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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.
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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 »
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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.
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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.
Cumberland Gap National Historical Park Translates to Visitors, Money, and Jobs
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Contact: Mark Woods, Superintendent, (606) 248-2817
CUMBERLAND GAP NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK (KY,TN,VA). - A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that approximately 1 million visitors in 2010 spent $45.8 million during visits to Cumberland Gap National Historical Park in communities in the tri-state area. "Businesses and people in communities around national parks have always recognized their vital role to the local economy," said park superintendent Mark Woods. "Cumberland Gap National Historical Park is an integral part of the community and definitely an economic asset to the tri state area of Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia." Most of the spending/jobs in and around the national parks are related to lodging, food, and beverage service (52 percent) followed by other retail (29 percent), entertainment/amusements (10 percent), gas and local transportation (7 percent) and groceries (2 percent). The figures are based on $12 billion of direct spending by 281 million visitors in 394 national parks and nearby communities and are included in an annual, peer-reviewed, visitor spending analysis conducted by Dr. Daniel Stynes of Michigan State University for the National Park Service. Across the U.S, local visitor spending added a total of $31 billion to the national economy and supported more than 258,000 jobs, an increase of $689 million and 11,500 jobs over 2009. To download the report visit http://www.nature.nps.gov/socialscience/products.cfm#MGM and click on Economic Benefits to Local Communities from National Park Visitation and Payroll, 2010. The report includes information for visitor spending at individual parks and by state. For more on how the NPS is working within the tri state area go to following sites: Kentucky: www.nps.gov/kentucky, |
Did You Know?
Between 1775 and 1810 some 300,000 settlers crossed Cumberland Gap and began settling the land west of the Appalachians. These brave pioneers were following dreams of prosperity in the wilderness of Kentucky.