A popular retreat for urbanites, Kentucky's Daniel Boone National Forest is characterized by the rugged terrain of the Cumberland Plateau. Among its steep forested slopes, sandstone cliffs and deep ravines, outdoor enthusiasts come to camp, hike, fish and relax in this scenic wilderness. Spread across 21 counties, the 700,000 acre forest was named for Kentucky's ever popular frontiersman and explorer Daniel Boone.
   First established in 1937, the Forest Service has added large isolated tracts of land over time. Bearing the formal name of Cumberland National Forest soon after its inception, protests of the name resulted immediately. Descendants still living in eastern Kentucky found the name Cumberland offensive. Because place names with a British connotation fell out of favor, the forest service reopened discussions on the naming process. By the 1960s, a Senate resolution lead to renaming the forest as well as setting aside an area for pioneer weapons. The park remains a unique hunting area, allowing primitive muzzle loading firearms, longbows and crossbows.
   This view from the Dry Creek Overlook, punctuated with a sandstone ridge-line, offers a great example of this rugged territory. Found along Route 927 about 25 miles from Whitley City, sightseers will also enjoy a cluster of nearby attractions, including the Natural Arch Scenic Area, Yahoo Falls, the Big South Fork Railroad and the Niagara of the South, Kentucky's Cumberland Falls.

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