Cumberland Falls State Resort Park
The Cumberland Falls State Resort Park is a state park in the US state of Kentucky . As a state resort park, the park has a lodge with a restaurant.
location
The 6.7 square kilometer park is located on the Cumberland River , which winds through a hilly landscape here. Nearby are the Daniel Boone National Forest and The Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area . The main attraction of the park are the 20-meter-high and 38-meter-wide Cumberland Falls , which can swell to over 90 meters wide during flooding. The falls are known for their lunar arch , which can be seen in the spray of the falls on clear full moon nights. There are other waterfalls in the park, including the 13-meter-high Eagle Falls two kilometers from Cumberland Falls .
history
After the Cumberland River Power Company planned to build a dam for a hydroelectric power station on the falls, politician and industrialist T. Coleman du Pont offered to buy Cumberland Falls in 1927 if the area became publicly accessible as a state park. DuPont died in 1930, but his widow bought the falls and 240 acres of adjoining land for $ 400,000 after the Kentucky Parliament passed a state park resolution. On August 21, 1931, the state park was officially established. A new access road was built as early as 1931, and from 1933 136 members of the Civilian Conservation Corps built the DuPont Lodge, 15 visitor huts, the campground, picnic areas as well as paths and roads. The lodge burned down on April 5, 1940, but was rebuilt in 1941. The old Cumberland Falls Hotel was also destroyed by fire in 1947.
activities
Use of the park is chargeable. There is a visitor center, which provides information about the geology, the history including those of the indigenous people and the nature of the park, and a souvenir shop. In the park there is a public outdoor pool and a rental stable that offers horse rides through the park. You can fish for perch, catfish and other fish in the Cumberland River. Rafting tours are also offered. More than 27 kilometers of hiking trails lead through the wooded area of the park. The Moonbow Trail connects to trails in the Daniel Boone National Forest.
Accommodation options
The historic Dupont Lodge is located in the park. The mountain hotel comprises 51 guest rooms and a restaurant and was completely renovated in 2006. The park also has cottages and a campsite.
literature
- Susan Reigler: The Complete Guide to Kentucky State Parks. University Press of Kentucky, 2009. ISBN 978-0813192086
Web links
Coordinates: 36 ° 50 ′ 27 ″ N , 84 ° 19 ′ 58 ″ W.