Cumberland Gap, when you think about it what comes to mind is Daniel Boone, the Wilderness Road or the massive tunnel, but now you can add hiking to that list. On Tuesday, I returned to the Cumberland Gap to hike, but it wasn't my first trip. Back in the Day (last June), I went to the Cumberland Gap National Historical Park (CGNHP) to hike some of the trails there.
First, let me mention a little about the historical park. This national park, which is 20,508 acres (GSMNP is 522,426 acres), resides in three states. The visitor center, which is on the Kentucky side of the tunnel and has a small gift shop and a museum about the Gap. Upstairs there is a theater with a movie about all things Cumberland Gap. I also have to add that the Park Rangers and staff are very helpful and friendly.
On both visits I centered my hiking around the visitor center area, specifically hiking from the Thomas Walker Parking Area. On all of my hikes, I started out on the Object Lesson Trail. When I was here last June I hiked the Object Lesson to the Harlan Road Trail, because unlike last Tuesday, I was hiking to the Pinnacle Overlook not driving.
I think it is obvious that this hike was uphill, with an elevation gain of 1,286 feet, but it wasn't too bad. Actually, the road up is steeper than the hiking trail, which meanders through the forest crossing the road a number of times. One spot has it crossing at the parking area for Fort McCook. This is one of the better earthen forts in the Park, even having a cannon.
The trail continues up with some switchbacking, before coming out at the back of the parking area for Pinnacle Overlook. The trail out to the overlook is a loop combining paved trail with boardwalks and a large viewing area with stunning vistas into three states makes this a can't miss the place...driving or hiking. I then hiked the half-mile out to Fort Lyon and the Powell Valley Overlook (sign says Poor Valley).
The other place I visited on both days was the actually "Saddle of the Gap" and Tri-State Peak. Once you could drive through Cumberland Gap, but that changed with the opening of the tunnel in 1996 and the original trail was restored. Getting to the Tri-State Peak has always been by hiking. The trail up is just over half-mile, it passes the site of an old Union Ammo dump, that exploded and a side trail to Fort Foote.
It is at this point that the trail gets steeper and right before the summit is the steepest part. Finally one reaches the summit and there is a pavilion with markers for each state and a Vista into Kentucky. It is also the northern terminus of the Cumberland Trail. I hiked a little of it out to Fort Farragut and over the tunnel.
Now on my first visit, I returned to the parking area via the famous Wilderness Trail. It is longer and slightly more rugged.
Another hike I did on my first visit was on the Tennessee side of the tunnel and from the Daniel Boone Parking and Exhibit in Virginia. I hiked the half-mile (most of it on the Wilderness Trail) to Gap Cave. I could only go into the upper part because the main cave is only accessible via tour by the Park Service.
After this hike, I drove to the parking area for the old Iron Furnace and hiked to it. This is just a taste of the trails in CGNHP and I hope to hike more of them in the future.
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