POWELL COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) – Eager hikers hit the trails at the Red River Gorge, but officials are warning people that many trails are still muddy.
“It’s still dangerous out there. You have the sun, but that’s just a false security. It’s still bad out there,” said Lisa Johnson with the Powell County Search and Rescue team.
Friday’s heavy rainfall has now turned to slippery mud on the trails- making it difficult for hikers to keep their balance.
“Very slippery,” said hiker Abby Adams.
“Super-slippery, a lot of falls,” her friend Emily Ingram agreed. “But we wore boots, it’s fine”
“It cleans off,” said Adams.
It’s important to come prepared with food, water and sturdy boots
“I always bring way too much water because of the dogs, and food just because snack time, or if you get stuck or something like that,” said Ingram.
Powell County Search and Rescue recommends that if you don’t feel comfortable you should keep to trails close to the lodge and stick to lower elevations.
“A safe trail, nothing with height, because remember you go up that, you have to come down. And once you go up, you are tired. As I said, the weather: the temperature changes 15 degrees easily inside the forest. It’s warm here, but you go inside the forest you’re dropping 15,” said Johnson.
