This is the fourth in my series of posts about short hikes on the Kentucky side of the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, this one featuring a unique spot named “Cracks in the Rocks.”
Mom walking through Cracks in the Rocks
Nature has created an opening in this rock cliff that you’re able to climb through, and it really is something to see. Located in the Blue Heron section of the park, this spot is actually on the 6.4-mile Blue Heron Loop hiking trail. I don’t consider 6 miles to be a “short” hike, but fortunately, you can reach Cracks in the Rocks as a separate out-and-back short hike!
Cracks in the Rocks is a short distance from either the Blue Heron Mining Camp parking area or the Blue Heron Gorge Overlook parking area. Either of these is accessible with a short drive from Historic Stearns.
We chose to park at the Overlook area and hiked down and back up. Although it’s not a long distance, there are a lot of steep steps going this route. Remember, if you go down, you have to climb back up!
Steep stairs on the trail 
It may be less steep to hike up from Blue Heron and back down to the parking lot, but I haven’t personally done that yet to test the theory.
If you start from the Overlook parking area, you can take a short paved trail out to this view before connecting with the Blue Heron Loop trail and going down to Cracks in the Rocks.
Blue Heron Gorge Overlook
For more information about the Blue Heron Loop and a map of BSF’s Kentucky hiking trails, check out the park’s official Kentucky Hiking Brochure!