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Cumberland Gap National Historical ParkTheme(s): Civil War | Westward Expansion | |
Description:
The story of the first doorway to the west is commemorated at Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, located where the borders of Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia meet. Carved by wind and water, Cumberland Gap forms a major break in the formidable Appalachian Mountain chain. First used by large game animals in their migratory journeys, followed by Native Americans, the Cumberland Gap was the first and best avenue for the settlement of the interior of this nation. From 1775 to 1810, the Gap's heyday, between 200,000 and 300,000 men, women, and children crossed the Gap into the unknown land of Kentucky.
Accessibility:
The park's Visitor Center complex includes a museum, first-floor auditorium, sales area and restrooms. All are accessible, allowing for wheelchair use. Designated parking allows easy access to the building.
At an elevation of 2,440 feet, the Pinnacle Overlook is perhaps the most visited area in the park. A level 1/4-mile paved trail provides access to this overlook, from which visitors have a spectacular view into Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia.
Accessible drive-in campsites are available at the park's Wilderness Road Campground. Surfaces within these sites have been hardened, the height of fire grates has been increased, and picnic tables have been modified. A short, paved trail guides visitors to the campground's amphitheatre, where park rangers present programs on the cultural and natural history of the park.
Getting Around:
Leaving the Visitor Center, park visitors can drive a winding four-mile-long road up the mountain to the Pinnacle Overlook (elevation 2,440 feet) for a spectacular view into the three states of Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee. The road is closed to vehicles 20 feet or longer in length. When park staff is available, shuttles to the Overlook can be arranged; cost is $1.00 per person.
Over 55 miles of hiking trails meander through eastern deciduous forest in this 20,000 acre national park. Distances range from a 1/4-mile loop trail to the 21-mile-long Ridge Trail. Trails lead to Hensley Settlement, a restored mountain community located atop isolated Brush Mountain. Folks can visit chestnut-hewn cabins and learn about the self-sufficient lifestyle of the Hensley and Gibbon families, who kept alive characteristics of early pioneer life. Restored by the National Park Service, the Settlement is accessible by hiking, horseback, or shuttle (seasonal; shuttle reservations are recommended).
Activites:
Auto_Touring | Biking | Camping | Educational Programs | Hiking | Horseback Riding | Wildlife Viewing | Backpacking | Bird Watching | Nature Walks | Stargazing | And more.
Facilities:
Visitor_Centers | Picnic Areas | Comfort Stations | Museum Exhibits | And more.
Nature: Mountains | And more.
Directions to Cumberland Gap National Historical Park
Plane:
The closest major airport is located in Knoxville, Tennessee about one hour drive from Cumberland Gap.
Car:
Visitors traveling on Interstate 75 in Kentucky should exit on 25E at Corbin. Cumberland Gap is located 50 miles south of Corbin on 25E.
Visitors traveling on Interstate 81 in Tennessee should exit on 25E at Morristown, Tennessee. The park is located 50 miles northwest on 25E.
The park can also be accessed from Virginia by traveling west on Highway 58 to its intersection with 25E in Tennessee.
Public Transportation
There is no public transportation in Cumberland Gap National Historical Park.
Attractions:
Gateway Regional Visitor Center
Phone:(423) 523-7263
Abraham Lincoln Museum
The Lost Squadron P-38 Recovery and Restoration Museum
Pine Mountain State Park
Wilderness Road State Park
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Kentucky Road Maps (KY Maps)
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