Where is the cumberland gap
Cumberland Gap National Historical Park (Kentucky/Tennessee/Virginia)
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in the early days of European
colonization of America the population
centered around the Atlantic coast as
settlers began expanding into the
wilderness they quickly arrived at a
massive obstacle the Appalachian
Mountains rises a natural barrier from
present-day Maine to Georgia fifteen
hundred miles to the south these
mountains were largely impassable so few
people expanded beyond their eastern
slopes only a few natural passes existed
to allow for easy trips across the
mountains located today at the
intersection of Virginia Kentucky and
Tennessee the opening of the pass was
formed by a meteor strike millions of
years ago the resulting three mile wide
Middlesboro crater which can be seen for
many overlooks also contains the city of
Middlesboro Kentucky Cumberland Gap was
originally included in a failed effort
to create a Lincoln National Park in
1922 later attempts in 1929 sought to
create memorials for Civil War battles
fought in the area but that also failed
finally in 1938 the National Park
Service agreed to support the creation
of a park Cumberland Gap National
Historical Park was established on June
11th 1940 by Franklin Roosevelt in order
to commemorate the story of the first
doorway to the West here in natural
beauty and a complex history are each on
display stories of the Native Americans
early pioneers Civil War battles and
mountain communities come to life when
visiting the numerous historic
structures and locations found in the
park the Visitor Center is located on US
Highway 25e and from here you can see
examples of period buildings and ascend
the road to pinnacle overlook which
provides vistas of all three States
longer trails and distant homesteads
like the Hensley settlement require more
time but are incredibly rewarding
Cumberland Gap National Historical Park
allows visitors to see Appalachia or
Appalachia up-close
the park covers 24,000 acres and varies
in elevation from 1,100 feet to 3,500
feet the boundaries run along the
Cumberland Mountains stretching almost
20 miles with an average width of 1.6
miles and features a large cliff system
with stunning viewpoints the mountains
offer over 80 miles of trails 62 miles
of streams caves several campgrounds and
abundant wildlife
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