Red River Gorge
Encyclopedia
The Red River Gorge is a canyon
system on the Red River
in east-central Kentucky
. Geologically, it is part of the Pottsville Escarpment
.
Much of the Gorge is located inside the Daniel Boone National Forest
and has been subsequently reserved as the Red River Gorge Geological Area, an area of around 44 square miles (114 km²). It has been designated a National Natural Landmark
. The 20 square miles (51.8 km²) Clifty Wilderness Area lies entirely within the gorge.
This intricate canyon system features an abundance of high sandstone
cliff
s, rock shelter
s, waterfall
s, and natural bridges
. There are more than 100 natural sandstone arches in the Red River Gorge Geological Area. The multitude of sandstone and cliff-lines have helped this area become one of the world's top rock climbing
destinations and is home to the Red River Gorge Climbers' Coalition
.
Kentucky's Natural Bridge State Park
is immediately adjacent to this area, featuring one of the largest natural bridges in the Red River Gorge.
Because of its unusual and rugged nature, the Red River Gorge features a remarkable variety of ecological zones. It is home to many plants, such as Canadian Yew, which are far from their main range.
, steam drills and hand tools. One man was killed during tunnel construction when he attempted to thaw frozen dynamite which exploded when he set it near a fire.
," the worst seen in 102 years, moved both government officials and local communities to lobby the Kentucky State Legislature and the Kennedy
administration for immediate construction of a flood control dam
. The United States Congress would ultimately approve the measure and provide funding. The Army Corps of Engineers
set about their business of making the structure a reality; however, many felt that such actions would destroy the unique ecosystem residing there. Spearheaded by the Sierra Club
, an opposition to the dam was formed. It was this group that obtained the help of Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas
by participating in a Dam Protest Hike which drew local and national attention to the situation. The Dam Protest Hike took place on November 18, 1967 at the Clifty Wilderness area, junction of Swift Camp Creek and the Red River, Highway 715.
In 1971, the University of Kentucky
commissioned Wendell Berry
, a Kentucky native farmer and author, to write a book entitled The Unforeseen Wilderness advocating the preservation of the gorge in its natural state.
The struggle of wills lasted several decades, involved two proposed Dam sites and finally concluded with Red River's entry into the National Wild and Scenic River
system on December 3, 1993. President Bill Clinton
signed the declaration into law which provides federal protection for a 19.4 miles (31.2 km) section of the river. This effectively eliminated any further possibility of a dam being constructed and preserved the Red River and its Gorge as we know it. For more information see RRS: History of the Red River Valley Dam
. It was also the first major motion picture to be filmed in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. For more information see RRS: The Kentuckian filmed at Sky Bridge
and sport climbing
routes in region;, although the latter seems to be more dominant. Many cliffs lay within Daniel Boone National Forest
; however numerous important cliffs are located on private land and in two privately owned preserves created to allow climbing access:
Canyon
A canyon or gorge is a deep ravine between cliffs often carved from the landscape by a river. Rivers have a natural tendency to reach a baseline elevation, which is the same elevation as the body of water it will eventually drain into. This forms a canyon. Most canyons were formed by a process of...
system on the Red River
Red River (Kentucky)
The Red River is a tributary of the Kentucky River in east-central Kentucky in the United States. Via the Kentucky and Ohio rivers, it is part of the Mississippi River watershed....
in east-central Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. Geologically, it is part of the Pottsville Escarpment
Pottsville Escarpment
The Pottsville Escarpment is a resistant sandstone belt of cliffs and steep sided, narrow crested valleys in eastern Kentucky, USA. It features rock shelters, waterfalls, and natural bridges...
.
Much of the Gorge is located inside the Daniel Boone National Forest
Daniel Boone National Forest
Daniel Boone National Forest is the only national forest completely within the boundary of Kentucky. Established in 1937, it was originally named the Cumberland National Forest, after the core region called the Cumberland Purchase Unit...
and has been subsequently reserved as the Red River Gorge Geological Area, an area of around 44 square miles (114 km²). It has been designated a National Natural Landmark
National Natural Landmark
The National Natural Landmark program recognizes and encourages the conservation of outstanding examples of the natural history of the United States. It is the only natural areas program of national scope that identifies and recognizes the best examples of biological and geological features in...
. The 20 square miles (51.8 km²) Clifty Wilderness Area lies entirely within the gorge.
This intricate canyon system features an abundance of high sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
cliff
Cliff
In geography and geology, a cliff is a significant vertical, or near vertical, rock exposure. Cliffs are formed as erosion landforms due to the processes of erosion and weathering that produce them. Cliffs are common on coasts, in mountainous areas, escarpments and along rivers. Cliffs are usually...
s, rock shelter
Rock shelter
A rock shelter is a shallow cave-like opening at the base of a bluff or cliff....
s, waterfall
Waterfall
A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...
s, and natural bridges
Natural arch
A natural arch or natural bridge is a natural geological formation where a rock arch forms, with an opening underneath. Most natural arches form as a narrow ridge, walled by cliffs, become narrower from erosion, with a softer rock stratum under the cliff-forming stratum gradually eroding out until...
. There are more than 100 natural sandstone arches in the Red River Gorge Geological Area. The multitude of sandstone and cliff-lines have helped this area become one of the world's top rock climbing
Rock climbing
Rock climbing also lightly called 'The Gravity Game', is a sport in which participants climb up, down or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route without falling...
destinations and is home to the Red River Gorge Climbers' Coalition
Red River Gorge Climbers' Coalition
The Red River Gorge Climbers' Coalition is an advocacy group for rock climbers in the Red River Gorge, Kentucky. Through relationships with local stakeholders and climbers from all over the world, the RRGCC has worked hard to maintain sustainable access throughout one of the world's top climbing...
.
Kentucky's Natural Bridge State Park
Natural Bridge State Park (Kentucky)
Natural Bridge State Resort Park is a Kentucky state park located in Powell and Wolfe Counties along the Middle Fork of the Red River, adjacent to the Red River Gorge Geologic Area and surrounded by the Daniel Boone National Forest. Its namesake natural bridge is the centerpiece of the park. The...
is immediately adjacent to this area, featuring one of the largest natural bridges in the Red River Gorge.
Because of its unusual and rugged nature, the Red River Gorge features a remarkable variety of ecological zones. It is home to many plants, such as Canadian Yew, which are far from their main range.
Geological formations
- Adena Arch
- Angel Windows
- Auxier Ridge
- Blackburn Rock
- Buzzard's Roost
- Castle Arch
- Calaboose Falls
- Chimney Top Rock
- Courthouse Rock
- Creation Falls
- Cloudsplitter
- Double Arch
- Eagle Point Buttress/Eagle's Nest
- Gray's Arch
- Half Moon
- Hanson's Point
- Haystack Rock
- Hen's Nest
- Hidden Arch
- Indian Arch
- Indian Staircase
- Jailhouse Rock
- Moonshiner's Arch
- Pinch 'em Tight Rock
- Princess Arch
- Raven Rock
- Red Byrd Arch
- Rock Bridge
- Sky Bridge
- Silver Mine Arch
- Star Gap Arch
- Tall Arch
- Timmon's Arch
- Turtleback Arch
- Whistling Arch
- Whittleton Arch
Nada Tunnel
Nada tunnel is a 900 feet (274.3 m) and 12 feet (3.7 m) (13 feet high) logging tunnel built between 1910 and 1912. Rock and dirt were removed by dynamiteDynamite
Dynamite is an explosive material based on nitroglycerin, initially using diatomaceous earth , or another absorbent substance such as powdered shells, clay, sawdust, or wood pulp. Dynamites using organic materials such as sawdust are less stable and such use has been generally discontinued...
, steam drills and hand tools. One man was killed during tunnel construction when he attempted to thaw frozen dynamite which exploded when he set it near a fire.
History of the Proposed Red River Gorge Dam
Decades of flooding by the Red River offered downstream residents much misery. In 1962 the "Great Flood of Clay CityClay City, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,303 people, 543 households, and 367 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,199.5 people per square mile . There were 588 housing units at an average density of 541.3 per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 99.08% White, 0.23%...
," the worst seen in 102 years, moved both government officials and local communities to lobby the Kentucky State Legislature and the Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
administration for immediate construction of a flood control dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
. The United States Congress would ultimately approve the measure and provide funding. The Army Corps of Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
set about their business of making the structure a reality; however, many felt that such actions would destroy the unique ecosystem residing there. Spearheaded by the Sierra Club
Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is the oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental organization in the United States. It was founded on May 28, 1892, in San Francisco, California, by the conservationist and preservationist John Muir, who became its first president...
, an opposition to the dam was formed. It was this group that obtained the help of Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas
William O. Douglas
William Orville Douglas was an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. With a term lasting 36 years and 209 days, he is the longest-serving justice in the history of the Supreme Court...
by participating in a Dam Protest Hike which drew local and national attention to the situation. The Dam Protest Hike took place on November 18, 1967 at the Clifty Wilderness area, junction of Swift Camp Creek and the Red River, Highway 715.
In 1971, the University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
commissioned Wendell Berry
Wendell Berry
Wendell Berry is an American man of letters, academic, cultural and economic critic, and farmer. He is a prolific author of novels, short stories, poems, and essays...
, a Kentucky native farmer and author, to write a book entitled The Unforeseen Wilderness advocating the preservation of the gorge in its natural state.
The struggle of wills lasted several decades, involved two proposed Dam sites and finally concluded with Red River's entry into the National Wild and Scenic River
National Wild and Scenic River
National Wild and Scenic River is a designation for certain protected areas in the United States.The National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act was an outgrowth of the recommendations of a Presidential commission, the Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission...
system on December 3, 1993. President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
signed the declaration into law which provides federal protection for a 19.4 miles (31.2 km) section of the river. This effectively eliminated any further possibility of a dam being constructed and preserved the Red River and its Gorge as we know it. For more information see RRS: History of the Red River Valley Dam
Motion Pictures
The Red River Gorge's Sky Bridge appears in the 1955 film "The Kentuckian", starring and directed by Golden Globe and Academy Award winner Burt LancasterBurt Lancaster
Burton Stephen "Burt" Lancaster was an American film actor noted for his athletic physique and distinctive smile...
. It was also the first major motion picture to be filmed in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. For more information see RRS: The Kentuckian filmed at Sky Bridge
Rock Climbing
The Red River Gorge is also known as a popular destination for rock climbers, with numerous cliffs in the gorge itself and in the surrounding areas. The vast number of bolted routes in overhanging, pocketed sandstone draws climbers from all over the world to "the Red" as it is known. Climbing in the region tends to be done at large number of separate small cliffs. Most climbs are a single pitch and most cliffs are less than 200 feet (61 m) tall. There are numerous traditionalTraditional climbing
Traditional climbing, or trad climbing, is a style of rock climbing in which a climber or group of climbers places all gear required to protect against falls , and removes it when a passage is complete...
and sport climbing
Sport climbing
Sport climbing is a form of rock climbing that relies on permanent anchors fixed to the rock, and possibly bolts, for protection,...
routes in region;, although the latter seems to be more dominant. Many cliffs lay within Daniel Boone National Forest
Daniel Boone National Forest
Daniel Boone National Forest is the only national forest completely within the boundary of Kentucky. Established in 1937, it was originally named the Cumberland National Forest, after the core region called the Cumberland Purchase Unit...
; however numerous important cliffs are located on private land and in two privately owned preserves created to allow climbing access:
- Pendergrass-Murray Recreational Preserve is a 750 acres (3 km²) preserve owned and maintained by Red River Gorge Climbers' CoalitionRed River Gorge Climbers' CoalitionThe Red River Gorge Climbers' Coalition is an advocacy group for rock climbers in the Red River Gorge, Kentucky. Through relationships with local stakeholders and climbers from all over the world, the RRGCC has worked hard to maintain sustainable access throughout one of the world's top climbing...
- Muir Valley, is a 400 acres (1.6 km²) nature preserve and rock climbing area owned and maintained by Rick and Liz Weber
External links
- KY Wilderness
- Powell County Tourism
- The Red River Gorge Today
- Red River Gorge at American Byways
- Red River Gorge Climbers' Coalition
- Red River Gorge Geologic Area
- Red River Gorge at USDA Forest Service
- Red Wild and Scenic River at National Wild and Scenic Rivers System
- Volunteers Red River Gorge Trail Crew