The Bluegrass State
Kentucky
Red River Gorge sandstone arches, the Daniel Boone wilderness, and the most diverse cave system in the world.
Kentucky at a Glance
Red River Gorge
The Red River Gorge Geological Area in Daniel Boone National Forest contains the highest concentration of natural stone arches east of the Rockies
Mammoth Cave
Mammoth Cave National Park near the national forest is the world's longest known cave system, with over 400 miles of mapped passages
Mixed Hardwood
Daniel Boone National Forest protects 706,000 acres of oak-hickory and mixed mesophytic forest across the Cumberland Plateau
Rock Climbing
Red River Gorge is one of the top sport climbing destinations in the eastern US, with over 1,500 established routes on sandstone cliffs
Salamander Capital
Kentucky has more salamander species per square mile than any other state due to its undisturbed forest floor and clean headwater streams
Sheltowee Trace
The Sheltowee Trace National Recreation Trail runs 319 miles through Daniel Boone National Forest, named after Daniel Boone's adopted Shawnee name
When to Visit
March through May and September through November. Red River Gorge is spectacular year-round but summer can be oppressively humid. Fall color typically peaks mid-October.
Top Activities
Gateway Cities
Lexington
Bluegrass region hub within 60 miles of the Red River Gorge and the heart of Daniel Boone National Forest.
Morehead
Small city adjacent to Cave Run Lake and Daniel Boone National Forest, with direct access to the Sheltowee Trace Trail.
Did You Know?
Red River Gorge contains the largest concentration of natural stone arches east of the Rocky Mountains, with over 100 arches in a small area.
Daniel Boone National Forest is named after the legendary frontiersman who explored and mapped Kentucky's wilderness in the 1770s.
The Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area on the Kentucky-Tennessee border protects a wild river canyon with walls up to 500 ft high.
Kentucky's Cumberland Falls is one of only two places in the Western Hemisphere where a moonbow (lunar rainbow) can be seen on clear nights with a full moon.
Clifty Wilderness in Daniel Boone National Forest contains old-growth hemlock trees, some of which were standing before European settlement of Kentucky.