Cumberland Falls State Resort Park is a park located just southwest of Corbin, Kentucky

Corbin, Kentucky

- Economy :Originally formed by L&N Railroad, rail transport was the backbone of the local economy in the first half of the twentieth century. While the railroad continues to play an important role, the decline of the rail industry in the latter half of the twentieth century, as well as the loss...

 and is contained entirely within the Daniel Boone National Forest

Daniel Boone National Forest

Daniel Boone National Forest is the only national forest completely within the boundary of Kentucky. Established in 1937, it was originally named the Cumberland National Forest, after the core region called the Cumberland Purchase Unit...

. The park encompasses 1657 acres (7 km²) and is named for its major feature, 68 feet (21 m) tall Cumberland Falls

Cumberland Falls

Cumberland Falls, sometimes called the Little Niagara, the Niagara of the South, or the Great Falls, is a large waterfall on the Cumberland River in southeastern Kentucky...

. The falls are one of the few places in the western hemisphere where a moonbow

Moonbow

A moonbow is a rainbow produced by light reflected off the surface of the moon rather than from direct sunlight. Moonbows are relatively faint, due to the smaller amount of light reflected from the surface of the moon...

 can frequently be seen on nights with a full moon.

Following a $2 million renovation project in 2006, AAA

American Automobile Association

AAA , formerly known as the American Automobile Association, is a federation of 51 independently operated motor clubs throughout North America. AAA is a not-for-profit member service organization with more than 51 million members. AAA provides services to its members such as travel, automotive,...

 upgraded its rating of the park from two diamonds to three diamonds. Cumberland Falls SRP and Kentucky Dam Village SRP

Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park

Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park is a park located on the northern shore of Kentucky Lake in Marshall County, Kentucky. The park encompasses , and excellent accommodations make it one of Kentucky's most popular resorts....

 are the first two state resort parks to achieve a three diamond rating since AAA revised its rating system in 2001.

History

After the discussion of building an hydroelectric power plant above the falls in 1927, Kentucky native T. Coleman du Pont

T. Coleman du Pont

Thomas Coleman du Pont was an American engineer and politician, from Greenville, Delaware. He was President of the of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, and a member of the Republican Party who served parts of two terms as United States Senator from Delaware...

 offered to buy the falls and surrounding acreage in order to create a state park. Although he died before he could purchase the land, his wife purchased the falls and the 593 acres (240 ha) surrounding it for $400,000 on March 10, 1930, after the Kentucky General Assembly

Kentucky General Assembly

The Kentucky General Assembly, also called the Kentucky Legislature, is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Kentucky.The General Assembly meets annually in the state capitol building in Frankfort, Kentucky, convening on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January...

 (legislature) approved the creation of the state park. Cumberland Falls was dedicated as a state park at 1:30 p.m. on August 21, 1931.

Amenities and recreation

• Dupont Lodge - 51 guest rooms
• Multiple modern one and two-bedroom
• Campground with 50 campsites with utilities
• Riverview Restaurant
• Visitor's center
• Interpretive center
• Mountain biking
  Mountain biking
  Mountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.Mountain biking can...
  
  
• Hiking
  Hiking
  Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
  
   - approximately 20 miles of trails
• Fishing
  Fishing
  Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
  
   in Cumberland River
  Cumberland River
  The Cumberland River is a waterway in the Southern United States. It is long. It starts in Harlan County in far southeastern Kentucky between Pine and Cumberland mountains, flows through southern Kentucky, crosses into northern Tennessee, and then curves back up into western Kentucky before...
  
  
• Horseback rides
• White water rafting and canoeing on Cumberland River

Events

• Backpacking 101 - (Several times a year)
• Native American Weekend - (March)
• Overnight Canoe Adventures - (April, May, October)
• Nature Photography Weekend - (April)
• Birding and Wildflower Weekend - (May)
• Kentucky Hills Craft Festival - (September)
• Moonbow Trail Trek - (November)

External links

• Cumberland Falls State Resort Park

36°50′27"N 84°19′58"W