Feature article
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Cumberland Gap National Historical Park rich in history, natural beauty
By
"Stand at the Cumberland Gap and watch the procession of civilization, marching single file - the buffalo following the trail to the salt springs, the Indian, the fur-trader and hunter, the cattle-raiser, the pioneer farmer - and the frontier has passed by." - Frederick Jackson Turner
Standing at the Pinnacle Overlook with its breathtaking view of Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia, it's not difficult to picture what it might have been like for the more than 200,000 men, women and children who passed through Cumberland Gap in the 1700s in search of a better life in the unknown western frontier.
''The Gap holds so much history for so many of us,'' said park ranger Pam Moore. ''There's millions of people who are where they are today because one of their ancestors passed through this Gap."
The rich history, culture and natural resources of the Cumberland Gap region are woven intricately together to create Cumberland Gap National Historical Park - a 20,279-acre lesson in American history.
''There's such a wide variety of things you can do here, not just at the park but in the region," said park ranger Janice Miracle. ''There's the history, the scenery, the programs and the simple recreation of getting away from it all. There really is something for everyone here at Cumberland Gap."
Shared by Kentucky and Virginia, Cumberland Gap is the largest national historical park in the United States. It contains scenic overlooks, historic areas, modern and backcountry campsites, more than 50 miles of hiking trail and a visitors' center with a gift shop and museum.
At the visitors' center, guests can take part in many ranger-guided activities including campfire programs, guided hikes, and educational and historical programs about the Gap, the park's wildlife and its resources.
Exhibits, artifacts, and a film tell the story of the Gap as a transportation corridor in the 1700s.
''People are interested in the natural aspects of the park, but most come for the history. We get a lot of questions about Daniel Boone and what national parks are," said Miracle. ''They're intrigued with the idea of bear in the park. But more than anything, they want to know about the history."
A winding 31/2-mile car trip takes visitors to an elevation of 1,500 feet and leaves just a short walk (which is wheelchair accessible) to the observation platform known as Pinnacle Overlook. From there, the breathtaking view of all three states with the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee on the horizon provide a clear picture of the park's broad reaches.
Accessing those sites and trails, however, requires a bit more work. Unlike many modern-day parks, many of the doors to Cumberland Gap's riches are accessible only by hiking or horseback.
The trails, some of which are steep and rugged, meander through the heavily wooded park in distances ranging from a 1/4-mile loop trail to the 21-mile Ridge Trail to places like the Hensley Settlement, White Rocks and Sand Cave.
The Hensley Settlement is a restored mountain community located atop isolated Brush Mountain. The rigid three-mile hike has to be made on foot or horseback, except in some instances when seasonal shuttles are provided by reservation.
The towering White Rocks, once a welcome sight to settlers traveling on the Wilderness Road, stand 3,500 feet above the valley - just a three-mile hike or horseback ride for today's visitors.
Sand Cave, a 75-foot high sandstone overhang, is decorated by nature with at least seven different colors of sand. In rainy seasons, a small waterfall sometimes cascades over the edge. The cave, however, is accesssible only by a wooded 8-mile roundtrip hike or horseback ride.
At various locations in the parks, reminders of the Civil War and other historical moments in the Cumberland Gap region dot the landscape and offer a greater understanding of the area's historical significance.
Trail guides and information about the park are available at the visitors' center, as are overnight use permits for the various campsites.
Park grounds at Cumberland Gap are open daily with picnic areas operating on a seasonal schedule.
The Visitors' Center is open daily Memorial Day through Labor Day from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., September through May. Ranger-guided activities are offered daily during the summer months in addition to a number of special programs. Admission is free.
To get to Cumberland Gap National Historical Park from the Tri-Cities, take Highway 11W west to Bean Station and Exit on 25E or take I-81 south to 25E at the White Pine/Morristown exit. The park's Visitors' Center is located 40 to 50 miles northwest on 25E, just after you pass through the Cumberland Gap Tunnel. The park can also be accessed from Virginia by traveling west on Highway 58 to its intersection with 25E in Tennessee. For a schedule of events or more information about the park and its projects, call (606) 248-2817.
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