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Through the Cumberland Gap and near Daniel Boone’s legendary Wilderness Road is Boone’s Ridge, a family-friendly tourism destination. Boone’s Ridge will offer diverse attractions and activities that deliver something for everyone. Located in the region Boone made famous nearly 250 years ago, Boone’s Ridge will once again draw travelers to these magnificent wild lands.
Boone’s Ridge is owned by the Appalachian Wildlife Foundation (AWF), a 501 (c) (3), non-profit organization.
Our E3 mission is the Economic, Educational and Environmental transformation of the region.
Boone’s Ridge will transform the economic landscape of Eastern Kentucky by launching a tourism industry that will bring new energy and opportunities to the economic, educational and environmental landscape of the region.
Progress is steady and there is much more for us to do. Donate to help make it happen.
August 2023
May 31, 2022
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March 7, 2019
Tucked away in Kentucky’s Cumberland Mountains, Boone’s Ridge will host over 1,000,000 visitors a year from across North America. Here, in addition to the many amenities, attractions, and dining options, the wildlife is abundant. Visitors will enjoy sightings of wild, free-ranging elk, over 260 species of birds, and other wildlife thriving in their natural habitat.
Elk are a tourism super-magnet, attracting crowds wherever viewing opportunities exist, and Kentucky is home to the largest wild elk population east of the Rocky Mountains.
Boone’s Ridge is home to over 260 species of birds, and is already listed as a “bird watching hotspot” by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the leading resource and community of birders. The site will be a favored destination amongst the over 60 million self-described “birders” in the US, as well as casual enthusiasts.
Black bears are regarded as the most popular wildlife species among tourists in the United States and are plentiful at Boone’s Ridge.
White-tailed deer can be seen in great numbers at Boone’s Ridge.
A robust population of Bobcats is present at Boone’s Ridge where they thrive in the backdrop of the Cumberland Mountains.
The 81,000 square foot Trailblazer's Hall will include a restaurant, theater, gift shop, and a museum exhibit hall. In the exhibits, visitors will see displays that tell a story of Daniel Boone and the Long Hunters, geologic history, wildlife exploitation and restoration in the Appalachians and North America. One section of displays will be dedicated to birds, bird watching, bird conservation, and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
We are offering sponsorship opportunities for these features.
Boone’s Ridge is an investment in the economic development and recovery of a region with a well-documented and pervasive legacy of poverty, poor educational outcomes, and environmental degradation. Boone’s Ridge will bring opportunity for economic and educational development to this area of Eastern Kentucky.
Boone’s Ridge is owned by the Appalachian Wildlife Foundation, a 501(c)(3), non-profit organization. All of the profits from Boone’s Ridge will stay in the region to support our charitable mission of achieving Economic, Educational, and Environmental improvement in the region.
The coal fields of Central Appalachia are the largest contiguous area of poverty in the United States, with the bulk of the region being in Southeastern Kentucky. Since the beginning of European settlement in the 1700s, the economic condition of this region has always been poor.
Desired Future Condition: The region will have a diverse, vibrant, and sustainable economy, with tourism as a pillar. With tourism as a new economic driver, ecological restoration and protection will become a priority. Economic prosperity will demand and produce improved education outcomes and opportunities. The result will be that economic and educational outcomes for the region are close to national averages, and ecological restoration of the land, water, and wildlife is a cultural standard.
With your help, we can achieve this future condition.
Boone’s Ridge will implement a far-reaching and robust effort with local school systems to support and enhance education programs. Additionally, Boone’s Ridge will directly reach over 100,000 students annually through on-site and remote learning programs, scholarships and education grants.
Help us change the lives of students.
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