About
Welcome to Powell County, Kentucky!
Powell County Tourism Commission
Welcome to Powell County, Kentucky! Clay City, Stanton, Bowen, Slade, and several other unofficial towns make up the county. We are the home of the beautiful Natural Bridge State Resort Park and a portion of the Red River Gorge. Our county also houses the Pilot Knob State Nature Preserve and the wild and scenic Red River.
Powell County has miles and miles of hiking trails, lots of kayaking and canoeing options and boasts thousands of climbing routes. The Red River Gorge is currently the #2 climbing destination in the world – next only to Utah. Kentucky’s only wild and scenic river welcomes you to canoe or kayak for miles along its’ beautiful routes. The outdoor adventures are endless!
If adventure isn’t for you, we have even more to offer! You can listen to world class Bluegrass music at the Meadowgreen Music Park or take a look back in time at the Red River Historical Museum in Clay City. You may even want to spend your weekend clogging at Hoedown Island in Slade. Take a day trip through the Daniel Boone National Forest by driving the Scenic Byway and visiting the Gladie Cultural & Environmental Learning Center for information from the United States Forest Service. You can even learn about our reptile friends in one of the world’s largest collections of venomous snakes at the Kentucky Reptile Zoo in Slade. Exciting motorsports and racing can be found in Clay City with a family owned IHRA sanctioned Drag Strip. Don’t forget to shop at our local shops and eat at our local eateries!
Want to stay awhile? Choose from our wide range of hospitality companies including cabins, tree houses, motels, lodges, and more! Bring your RV and camp at one of the beautiful RV parks. Grab your tent and camp in the Red River Gorge after purchasing a camping pass/permit at one of the local shops in Slade.
With so many attractions, lodging options, and adventure, there is something for everyone in Powell County, KY. With so much to do and see you may not ever want to leave!
The Red River Gorge Visitor Center at Slade
The Red River Gorge Visitor Center at Slade is owned and operated by the Powell County Tourism Commission. The commission consists of 7 board members and meetings are held every Fourth Wednesday of each month at 5pm at the visitor center.
For a list of current board members and for any other information regarding the PCTC, please reach out to info@gopoco.org or call 606-663-1161.
Our Mission
Here at the Powell County Tourism Red River Gorge Visitor Center at Slade, our Mission Statement is to deliver the best hospitality service in the industry to the visitors of this region of Kentucky. We strive to improve the quality of life for our county by promoting visitors to our unique area while marketing and supporting economic growth. We respect the integrity of our beautiful area and seek to promote it in a meaningful and sustainable manner.
FOUR DAYS out from @reggaeatthegorge! Here is the full lineup for the day! Make sure to snag your (free) advanced tickets to make sure you get one before they`re gone! Gates open at 4pm on Saturday at @hops_at_rrg 🇯🇲🎶
COMING IN HOT! We`ve got a lot of awesome stuff happening all around the area this week! A few highlights include:
+@reggaeatthegorge at @hops_at_rrg! We are a proud sponsor of this event!
+Live music all over the place including @pithouse_tbc, @toadsbarn_grill, @skybridgestation, @145_roadhouse
+Appalachian dancing at Natural Bridge State Resort Park
+Lots of fun programming and activities at Natural Bridge State Resort Park
+Date Night Drag Racing fun at @kentucky_dragway
+LOTS MORE!
Check out the full rundown below! And as always, check the comments below if we missed anything 👇👇👇
CLEDUS T. JUDD! GOOFIEST OF ALL TIME! There are still a few tickets left for tomorrow`s show! The location has been moved to Meadowgreen Appalachian Music Park due to the chance of inclement weather. Text "Cledus" to 606-481-2199 for tickets! Gates open at 6pm, show starts at 7pm!
RED RIVER GORGE ADVENTURE CLUB FUNDRAISER!
This coming Sunday, July 20th, head on over to @thehiveathighrock for an evening of live music, laughter, raffles, and fun! Advance tickets required, find the link in the comments below. Daniel Neihoff and Powell County Fav @chelseanolanmusic will be bringing the tunes!
The RRGAC is a non-profit that helps get at-risk youth from the area more connected to nature and adventure!
WEEKLY ROUNDUP IN THE RED RIVER GORGE! 7/14-7/20!
Tons of awesome events happening this week around the RRG! A few highlights this week include (but definitely not limited to):
+Daily programming and activities at Natural Bridge State Resort Park (check their Facebook for daily events)
+live music EVERYWHERE
+Cletus T Judd GOAT Tour to benefit Relay For Life of Powell County, KY
+@rrgfarmersmarket
+Trivia and SINGO at @toadsbarn_grill and @145_roadhouse
+Red River Gorge Adventure Club fundraiser at @thehiveathighrock
+Yoga with @appalachian.asana
+TONS MORE!
Check out the full rundown below or head to our website for a more detailed list. As always, check the comments for anything we missed! You can also add your own events to our calendar on our website!
WEEKLY ROUNDUP! Check out the full rundown below! As always, any event can be added to our calendar by going to our website: gopoco.org/events-calendar and click "Submit Event"! Check the comments below if we missed anything!
FIREWORKS 2025! Posting this again in case you missed it! Things kick off tonight at @redpointrrg!
Also please note that the Red River Gorge Visitor Center at Slade will be open everyday, but with limited hours tomorrow on the 4th.
Thursday 7/3 - 9am-5pm
Friday 7/4 - 9am-3pm
Saturday 7/5 - 9am-5pm
Sunday 7/6 - 9am-3pm
FOURTH OF JULY FIREWORKS LINEUP 2025!
Check out the full lineup below! Fireworks shows start on Thursday at @redpointrrg and run all weekend! Hit that like and share button to help spread the word! 🎇🎇
The Red River Gorge Visitor Center at Slade will be open 9am-3pm on Friday July 4th as well! Swing on in on your way into town and grab some maps and area info.
HOLIDAY WEEK! 🎇
Holy cow there`s a lot of things happening this week in the Red River Gorge this holiday week! We will be posting a Fourth of July specific graphic soon where you can find all of the fireworks shows in the area also! Check out the rundown for the week below 👇🎇🎆😎
HAPPY SUMMER SOLSTICE 🌞😎
Today is the longest day of the year, so get out there and explore! That being said, it`s also going to be a scorcher of a weekend! Be sure to pack EXTRA EXTRA EXTRA water when you`re out exploring 💧🛶🗺🥾
REGGAE AT THE GORGE!
We`re a proud sponsor of the inaugural @reggaeatthegorge event being held at @hops_at_rrg! This is coming up on Saturday, July 26th. The best part is that tickets are FREE (Pay what you can)! Make sure to snag your tickets at the link posted below, tickets are required! Come on out and support this awesome new event and listen to some soulful Reggae music!
WELCOME SIGN!
We got our new Welcome Sign here at the Red River Gorge Visitor Center at Slade! This was part of the multi-county wayfinding project that finally got installed. This was the last sign for Phase 1 of this project. We`re currently seeking additional funding for more signs throughout Powell, Lee, Wolfe, Estill, and Menifee Counties. Another shoutout to @qk4social for their help on this project! Come on out and see for yourself!
