Daniel Boone National Forest may begin charging fees to use Red River Gorge trails, increase camping prices

SLADE, Ky. (WKYT) - The Red River Gorge is one of Kentucky’s most popular nature areas, and if you want to pay a visit - you might have to start paying soon.

New fees are being proposed for 22 different sites in the Daniel Boone National Forest, with 19 of them in the gorge. The other three sites are in the forest’s London District.

It’s an area that people will drive from hours away in any direction to see, with a hike in the Red River Gorge often evoking adjectives of amazement.

“Oh, it was just beautiful and wild - gorgeous,” Ralph Mancik said, without a pun intended.

It’s the reason Eric Dodd with the U.S. Forest Service says they’re seeing a dramatic increase in visitation.

“On average, we probably see about half a million visitors each year,” said Dodd. He serves as a program manager for the Cumberland District of the forest, in which the gorge lies. “We need to keep up with visitor demand and visitor experience.”

As the gorge gets busier, they’re looking into how they can better manage the area.

“We’re kind of at this point where we have to designate (backcountry) campsites, adopt some of the user-created trails and re-design them,” Dodd said.

Dodd notes there are currently around 1,000 backcountry camping areas, and they are looking to bring that number down to 350 defined sites. He says that will help support the area’s eco-system, as they have too many people camping in unauthorized areas with delicate habitats, like rockshelters.

But Dodd says to do this work, they need more funding.

So, they’re proposing new fees at popular trails and recreation areas like Gray’s Arch Trailhead, Chimney Top, and Sky Bridge, as well as raising prices for backcountry camping.

Day use areas like trailheads are currently free, but would cost $5 a day, $7 for three days, for $50 annually under the proposed changes. Backcountry camping fees would increase from $5 a day to $10, with additional price changes for front-country and group sites.

Dodd says the funds will support the Forest Service as they maintain these sites and bring improvements to aging facilities.

But what do the Gorge’s visitors think about the change?

“I feel like most parks that I visit to go hiking, you tend to pay a fee,” said Tracy Paszotta, who was visiting from Illinois. “If it’s as small as you say, five dollars doesn’t seem unreasonable to me.”

“I’m not real positive on that, because I think something that’s beautiful should be free,” said Mancik, who grew up in Lexington. “That was one of the things I enjoyed about it - we just showed up and enjoyed it.”

Opinions are seemingly split, and Dodd says the Forest Service knows it will have to strike a delicate balance.

“If it’s not done properly, it could reduce that feeling of solitude and freedom out camping,” said Dodd.

So that’s why they want to hear your voices before any decision becomes final.

“With public input, if we do it properly, it will help the resource but also preserve that recreational experience,” Dodd said.

The Forest Service will hold a public meeting on June 11 from 6-7:30 p.m. in Stanton at the Powell County Lions Club, and they’re accepting feedback on the proposal through July 31. If approved, the changes could come as soon as January 1, 2025.