Lake Cumberland is a 100 square mile lake located in the southern central portion of the state of Kentucky. The lake itself is a popular destination for fishermen, but the lake's proximity to some of the state's most scenic state and national parks and wilderness areas also make it a great place for hikers. Whether your looking for a leisurely loop around a scenic bend or a day long hike into the heart of the wilderness, the various trail in the Lake Cumberland region have something for you.
Scenic Hiking
The Natural Arch Trail, located in Daniel Boone National Forest, leads and goes around the spectacular Natural Arch, an arch formed by erosion standing at 50 by 90 feet high. The trail leads hikers through the Daniel Boone National Forest and provides many breathtaking cliff-side views of the arch and the surrounding area. The trails can also provide you with a great opportunity to see local wildlife, as turkey, grouse, and deer, as well as a wide variety of wildflowers all call this place home.
Quiet Hiking
Cumberland Falls Park is so popular with hikers that the trails can often be overrun with visitors scrambling to view the roaring waters of Cumberland Falls. If you're looking for a more quiet, private experience of the area's waterfalls, despite its name, the Dog Slaughter Falls Trail can provide that for you. From the Cumberland Falls viewing platform, Dog Slaughter takes hikers through quiet fields of wildflowers along the Cumberland River, up a cliff side to view this smaller, more private waterfall.
Strenuous Hiking
Located in the Cumberland Falls State Park, Eagle Falls Trail is a deceptively short trail that provides some of the most strenuous hiking in the region. The first portion of the trail is located along a cliff line and the Cumberland River. Occasional stairs and rail guards on this portion can help with your ascent. From there, hikers follow a series of switchbacks, with many opportunities for viewing the 44 foot plunge of Eagle Falls. This trail is recommended for fall months, as it provides a great view of the changing foliage. In the spring the trail may be closed due to flooding.
Easy Hiking
Lake Cumberland State Resort Park draws most of its tourism from fishing and boating. But the state park surrounding the lake does have two pleasant and easy-going hiking trails for recreation. The Lure Lodge Trail is a four-mile loop taking hikers around the lake and into the beautiful oak and hickory forests of the region. Near the parking lot entrance to the park, there is also a gentle one and a half mile, one way hike which can take you through the forest to the lake.
Wilderness Hiking
The Beaver Creek Wilderness is a secluded National Wilderness Area with a number of trails can provide hikers with the feeling of being completely lost in nature. The Three Forks Trail within Beaver Creek, starts at a park overlook then descends to the Beaver Creek bed. Here hikers are treated to the three forks that the trail is named for, forming the Beaver Creek.
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