Activities in the DBNF
The book Hiking the Red, a complete trail guide to Kentucky’s Red River Gorge, provides an excellent description of the activities one can find in the Daniel Boone National Forest (DBNF). The authors suggest “popular activities include hiking, camping, picnicking, hunting, fishing, boating, swimming, horseback riding, bicycling, rock climbing, spelunking, bird watching, photography, nature study, and more” (p. 14). The DBNF contains an estimated 500 miles of trails through rugged terrain made of sandstone cliffs and exposed limestone rock faces. The authors remind us that this trail network is larger than any other National Forest in Kentucky, and most importantly, that it takes fewer than six hours for most of us to reach this destination.
Flora & Fauna
The book made it a point to describe the habitat and the diverse species of trees that one is likely to encounter at the Red. According to the authors, the species of trees found in the DBNF includes beech, sugar maples, white pines, hemlock, several types of oak, and hickory. These trees provide habitat for an estimated 67 different species of reptiles and amphibians, 46 species of mammals, and 100 species of birds. Furthermore, the habitat of the DBNF includes endangered and endangered species—the Indiana Bat; the Virginia big-eared bat; the red-cockaded woodpecker and White-haired Goldenrod (p. 14).
Members of the Bluegrass Group Sierra Club (2000). Hiking the red, a complete trail guide to Kentucky’s Red River Gorge. Louisville: Harmony House Publishers.
