National Park Service crews have worked hard to remove downed trees along Cumberland Gap National Historical Park’s trail system. To date, park staff along with a 12-person sawyer task force have cleared over 500 trees from about 10 miles of trail.

“I really appreciate all the work from our staff and the sawyer crew that has gone into restoring safe access to our trails” said Superintendent Lisa Baldwin. “We know how important Cumberland Gap National Historical Park is to the community for recreation, exercise, and as an escape from the everyday chaos.”

The 12-person crew has team members from Arches National Park, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Fire Island National Seashore, First State National Historical Park, Grand Teton National Park, Roosevelt-Vanderbilt National Historic Sites and Shenandoah National Park. Crews have focused on clearing trees from trails to improve access to the park’s backcountry and wilderness area. There are still several trails in the park that have not yet been cleared and have hazardous conditions along the trail. Most of the park’s buildings appear undamaged; however, the Pinnacle Restrooms sustained substantial damage.

Current park conditions as of 10/22/2024:
Hiking Trails:
• Ewing Trail is OPEN to hiking. Hikers will encounter a large root ball and 1 downed tree but should be able to navigate around them.
• White Rocks Connector Trail is OPEN to hiking. Hikers will encounter 2 root balls but should be able to navigate around them.
• Sand Cave Trail is OPEN to hiking.
• The section of Ridge Trail from Hensley Settlement east to White Rocks is OPEN to hiking.
• The section of Ridge Trail from the Pinnacle Overlook east to the intersection with Sugar Run and Lewis Hollow Trails is OPEN to hiking.
• Lewis Hollow Trail is OPEN to hiking.
• Sugar Run Trail is OPEN to hiking. Hikers will encounter a couple of downed trees but should be able to navigate around them.

Biking Trails:
• Boone Trail is OPEN to biking.
• The Trail from the Visitor Center to Middlesboro is OPEN to biking.
• Shillalah Creek Road Trail is OPEN to biking.

Horseback Riding Trails:
• Shillalah Creek Road Trail is OPEN to horses.
• The section of Ridge Trail from Shillalah Creek Road Trail east to White Rocks is OPEN to horses.

Backcountry campsites:
• White Rocks Camp is OPEN.
• Hensley Camp is OPEN.
• Martin’s Fork Camp is OPEN but must be accessed using either Shillalah Creek Road or Ewing Trail.
• Chadwell Gap Camp is OPEN but must be accessed using either Shillalah Creek Road or Ewing Trail. The bear cables at Chadwell Gap Camp are gone. Campers must bring their own rope to secure their food.

Your safety is our utmost priority. We urge you to stay updated with the latest information, and we appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we continue to work to safely restore access to park trails and areas. For continued updates on conditions in the park, please check our Alerts & Conditions page.

Cumberland Gap National Historical Park preserves the historic Cumberland Gap, a key point for crossing the Appalachians that became known as the First Gateway to the West. Located where Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia meet, the park’s 24,000 acres includes 85 miles of hiking trails, front and backcountry camping, a historic Appalachian settlement, cave and rock formations, and 14,000 acres of managed wilderness. The visitor center in Middlesboro, Kentucky, is open from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm daily. Entrance is free. For more information visit our website or Facebook page.