Bats are genuinely cool here, thriving in Red River Gorge and roosting in dark recesses of rock shelters and caves. Some caves on public lands are managed by the Forest Service to protect these habitats, since caves are a valuable part of our natural heritage. Hikers watch for cave management signs and give roost sites space. Evenings bring steady bat activity overhead.

Bats pollinate native plants and eat night flying insects, often matching their body weight in bugs each night. That steady insect control benefits forests and farms, with annual agricultural value estimated in the billions. Evening walks near trailheads or fields include quick, silent flyovers.