Many emergency situations are avoidable (please refer to our Safety link), but they still happen. Before you go to the Red River Gorge, it is a good idea to have these numbers with you:

Do not depend on cell phones.
Cell phone coverage is very patchy in parts of the forest. There may be a chance to reach a cell site by climbing to a ridge top.

From the backcountry, report only serious emergencies by calling 911. Due to the remote area, expect a longer response time than you would in a city. It will be very important to know your location.

When you do reach 911, stay calm, and stay on the line. Do not move, as moving even one foot in any direction may disconnect you. If possible, send someone to the trailhead or parking lot to lead emergency personnel to the victim.

If your emergency is not serious enough to call 911, but you still need medical help, the hospital closest to the Gorge is:

Directions from Slade, KY. to Clark Regional Medical Center (Estimated distance: 37 miles, Est. driving time: 38 minutes*)

1) Head West on the BERT T COMBS MOUNTAIN PKWY and go 32.3 miles, then merge onto I-64 W. and go 3.4 miles.

2) Take the KY-1958 / VAN METER RD exit- EXIT 94- toward KY-627-TRUCK / WINCHESTER and go 0.2 miles.

3) Turn LEFT onto BYPASS RD / VAN METER RD / KY-1958 and go 0.3 miles

4) Turn LEFT onto US-60 / W LEXINGTON AVE. (0.9 miles to the hospital)

* Editor's note: 38 minutes my ass. If you're driving an injured friend to the hospital, I bet you'll try to make it there quicker, but please obey all traffic laws! No one else needs to get injured along the way.

Snakebite!!!!

There are only two venomous species indigenous to the Red River Gorge: copperheads and timber rattlesnakes. Should you or a friend get bitten by one of these pit vipers, there is only one important thing to do, and it doesn't involve cutting, suction, or tourniquets. Here is a YouTube video on snakebite first aid, presented by the nationally renowned Kentucky Reptile Zoo in Slade: