The Official (only!) Newspaper of The Red River Gorge Vol. 4 No. 8 Adventure ~ Relaxation ~ Accommodations ~ Awe Inspiring Natural Beauty ~ Friendly People
Family Fun Family Excitement If you and your family are looking for the perfect vacation destination, you may already be there !(here!) The Red River Gorge is the best place in the Eastern USA if you want adventure as well as relaxation. If you want family fun, serenity and the quiet comfort of a unique and naturally beautiful setting, you want to be in the Red River Gorge Area Looking for adventure? There’s the Red River Gorge Zipline located in the Cliffview Resort. There’s the unique kayak and pontoon boat tours through the huge vaulted Limestone cavern of the Gorge Underground. Looking for peace and quiet? The Lodges and rental cabins are designed for convenience, comfort and relaxation. All the modern wants and needs along with cozy accommodations without the bother. Her you can unwind, shake off the stress of everyday responsibilities. Suffering from NDD (Nature Deficit Disorder)? We have the perfect cure. Hundreds of miles of hiking trails through thousands of acres of state and national parks and forests. Here in the Gorge Area, you are surrounded by some of Nature’s most beautiful and most enjoyable efforts. There is so much to see and do; all of which is there for the entire family to experience and enjoy. After all, how much fun can a family have? Well, folks, you are in the right place to find the answer to that question!
October 2024
The Adventure of a Lifetime Awaits! Okay, maybe I was a just a tad over the top. You know, slightly, a wee bit, somewhat excessively exuberant. But then again, maybe not. Here in the Red River Gorge Area, you can explore, enjoy and appreciate the country’s most diverse and unforgettable vacation destination. Of course that’s just my opinion and I do admit to a bias. I’m Kentucky Lucky - born and bred here in these beautiful mountains. However, I’m of the mind that after you have been here a few days, you just might agree with me. No, I take that back, I’m betting you will agree.
Let Me Tell You a Little About the Red River Gorge. The Gorge history dates back more than four hundred million years to when Africa slammed into North America creating the Appalachian Mountains. Millions of years later sediment washed down from Pennsylvania and formed the sandstone that is the defining feature of the Gorge cliffs. These cliffs are unique and are the reason the Gorge is one of the most highly regarded areas for climbing with 3,000+ clifflines in the Daniel Boone National Forest alone. Just after the Glacier retreated about 12,000 years ago, people moved into the Gorge. Those people are known to archeologists as the Paleo Indians. At that time, the weather was cooler and the gorge was mostly covered with evergreens. Wooly mammoths, giant bison and mastodons were plentiful and hunted by these early people using only spears tipped with stone points. It is also believed they hunted by stampeding those large beasts over cliffs. These and later groups of ancient people had the Gorge to themselves for about ten thousand years. Then, around four hundred years ago, they began trading with Europeans and 100 years later the area became the state of Kentucky. Three hundred years after that we arrived, constructed the Resort and later the Zipline and the rest as they say is history! So, get out there and experience the Joy of the Gorge. Take a hike, climb a cliff, Zip through the beautiful forests, catch a fish (but be sure to release it unharmed), grill some burgers, whatever. Don’t let this opportunity to appreciate one of Nature’s finest examples of her best work pass you by. While you and your family are enjoying this handiwork, remember there will be others to follow and they too would love to experience the Gorge in it’s natural and as pristine state as did you. The rule is simple, leave nothing behind except footprints (And please, leave those only on designated trails). Take nothing but photographs and pleasant memories. Jerry Ison