The Official (only!) Newspaper of The Red River Gorge Vol. 6 No. 2 Adventure ~ Relaxation ~ Accommodations ~ Awe Inspiring Natural Beauty ~ Friendly People
May 2026
Gorgeous Pretty Much Says It All
In the 1760s, John Swift claimed to have discovered rich silver mines hidden deep within the Red River Gorge. According to legend, he smelted silver, left behind carvings and journals, and concealed the mine’s location before it was lost forever and to this day, the mystery remains unsolved. Stay at John Swift Campground, explore the Gorge, and experience it for yourself with a relaxing, beginner friendly paddle through calm waters and lush forest starting at our riverside campground, or take on the 8 mile float past towering cliffs and rock formations and who knows you might find the answers! All in all, this is one very seriously Gorgeous place where you and your family can spend an idyllic summer weekend.
No one can ever doubt the unique beauty, landscapes and allure of the Red River Gorge because it’s not only so very outdoorable, it’s absolutely Gorgeous! And, just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, look around, it’s now aMAYzing! Yeah I know what they say about puns but I’ve just about run out of adjectives to describe this most wonderful of places. Maybe I need to get a much larger thesaurus. Back to the astonishing May effect. This is when the wildlife is at it’s wildest. All the boys are looking for girls to impress, homes have been constructed, eggs laid, babies born and the never ending cycle keeps on turning. The great thing is, unlike the past few months when everything was on pause, activity slowed down maybe even stopped, the pace has shifted into overdrive. It’s a wonderful thing to behold and there’s no better place to witness that than right here, smack dab in the middle of it all. Right here in the Gorge. Nature has been overly generous here. There are hundreds of streams, thousands of hills, mountains and cliffs and millions of living things. The trees are beginning to turn from that fresh, Spring’s yellowish-green to the deep verdure of summer growth. The wildflowers - so aptly named - are popping up in huge, riotous swaths of color and sizes. It’s enough to be totally boggled. And being so boggled is a great way to appreciate all the splendor, all that glorious, kaleidoscopic extravaganza those plants put on. And, just like Dolly said, they don’t care where they grow so you’re going to be able to enjoy them anywhere you wander. Speaking of wandering, There’s an abundance, a veritable plethora (I’ve been waiting for the right time to use that word!) of places to wander. Here you are within only a few minutes to miles of trails of every description and level. There are so many uniquely interesting places to visit. So many in fact you can return to the Gorge again and again and still find new surprises, new adventures and beautiful landscapes in every direction. The Gorge, where fun, excitement, adventure and serenity combine to make for the summer vacation like no other.