• Angel Falls Rapid on the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River

    Big South Fork

    National River & Recreation Area KY,TN

  • Whitewater

    Big South Fork of the Cumberland River is free-flowing with no dam controls. Check the river gauge readings before your river trip. Heavy rains can cause flooding and make river use dangerous. Always use a personal flotation device when on the river. More »

  • Steep Road Grade

    There is a 13% grade for an approximate 5 mile stretch on Highway 297 between Bandy Creek Road on the west of the river and Headquarters on the east side. This is called the gorge. Use caution when traveling with recreational campers or horse trailers. More »

  • Firewood Quarantine

    Firewood Ban is in effect for the park. Only firewood from the surrounding counties of Scott, Morgan, Pickett, and Fentress in Tennessee and McCreary in Kentucky can be brought into the park. Firewood is for sale or you may use dead and down wood. More »

  • Black Bears

    Black bears are found within this area. Store all food, cooking items, feed, cosmetics and coolers properly when in the campgrounds or when using the backcountry. More »

National Fossil Day at Big South Fork

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Date: October 12, 2011
Contact: Howard Duncan, 423-569-9778

To celebrate our nation's rich fossil heritage, the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the American Geological Institute have teamed up to host the second annual National Fossil Day on October 12, 2011, during Earth Science Week. Visit http://www.nature.nps.gov/geology/nationalfossilday/ to learn more about fossils, find a National Fossil Day event in your area, or enter the National Fossil Day 2011 Art and Photography contest.

National Fossil Day promotes awareness and stewardship of fossils, and fosters greater appreciation of their value. More than 185 partners in 48 states, including museums, federal and state agencies, fossil sites, universities, professional organizations, and avocational groups, are joining forces with the National Park Service to support this nationwide celebration. Visitors to National Parks sites are reminded that fossils and all natural features are protected and may not be collected, removed or disturbed.

The Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area is featuring a display of some fossils common to the Cumberland Plateau at the Bandy Creek Visitor Center. Park Rangers at the Bandy Creek Visitor Center will present a special program about fossils on Saturday, October 15 at 10:30 a.m. (Eastern Time). Children will have the opportunity to earn their Junior Ranger Paleontologist Badge and have an opportunity to make their very own "fossil". Visitors to the Blue Heron Mining Community will have the opportunity to learn more about the important role that coal, a true fossil fuel, played in the history of the Big South Fork. For additional information about these opportunities to learn about fossils and the Big South Fork, call 423 286 7275.

Did You Know?

Park interpreter presents program on Longhunters.

Longhunters were some of the first Europeans to traverse the Big South Fork region.  It is said they were called longhunters either for the long rifles they carried or because the were typically gone on hunting trips for so long, sometimes up to a year.