Wilderness Road Campground

About this park

Cumberland Gap National Historical Park protects 24,000 acres of Appalachian Mountain habitat stretching across Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia. Walk the trails that Daniel Boone and thirty axemen blazed to open the first great gateway to the West. Plan your visit today and experience the natural, historical, and cultural beauty of the park. Cumberland Gap , carved out over aeons by wind and water, forms a V-shaped notch or gap in the formidable wall of the Appalachian Mountains. This natural low point made crossing over the mountains easier and less dangerous for bison and other animals, then later for Native Americans, and still later for European explorers and early pioneers. Stand right in the Gap where over 300,000 settlers crossed the mountains on their journey to the west. The cliffs of White Rocks rise 500 feet above the surrounding wooded slopes at the east end of the park. Anyone up for a challenging hike to the top of the mountain will be rewarded with a breath-taking, 360-degree view of the surrounding area. A natural scenic area in Kentucky, Sand Cave is a half-domed chamber that is 250 feet across in front (open). The floor slopes from back to front and is 1.25 acres of fine, colorful sand. Relax and enjoy nature in this magical, enormous natural feature. Skylight Cave lies at the end of a steep, 1.9-mile hike in Ewing, Virginia. Start out on Lewis Hollow Trail, from the picnic area near Wilderness Road Campground. Hike through lush rhododendrons and along a river until you reach the cave. Gap Cave was first found by European explorers in 1750, when Dr. Thomas Walker found and named it Gap Cave. Located in Lee County, Virginia, the cave is 18.5 miles long and accessible only by guided tour. East of the Gap, the Cumberland Mountain Range includes 15,470 acres of roadless habitat extending 15 miles along the Cumberland and Brush Mountains. The ridge of Cumberland Mountain forms the Kentucky-Virginia state line. Both Cumberland and Brush Mountains are exceedingly steep and rugged with high cliffs in many areas. Chimney Rock is a geological formation shaped like a pillar. Located at the Pinnacle Overlook, this unique rock formation could have taken 535 million years to form. Gap Creek is a small cascade of water flowing out of Gap Cave. This peaceful natural feature is a great spot for capturing pictures and videos. Yellow Creek runs along the park boundary behind New Bartlett Park and Old Barlett Park picnic shelters. Enjoy time playing in the creek, or simply listen to the flow of the water. More than 14,000 acres of the park are managed as Wilderness , where visitors can experience the backcountry and nature in the purest way.