We Might Not Be Back: Cumberland Gap National Historic Park

Trips home always need a good detour. Detour number one for this trip was the Applewood Farmhouse Restaurant. This place was amazing, though maybe a little over indulgent before a long drive. I was sad that during breakfast I had to try and restrain myself knowing we were planning detour two at another national park. This place GIVES you (as in no extra charge) apple fritters, apple muffins, and an apple julep. After that your breakfast includes unlimited biscuits, gravy, grits, potatoes, and spiced apples. I would move to the south just for their breakfasts. This place was seriously fantastic. All that food does kind of sits like lead in your stomach, but it tastes so good.

So after the 3000 calorie breakfast we went about an hour out of the way to see Cumberland Gap National Historic Park. This park is on the far eastern side of Kentucky. It is pretty much opposite of where Lake Cumberland is located. I wish we’d had more time at this park. Unlike the bigger parks, which sometimes feel overwhelming with the crowds, this place was quiet and simply beautiful. Cumberland Gap does not apparently attract the spring breakers. We were able to walk on a trail that took us to the point where Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia meet. We earned a serious nerd badge here for taking lots of pictures of us laying across three states. Hopefully this will help my kids have a better sense of geography than I do. After we walked we drove to a higher point in the park where we could look out over the states again and look down on the trail we just finished. I’d love to go back for the guided tours of a cave located on the opposite side of the park. When we went to have the girls sworn in as junior rangers we were told about festivals and summer programs. It would definitely be worth a trip back.