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Natural arch

Turtle Back Arch

Kentucky

About

Turtle Back Arch is a natural arch in the Clifty Wilderness, part of the Cumberland Ranger District of Daniel Boone National Forest in Kentucky. The nearest town is Campton, about 3 miles away, and the arch sits at roughly 966 feet. Fall is the most comfortable time to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Beattyville show October highs around 69°F with lows near 44°F, and September is slightly warmer at about 79°F. Several trails start close by. Swift Camp Creek Trail #219 and Rock Bridge are each about half a mile away, and Wildcat Trail #228 is about a mile off. Climbers can head to Funk Rock City, about 2 miles away.

Arch Facts

Elevation

966 ft

Elevation from USGS 3D Elevation Program terrain data (about 10 m resolution).

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Location

Turtle Back Arch

Kentucky

Name and location: U.S. Geological Survey, Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). Elevation: USGS 3D Elevation Program. View the GNIS record.

Facts about this place

When to go

Best time to go: Apr–Oct. The mildest months here, with typical highs of 68–84°F and lows of 44–65°F.

Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Beattyville 4n, KY weather station, 13 mi away. High / low in °F.

  1. Jan42° high24° low
  2. Feb47° high27° low
  3. Mar57° high34° low
  4. Apr68° high44° low
  5. May75° high53° low
  6. Jun82° high61° low
  7. Jul84° high65° low
  8. Aug84° high64° low
  9. Sep79° high57° low
  10. Oct69° high44° low
  11. Nov57° high35° low
  12. Dec46° high28° low

Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020

Where it is

Nearest town
Campton, Kentucky · 3 mi

Source: Wilderness.net boundaries; USFS EDW boundaries; USGS GNIS populated places

Conditions

Active alerts for Daniel Boone National Forest as of Oct 9, 2026:

Source: USFS forest alerts

Nearby

Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)

    Turtle Back Arch — Natural arch in Kentucky | Roamze