Clifty Wilderness

Clifty Wilderness is a 13,344-acre protected wilderness area in Kentucky within the Red River Gorge Geological Area of Daniel Boone National Forest. Designated in 1985 and managed by the Cumberland Ranger District, it preserves one of the gorge’s most rugged landscapes, marked by high cliffs, steep valleys, sandstone arches, rock shelters, and boulder-strewn creeks. The Wild and Scenic Red River runs through it, with portions designated as wild and recreational. The area is also notable for its biological diversity, with more than 750 flowering plant species, 170 moss species, and at least 15 plant species considered sensitive, rare, or endangered.

Kentucky · United States