Knox Museum member David Cole, in conjunction with the Barbourville Tourism Commission, has published a brochure about paddling the Cumberland River in Knox County, Kentucky. Cole is a member of the Commission’s adventure tourism initiative. This group coordinates the annual Cumberland River Challenge held each fall.
“See the old Boone Trace and other historic sites from a new perspective,”Cole said in making the announcement.
The Cumberland River flows roughly 34 miles through the heart of Knox County. The river enters from Bell County near the old Kentucky Utilities plant and exits to Whitley County at Gausdale, where the old Tye’s Ferry once operated.
The river’s passage includes includes paddling along such historic sites as Elys Hollow and the Old Boone Trace in the Flat Lick area; the “Big Bend”of the river where Barbourville was established in 1800; Dr. Thomas Walker’s “first cabin” located near Swan Lake and McNeil’s Crossing on Mackey Bend.
Cole’s brochure focuses, however, on providing a usable map for canoe and kayak paddlers and includes specific information about primary access points and the paddling and driving distances between them.
These access points include the following:
- Access A – Off KY 3085 beneath US 25E bridge
- Access B – Off KY 3441 (Davis Bend Road)
- Access C – Boat ramp, parking and camping at Thompson Park
- Access D – Off Flat Creek Rd. (Granny Rose Hollow)
- Access E – McNeil’s Crossing with parking and camping
- Access F – Off bridge on KY 779 at Gausdale
The brochure includes more detailed information about these access points and the paddling and driving distances involved.
See attached brochure pages for details. Brochures are also available at the Barbourville and Knox County Visitor Center at 117 High Street, Barbourville, KY 40906.
Map of Cumberland River in Knox County, Ky.
2nd brochure page on paddling the Cumberland
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