Cumberland Historic Byway

Story of the Byway

Travelling along the Cumberland Historic Byway, visitors will become deeply acquainted with the landscape of the Northern Cumberland Plateau, which is full of paths, trails, sacred hunting grounds, and rich timberlands. They will discover the distinct characteristics of each area, which reveal themselves as the byway travels from east to west. Like visitors of the byway today, American pioneers were once drawn to the wildness of this unique land in their thirst of exploration and adventure moving westward. The rugged terrain and accompanying isolation gave way to the truly authentic way of life of the American Frontiersman. The Cumberland Historic Byway allows visitors to return to this hidden frontier and provides a glimpse that acknowledges the multitude of intrinsic qualities and resources that make the Upper Cumberland Region such a coveted gem. From this history, the byway becomes more than just a road that connects places within a shared landscape: it becomes a representation of the American spirit and Manifest Destiny, and it gives physical form to the legends, traditions, and artifacts still embraced by those who live within the region.

The byway begins at its most eastern point at Cumberland Gap, TN. Here, visitors can discover how the early migratory patterns of land animals paved the way for the legendary longhunters, Daniel Boone and Elisha Walden, to enter into folklore history. The Cumberland Gap would later serve as the point of crossing for hundreds of thousands of settlers moving west into the regions that would become the states of Kentucky and Tennessee. Today, visitors will enjoy spotting wildlife and Civil War ruins, hiking, guided tours, and camping.

The byway continues along one of the most scenic back roads in Tennessee, passing 38 farms that have been worked by the same family for over 100 years. Visitors will soon find themselves at Cove Lake State Park, a scenic gem created by the Civilian Conservation Corps whose intimate lake is nestled against the foot of the Plateau. The byway travels through Tennessee's Cumberland Mountains, which feature many unique rock formations such as the Devil’s Racetrack and have many opportunities for hiking. Visitors should be sure to make a detour to Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area to take advantage of the many outdoor recreation activities.

Visitors will continue into the time capsule village of Historic Rugby, a fully restored Victorian settlement built in the 1880s by British immigrants in what was once the heart of the wilderness. Nearby, they will discover other historic sites such as the Alvin York Farm National Historic District, home of WWI’s most celebrated hero and Cordell Hull’s Birthplace, who is often called the “Father of the United Nations.”

Further along, visitors will head west through more rolling farms to the Standing Stone State Rustic Park. Here, visitors can watch the annual world championship of the rolley hole marble competition, a rare continuation of a traditional sport in the region played with hand-made flint marbles. The byway reaches its termination point in Celina, an old steamboat town where the Cumberland and Obey Rivers meet, which was once a transportation hub for the whole upper Cumberland Plateau.