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Southeast USA - Kentuckylake cumberland
Lake Cumberland
by Andrea Wilson

A family favorite get away for us is Lake Cumberland.
Lake Cumberland was created with the completion of Wolf Creek Dam in 1951.
The main lake is 101 miles long and over one mile across at its widest point with 1255 miles of shoreline.

We camp at the General Burnside Island State Park and Resort in Burnside, Ky.
It's a peaceful resort for campers, boaters, golfers and fishermen alike.   
The campground features 94 sites with utility hookups, two central service buildings with showers and rest rooms, and a dump station.
They have a playground for the young and old alike, with a covered shelter to get out of the sun.
There is large swimming pool that gets quit busy on hot summer day.

The big attraction is the large beautiful lake. 
The rocky banks on the lake tower above and on many occasions we have seen the mountain goats roaming around. The water is an emerald green color. 
The lake is very deep, over 100 feet in many areas.  We have lost a couple of anchors because we didn’t have enough rope. 
In many places the water is so clear you can see your toes while treading water.
The main creek arms are 10 to 15 miles long with numerous secondary and tertiary arms. 
All the little arms that branch off the lake make it possible to find your own private cove to dock and swim.
There are several small water falls hidden in different coves.  Finding one is like finding your own hidden treasure. 
The most well know falls is called 76 falls and there is always a large gathering of boaters there. 
We always enjoy swimming under the ice cold falls and listening to the echo of the water crashing down while we stand behind the sheet of water.

If you don’t have your own water transportation not to worry – they rent EVERYTHING you need to explore the lake.
Rental fishing boats, ski boats, pontoon boats, and houseboats are offered.
A six-lane launching ramp at Burnside Park resort provides you with the perfect access to a fun-filled day on the lake.

The lake offers several resorts. There are floating marinas like Conley Bottom Resort that offer sandwiches, cold drinks & ice cream snacks; some have air conditioning inside to cool off. 

The Jamestown Marina Resort has a lot of activity, with a boardwalk of snacks, a place to feed fish and turtles. 
We like to walk the docking area and admire the many different boats.  Reading the names on the boats adds a little fun too.

 

I recommend everyone in the Midwest take at least one trip to Lake Cumberland. 
If you are like us, one trip turned into more than 10. 

About the Author
Andrea Wilson  is the designer  of The RV Help Desk, an RV resource web site intended to help you get the most from your RV Vacations and Total RV Experience.