If You're NearbyHeritageHistoryHiking

Cumberland Gap

Kentucky, Virginia and Tennessee

The pass through the Appalachians used by Daniel Boone and some 300,000 settlers on their way into the American interior.

Photo: Coasterlover1994 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Native peoples and buffalo used it first, then Boone's Wilderness Road opened the West in 1775. Pinnacle Overlook looks into three states. Rangers lead tours of Gap Cave and of the Hensley Settlement, an old mountain community high up on the ridge.

If You're Nearby in Southeast
Best Time
April–May and September–October
Time Needed
1 day
Cost Level
$$$$
Open
Check before you go; hours vary by season
Getting There
About an hour by car north of Knoxville.

What to See

1 of 3 are free
Free45 minutes

Pinnacle Overlook

A view over three states.

2 hours

Gap Cave Tours

A ranger-led, lantern-lit walk.

3.5 hours

Hensley Settlement

A preserved mountain community, by shuttle.

Know Before You Go

  • Reserve tours ahead. The roads are winding.

Where to Stay

Stay in Middlesboro, Kentucky.

Where to Eat

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Go Next

If You're Nearby
Cities · Good to know

Knoxville

Tennessee

A university city in the Tennessee Valley, gateway to the Smokies, with a gold-glass globe from the 1982 World's Fair.

Full Guide
Must-See
Mountains · National parks

Great Smoky Mountains

North Carolina and Tennessee

America's most visited national park: misty ridges and old-growth forest.

Full Guide

Last checked 2026-11-02. Part of the Southeast list.