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Much of the Gorge has been purchased as part of the Daniel Boone National Forest and has been subsequently reserved as the Red River Gorge Geological Area, an area of around 28,000 acres (over 113 km&2). It has been designated a National Natural Landmark . The 13,000 acre (53 km&2) 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. 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 the farthest southern site where the Canadian Yew , ''Taxus canadensis'', is known to grow. GEOLOGICAL FORMATIONS IN THE GORGE
BOOKS Red River Gorge has been the subject of several books. ''Red River Gorge, The Eloquent Landscape'' by photographer and writer John W. Snell is the first-ever, hard-bound, coffee-table style book of color photographs to feature the dramatic landscape, vibrant scenery and rich foliage of eastern Kentucky’s Red River Gorge area. The book, released in late 2006, contains a foreword written by Congressman Hal Rogers of Kentucky. ''The Unforeseen Wilderness'', by essayist Wendell Berry and photographer Eugene Meatyard . The book was written at a time when a proposal to flood the gorge was being fought by opponents. The book contributed to the success of the opposition movement, culminating when United States Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas hiked the area on Saturday, November 18th, 1967 (approx 1:00pm). Amid 400 to 600 others present who were evenly split on the issue ''Past Titan Rock: Journeys into an Appalachian Valley'', University Press of Kentucky, 1984. Written by West Virginia University English professor Ellesa Clay High , ''Past Titan Rock'' consists of three sections. The first is a personal account of the author's experience during a season spent living in the Gorge. The middle section of the book details the life of Lily May Ledford , leader of the Coon Creek Girls , the first "all-girl" String Band on Radio . Ledford was born in the area in 1917 and grew up on Chimney Top Creek. The book's concluding section presents a series of interlocking short stories, each told from the perspective of a fictional character based on the author's experience of residents of the area. ''Kentucky's Land of the Arches'', by Robert H. Ruchhoft , is a comprehensive hiking guide to the Red River Gorge. A very accurate guide to trails in the Red River Gorge is "Red River Gorge Trail Guide" by Jerrell Goodpaster. He has detailed descriptions of each trail, along with a very organized listing system in the appendices (lists by difficulty, rating, length, and so on.) He also lists elevation changes for each trail, and the book is quite humorous and fun to read. 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 City", the worst seen in 102 years, move 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 will ultimately approve the measure and provide funding. The U.S. Corps of Engineers set about their business of making the structure a reality. However, many feel that such actions will destroy the unique ecosystem residing there. Spearheaded by the Sierra Club an opposition to the Dam is formed. It is this group that obtains the help of Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas by participating in a Dam Protest Hike which draws local and national attention to the situation. The Dam Protest Hike takes place on November 18, 1967 around 1:00 pm at the Clifty Wilderness area, junction of Swift Creek and the Red River, Highway 715. The struggle of wills lasts several decades, involves two proposed Dam sites and finally concludes with Red River's entry into the Wild and Scenic River System on December 3, 1993. United States President Bill Clinton signed the declaration into law which provides federal protection for a 19.4 mile section of the river. This effectively eliminates any further possibility of a Dam being constructed and preserves the Red River and its Gorge as we know it. For more 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 Lancaster. Also the First Major Motion Picture to be filmed in the State of Kentucky. RRS: The Kentuckian for details, images and screensaver. MUSIC Red River Gorge is mentioned in the song "Crazy Hand" by Lexington, Kentucky band, The Yellow Belts . "Red River Gorge" by Thomas Geraghty is available in both text and mp3 . ROCK CLIMBING The Red River Gorge is also known as a popular destination for rock climbers. The vast number of bolted routes in overhanging, pocketed sandstone draws climbers from all over the world to the Red as it is know. The route difficulty ranges from 5.2 (2) (very easy) to 5.14b (8c) (very difficult, for only the best climbers) in the Yosemite Decimal System . As you can see there is something to climb for most any skill level. There are also a number of published guides to hosts an annual event for climbers call Rocktoberfest . The Red River Gorge is also host to UClimb, an all-ages event for novice climbers who want to learn the basics of climbing. UClimb takes place the weekend of September 15-16, 2007 and is presented by Mountain Gear. Climbers can register at "UClimb.org" to take part in the event. Participants will learn the basics of climbing and safety in a small-group setting with other novices, taught by professional instructors. UClimb is an ideal introduction to the world of rock climbing and a great way to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Red River Gorge. EXTERNAL LINKS
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