Cumberland Gap National Historical Park
Cumberland Gap National Historical Park | |
IUCN Category V (Protected Landscape/Seascape) | |
![]() View from the Pinnacle Overlook toward the southwest, overlooking Fern Lake and the surrounding park, 2009 | |
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Location | Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia, United States |
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Nearest city | Cumberland Gap, Tennessee |
Coordinates | 36°36′15″N 83°41′14″W / 36.60417°N 83.68722°W |
Area | 20,508 acres (8,299 ha) |
Visitation | 704,598 (2019)[2] |
Website | www |
NRHP reference No. | 66000353[1] |
Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
The Cumberland Gap National Historical Park is a United States
The park lies in parts of
The town of Cumberland Gap, Tennessee, is located inside of the park's territory.[3]
The Cumberland Gap Visitor Center is located on
Physical geography
The park covers 24,000 acres (9,700 ha) and is among the largest national parks in the
The park runs along the Cumberland Mountains, stretching about 20 miles (32 km) with an average width of 1.6 miles (2.6 km).[8] The park straddles a tri-state area encompassing land from Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia.[5]: 29 It includes the area of the Wilderness Road running through the passage across the Cumberland Plateau and through the Cumberland Gap, an important geological feature that facilitated travel for American settlers and Native Americans.[7]: 13 [9][8] It includes 24 known cave features ranging in size from around 20 feet (6.1 m) to more than 16 miles (26 km) in length.[6]: 10 [10]
There are a number of large cliff systems in the park, the most prominent of which is the 500 feet (150 m) cliffs of White Rocks, located in the eastern portion of the area.[6]: 34 [10] At the northeastern end, the park sits adjacent to the Sillalah Creek Wildlife Management Area and the Martin's Fork Wildlife Management Area and State Natural Area.[11][6]: 27
The climate of the area is mild, with hot and humid summers and mild winters, and an average annual temperature of 54 °F (12 °C).[7]: 15
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/70/CumberlandGapWhiteRocks.jpg/220px-CumberlandGapWhiteRocks.jpg)
Hydrology
The park contains over 62 miles (100 km) of streams.[7]: xvii With the exception of one, Little Yellow Creek, all of these originate from within the park, with those to the north of the main ridge flowing into the Cumberland River, and those to the south flowing into the Powell River.[7]: 16 Overall water quality in the park is good to fair, with some areas falling below recommended pH levels, likely due to natural causes, and others exceeding recommended levels of microorganisms, possibly due to contamination from campgrounds.[7]: 46
Ecology
The area of the park is 97% forested and contains 970 species of
The park is home to at least 145 species of birds, and 40 species of mammals, including the
Ecosystems in the park are threatened by a number of insect infestations from non-native pest species, including
History
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e5/HPC-001317_%2826975446814%29.jpg/220px-HPC-001317_%2826975446814%29.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c7/NPS_cumberland-gap-horse-trail-map.jpg/400px-NPS_cumberland-gap-horse-trail-map.jpg)
Business leaders from
The park was established on June 11, 1940, by
In 1992, the park purchased the area surrounding Gap Cave, which had previously been privately owned.[6]: 10 By 1996, the park had undergone some $280 million in improvements, including construction of the Cumberland Gap Tunnel.[6]: 10
Toward the southern end of the park lies Fern Lake, created by an earthen dam in 1890, which provides water to the nearby town of Middlesboro, Kentucky.[14]: 19 The area surrounding the lake was purchased by the park in four phases following the passage of the Fern Lake Conservation and Recreation Act, increasing the overall size of the park by 20%:
- Phases I and II, 1,850 acres (750 ha) of land purchased in 2008 from Ataya Hardwoods by The Trust for Public Landand transferred to the park
- Phase III, 1,268 acres (513 ha) of land purchased in 2009 from Molpus Woodlands Group
- Phase IV, 905 acres (366 ha) of land purchased in 2009 from Molpus Woodlands Group[15]
As of 2010 there were plans to acquire an additional 600 acres (240 ha) of land surrounding the lake.[6]: 10 As of 2018, the park had an estimated $15 million in deferred maintenance.[16]
Accommodations
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/11/Cumberland_Gap_National_Historical_Park_visitors_center.jpg/220px-Cumberland_Gap_National_Historical_Park_visitors_center.jpg)
The park includes a visitor center, renovated in 2004, which features a museum and auditorium, providing exhibits on the areas cultural and natural history, as well as book and gift shops.[14]: 13
Guided tours of the Hensley Settlement and Gap Cave are provided from the tourist center.[14]: 17 Around 3.5 miles (5.6 km) from the center, along the Skyland Road, lies the Pinnacle Overlook, which, at an elevation of 2,440 feet (740 m), overlooks the gap and the surrounding country.[14]: 19 [17]
There are 85 miles (137 km) of hiking trails, ranging from shorter routes such as the 2.6 miles (4.2 km) Sugar Run Trail, to the 21 miles (34 km) Ridge Trail, which spans the park and reaches an elevation of 3,513 feet (1,071 m).[18] The nearby Wilderness Road Campground includes 160 campsites.[17] No hunting is permitted within the park.[6]: 30
Tri-State Peak is located in the park, and is accessible by trail. A marker designating the tripoint of the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia, is located at the peak of the mountain.[19]
Tourism
The park saw 737,547 visitors in 2017, according to statistics by the National Park Service.[2] According to one federal study, in 2013 visitor spending amounted to $46 million in nearby communities, supporting 639 local jobs.[20] Peak rates of visitation normally occur during the seasons of spring, summer and fall.[7]: xvii
Recognition
In 2017, the park received the Keeper of the Light Award from the Southeast Region of the National Park Service, which recognizes excellence in education.
See also
- Big South Fork of the Cumberland River
- Cumberland Falls State Resort Park
- Lists of state parks by U.S. state
- List of areas in the United States National Park System
- List of Kentucky state parks
- List of mountain passes
- List of national parks of the United States
- List of Tennessee state parks
- List of Virginia state parks
- Mammoth Cave National Park
- Pine Mountain State Resort Park
Notes
References
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. November 2, 2013.
- ^ a b "National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics". National Park Service. Retrieved December 23, 2013.
- ^ a b "Cumberland Gap National Historical Park Map" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved September 24, 2022.
- ^ "Visitor Center". National Park Service. Retrieved September 13, 2010.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-4396-4458-4.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, General Management Plan: Environmental Impact Statement. National Park Service. 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Sundin, Gary; Worsham, Luke; Nibbelink, Nathan P.; Mengak, Michael T.; Grossman, Gary (2013). "Natural Resource Condition Assessment for Cumberland Gap National Historical Park". National Park Service. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
- ^ a b c Crawford, Matthew M.; Hunsberger, Hanna. "Geology of Cumberland Gap National Historic Park" (PDF). Kentucky Geological Survey. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
- ^ a b "Cumberland Gap National Historical Park". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
- ^ a b "Geologic Formations". National Park Service. Retrieved April 13, 2018.
- ^ "Martins Fork WMA and State Natural Area" (PDF). Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. Retrieved April 13, 2018.
- ^ a b c "Cumberland Gap and Cumberland Gap National Historical Park". Tennessee Encyclopedia. Tennessee Historical Society. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ Kriplen, Nancy (September 11, 2009). "The Cumberland Gap, the Notch America Squeezed Through". The New York Times. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-9677765-3-8.
- ^ "Fern Lake Land Acquisition". National Park Service. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
- ^ "Fact Sheet: Cumberland Gap National Historical Park". The Pew Charitable Trusts. January 25, 2018. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ a b "Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, KY". American Automobile Association. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
- ^ Rice, Larry (February 9, 2017). "Plan a trip to Cumberland Gap National Historic Park". Scouting magazine. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
- ^ "Tri-State Peak". National Park Service. Archived from the original on June 1, 2009. Retrieved April 13, 2018.
- ^ "Tourism to Cumberland Gap National Historical Park Creates $46 Million in Economic Benefit". National Park Service. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
- ^ "Cumberland Gap National Historical Park receives prestigious award". Middlesboro Daily News. January 19, 2018. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
- WBIR. April 11, 2016. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
External links
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