing to enjoy in October. Here are three day tips to enjoy this October.

1. Tri State Peak

A client who took advantage of this recommendation in October 2020 found the adventure enjoyable with the ease of this trail perfectly fit for him to handle even with his tendency to have balance issues and be clumsy at times. You get to stand between three states at one time. Travelers would enjoy a 1.2 moderate hike (one way) over what at times can be brief areas of slightly rocky terrain. The pavilion standing at the top holds the place where the three states come together. The view can be a bit limited. This little day adventure takes you on the historical Cumberland Gap Trail.

2. Waverly Hills Sanatorium

The Historical Tour is extremely interesting. No need to arrive early as the gates open to the property only 30 minutes prior to the scheduled tour time. In 2020 with COVID precautions encouraged or enforced by the state at times throughout the year the year, masks were required in October 2020 for the entire tour. The historical tour can last almost three hours. It allows you to tour every floor of the building. If climbing stairs is difficult for some of our clients this is certainly not the tour for you. Be certain to take pictures during the tour as there is no time after the it is concluded due to the staff having to prepare for the evening paranormal tour.

3. Red River Gorge

A traveler can drive the circle road starting at the Nada Tunnel, continuing along route 77, by route 715 to route 15 and rounding to Slade. Along the way, you may got out of the the car and choose to hike at Sky Bridge if you plan ahead to take into account how early the sun goes down in October. If we can recommend only one hike it would be Chimney Top Rock. It gives travelers the most spectacular views. Our travelers who are above decent shape could complete all the trails in a single summer day. Be prepared. Pack food and water with you. It takes most several hours to do the drive and hikes. There are no stores along the way to purchase food or water.

For our travelers needing assistive devices it is important to know that not a single trail is wheelchair or scooter accessible. There are a handful that have pieces that are have paved areas near the parking lot. The trails are filled with rocks, tree roots, and areas that require climbing up and down. That means walkers and canes are not going to be effective on the trails. The “Recreation Area" on the map noted to have parking, bathrooms, and picnic tables does not actually indicate nice buildings with accommodations. Be prepared to roughing it with a rustic toilet. If you are lucky there might be some toilet paper at the time when you need to use the facilities. Bring hand sanitizer and extra TP!!!

For those needing to use assistive devices, I want to stress that the drive alone is worth it for the views.