Clay City Inn
6031 Winchester Rd
Clay City, KY
A freshly redone country roadhouse at the mouth of Red River Gorge, Bigfoot included
This property is an Honorable Mention. It has been vetted and approved for our highest standards of cleanliness, safety, and operational excellence. While it is still evolving toward our full design-led designation, it is a proven, reliable anchor for any road trip. We recommend it with confidence.
About Clay City Inn
For years this was a plain roadside motel in the small town of Clay City, the last stop before the Red River Gorge. A new owner family took it over and renovated it from the floors up, adding fresh furnishings, redone bathrooms, and a warm country style with a good sense of humor about it, right down to the Bigfoot who greets you at check-in.
What Clay City Inn Is Known For
This is a small, owner-run inn that punches above its size: freshly renovated, genuinely welcoming, pet-friendly, and perfectly placed for anyone coming to explore the Gorge.
Amenities
- Pets Welcome
- Fenced backyard
- Charcoal grill
- Fire pit
- In-room mini fridge and microwave
- Smart TVs
- Pet-friendly
What Guests Love
- Freshly renovated rooms with a fun country-and-Bigfoot theme
- Rooms open to the outdoors with their own porch seating
- A fenced backyard with a grill and fire pit for after the trail
- Minutes from Red River Gorge and Natural Bridge
Worth Knowing
- This is a small, owner-run inn, not a full-service hotel
- Rooms sit a few steps up from the lot
- Red River Gorge climbing and hiking draw crowds on fall weekends
The Room
Rooms are clean, comfortable, and freshly redone, with updated flooring, cozy beds, a mini fridge and microwave, a smart TV, and a spot to work if you need one. Each opens to the outdoors with a bit of porch to sit on.
The Grounds
Behind the inn is a fenced backyard with a charcoal grill and a fire pit. After a day of climbing or hiking in the Gorge, it is an easy place to cook, unwind, and let a dog stretch its legs.
The Experience
The Red River Gorge Geological Area and Natural Bridge State Resort Park are both a short drive away, with hundreds of miles of trails, sandstone arches, world-class rock climbing, and the one-lane Nada Tunnel that leads into the Gorge. Clay City itself is a quiet Kentucky town, and the inn makes an easy, friendly place to sleep between adventures.
Details
Clay City, KY 40312
The Boutel designation is earned, not purchased. Boutels is editorially independent and has no financial relationship with any listed property.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Clay City Inn pet friendly?
Yes. Clay City Inn welcomes pets. Contact the property to confirm current pet fees and any restrictions before you book.
Does Clay City Inn serve breakfast?
No, breakfast is not included at Clay City Inn.
What is there to do near Clay City Inn?
Red River Gorge Geological Area: 15 miles, about a 30 minute drive. Natural Bridge State Resort Park: 12 miles, about a 25 minute drive. Nada Tunnel: 14 miles, about a 30 minute drive.
How far is Clay City Inn from Red River Gorge Geological Area?
Red River Gorge Geological Area is about 15 miles from Clay City Inn, roughly a 30 minute drive.
How far is Clay City Inn from Natural Bridge State Resort Park?
Natural Bridge State Resort Park is about 12 miles from Clay City Inn, roughly a 25 minute drive.
How far is Clay City Inn from Nada Tunnel?
Nada Tunnel is about 14 miles from Clay City Inn, roughly a 30 minute drive.
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Things to Do Near Red River Gorge and Natural Bridge
Nada Tunnel
14 miles away
A one-lane, 900-foot tunnel blasted through a sandstone ridge in 1910-1911 for a logging railroad, now the historic western gateway to the Red River Gorge.
Natural Bridge State Resort Park
16 miles away
A huge sandstone arch, about seventy-eight feet across, that you can actually walk on top of for long views over the Red River Gorge.
Red River Gorge Geological Area
19 miles away
A canyon of sandstone cliffs and more than a hundred natural arches in the Daniel Boone National Forest, the greatest concentration east of the Mississippi.