Cumberland Gap National Historical Park

South-eastern Kentucky extends into the Cumberland Mountains. The most important passage through the hills is the Cumberland Gap (1663 ft), an 760 ft deep cut through the range that was used as a traffic route in Indian times and was discovered by pioneers moving west in the mid-18th C. After the legendary Daniel Boone had driven his Wilderness Trail into Kentucky in 1775 over 200,000 white settlers made their way through the Cumberland Mountains to the west.

The Visitor Center is situated in Middleboro, KY. From Pinnacle Overview (2460 ft) there are magnificent views of the hills and the Gap. A popular hike is to the Hensley Settlement, a well preserved old country township.