367 acre nature preserve, part of the Cherokee Trail of Tears, 2.75 miles of trails, easy-moderate

Mantle Rock is a sandstone bridge that spans 188 feet, and stands 30 feet in the air. It is the centerpiece and namesake of the Mantle Rock Nature Preserve. Mantle Reserve is located in Joy Kentucky, off of Highway 133. This site is steep in history, having once served as an important stopping point on the Cherokee Trail of Tears. In the winter of 1938, over 1700 Cherokee had to spend two weeks waiting for the Ohio River to thaw on the trail to Oklahoma. Mantle Rock and other suck geological features provided shelter for the embattled travelers. There are over two miles of interpretative trails at Mantle Rock for visitors to explore.