• fog flows through Cumberland Gap

    Cumberland Gap

    National Historical Park KY,TN,VA

There are park alerts in effect.
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  • Increase in camping rates at the Wilderness Road campground

    Effective June 1, 2013, camping rates will increase. Tent sites will increase to $14.00 per night and RV sites with electrical hookup will increase to $20.00 per night. Group camp sites will increase to $35.00 per night.

  • Special Program offered in place of Hensley tour on June 16

    The regularly scheduled Hensley tour will not be offered on June 16 but will be replaced by a special Father's Day program. The road to the Hensley Settlement will be open to visitors and living history demonstrations will be offered. More »

  • Cave Tour Alert!

    White Nose Syndrome is a disease that is killing bats in great numbers and has been found in park caves. While visiting Gap Cave please do not wear or bring anything that has been in other caves. Skylight Cave is currently closed.

  • Civil War Event Cancelled

    Invisible Souls: Behind the Veil of the Civil War, a special event showcasing stories of the Civil War October 4, 5, and 6, 2013 has been cancelled. Please call the park visitor center at (606) 248-2817, extension 1075 for more information.

Stories

appalachian woman in pioneer kitchen

Stories of early Appalachia are told at the historic Hensley Settlement

Early native Americans traveled through Cumberland Gap along a trail known as the Warrior's Path.

Pioneers and settlers walked along the Wilderness Road through the gap in a nation's quest to move westward.

Civil War soldiers from both sides vied for control of the historic gap.

Modern day pioneers settled in the mountains surrounding Cumberland Gap, bringing with them their music, their culture, and carrying on the ways of their ancestors.

All of these stories and more are part of the colorful history showcased at Cumberland Gap National Historical Park!

  • History comes alive! History comes alive!

    Special events and interpretive programs inspire and enlighten! Read More

  • Hensley Settlement Hensley Settlement

    Tours of the historic Hensley Settlement showcase life in the southern Appalachians. Read More

  • The park visitor center The park visitor center

    The visitor center houses a museum, book sales, handmade crafts from the region, and an auditorium. Read More

Did You Know?

Kentucky’s Historian Laureate, Dr. Thomas Clark

Kentucky’s Historian Laureate, Dr. Thomas Clark, listed Cumberland Gap as #1 in his list of 11 sites that every Kentuckian should visit. (Dr. Clark passed away on July 28th, 2005… just two weeks short of his 102nd birthday!)