Located in Wolfe County, Kentucky, Red River Gorge is a canyon. It is part of Daniel Boone National Forest. The nearest town is Stanton, about 22 km (14 mi) away (Red River Gorge lies E of town).
The Red River Gorge is a canyon system on the Red River in east-central Kentucky, United States. Geologically it is part of the Pottsville Escarpment. The gorge lies within the Daniel Boone National Forest and was subsequently designated the Red River Gorge Geological Area, an area of around 29,000 acres (12,000 ha; 120 km2; 45 sq mi). It was designated a National Natural Landmark and National Archaeological District in 1976, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The 13,379-acre (5,414 ha; 54.14 km2; 20.905 sq mi) Clifty Wilderness Area lies entirely within the geological area in the Red River Gorge. This intricate canyon system features an abundance of high sandstone cliffs, rock shelters, waterfalls, and natural bridges. There are more than 100 natural sandstone arches in the Red River Gorge Geological Area. The multitude of sandstone and cliff-lines helped this...From the Wikipedia article “Red River Gorge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Red River Gorge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:39 AM | 90° E | 7:47 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:13 AM | 59° ENE | 9:01 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 47m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:23 AM | 89° E | 7:33 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:47 AM | 120° ESE | 5:19 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 32m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Canyons need light from above: rims glow at sunrise and sunset, while deep or narrow sections are brightest near midday when reflected light bounces off the walls.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:21 AM | 7:49 AM | 8:29 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:08 PM | 9h 50m |
| February | 6:58 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:02 AM | 5:37 PM | 6:14 PM | 6:41 PM | 10h 48m |
| March | 7:20 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:21 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:08 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:33 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:35 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:37 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:56 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:03 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:07 PM | 14h 13m |
| June | 5:41 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:52 AM | 8:20 PM | 8:59 PM | 9:30 PM | 14h 46m |
| July | 5:54 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:03 AM | 8:19 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:28 PM | 14h 32m |
| August | 6:23 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:27 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:29 PM | 8:57 PM | 13h 38m |
| September | 6:51 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:52 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:10 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:17 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:19 AM | 6:23 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:25 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:48 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:46 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:52 PM | 10h 09m |
| December | 7:14 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:25 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:47 PM | 9h 34m |
Local time (America/New York), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Red River Gorge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:32 AM – 5:52 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:39 AM – 6:09 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:43 AM – 5:23 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:42 AM – 4:32 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:53 PM – 4:13 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:47 PM – 2:47 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:06 PM – 12:46 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 9:13 PM – 10:43 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:25 PM – 8:45 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.62 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 8.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 50% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (72%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 71 | 73 | 83 | 83 | 94 | 106 | 105 | 102 | 100 | 97 | 83 | 74 |
| Low °F | -2 | -3 | -2 | 22 | 29 | 43 | 52 | 48 | 39 | 26 | 6 | 6 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.5 | 4.3 | 3.9 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 5.1 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 4.3 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this canyon
- Check flash flood forecasts before entering slot or narrow canyons — rain miles away can flood them.
- Dust and sand are hard on gear; change lenses in a bag or with your back to the wind.
- A long lens on a tripod handles the low light inside canyons better than raising ISO.
- From the rim, sunrise and sunset side-light reveals layers; a telephoto picks out buttes and shadows.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Spring and autumn are comfortable; summer monsoon storms bring dramatic skies but higher flood risk in the Southwest.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Wide and telephoto lenses, Lens blower, Weather radio or app. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Red River Gorge, closest first.
Natural ArchNatural ArchNatural ArchNatural ArchNatural ArchNatural ArchNatural ArchNatural Arch
Wilderness AreaCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Koomer Ridge Campground6.0 km (3.7 mi) · reservable
- Claylick Boat-In Campground28 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Zilpo - Daniel Boone Nat. For.28 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Red River Gorge?
What time is golden hour at Red River Gorge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Red River Gorge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Red River Gorge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Red River Gorge?
How far is Red River Gorge from Stanton?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.