[papagrit]

If you drive south out of Berea on I-75 or down US 421 or 25 you will notice the ridgeline that seperates Madison from Rockcastle and Jackson Counties. You can see that ridge from as far away as Richmond. From there South and East is the hills and mountains of what is geographically known as Southeastern Kentucky. That ridgeline stays true even down the Garrard County line vs. Rockcastle. So, yeah, I think that Rockcastle is part of Southeastern Kentucky and begins the mountain region area. Think about the hills of especially southern Rockcastle on I-75 between Mt. Vernon and the Rockcastle River which contains part of the Daniel Boone National Forest. That, especially, ought to be steep enough to be considered "mountain area".