Encompassing 125,000 acres of the Cumberland Plateau, Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area protects the free-flowing Big South Fork of the Cumberland River and its tributaries. The area boasts miles of scenic gorges and sandstone bluffs, is rich with natural and historic features and has been developed to provide visitors with a wide range of outdoor recreational activities.
The Basics
Hours:
Bandy Creek Visitor Center is open daily, except Christmas. Center staff is available to provide visitors with information they need for a safe and enjoyable visit to the park and region. In addition to maps and park specific information, backcountry permits are available. Eastern National maintains an outlet in the Center.
Visitor Center hours through September 30 are 8:00 to 4:00, Sunday thru Thursday and 8:00 to 8:00 Friday and Saturday. The remainder of the year hours are 8:00 to 4:00 (Eastern Time). For additional information call 423-286-7275.
Stearns Depot Visitor Center is located in the Big South Fork Scenic Railway Depot in downtown Stearns, Kentucky in partnership with the McCreary County Heritage Foundation. The center staff is available to provide visitors with the information the need for a safe and enjoyable visit to the park and region. Eastern National also maintains an outlet in the depot.
The center is open daily from May through October from 9:00 to 5:30. From November through April, hours may vary. Calling ahead is suggested. For additional information, call 606-376-5073.
Blue Heron Mining Community is located in the Kentucky portion of Big South Fork via KY 742. The facility is open for visitation at any time; interpretive rangers are present from April through October. During non-staffed times, visitors may tour the facility, visit the structures, view displays and listen to the audio programs. For additional information, call 606-376-3787.
From westbound 1-40 Take the Jamestown-Crossville Exit onto U.S. 127. Take U.S. 127 north 36 miles into Jamestown. Two miles north of Jamestown, take Highway 154 north to the intersection of Highway 297. Follow 297 east approximately 12 miles to the Big South Fork Visitor Center and Campground.
From eastbound 1-40 Take either the Monterey-Livingston Exit (300-A) or the Jamestown Crossville Exit (301), onto State Highway 62. Take Highway 62 east for 16 miles to U.S. 127 to Clarkrange, turn left and follow U.S. 127 north 18 miles into Jamestown. Travelers may take 127 through Jamestown or use the new Hwy 127 by-pass. Two miles north of Jamestown take Highway 154 north to the intersection of Highway 297. Follow 297 east approximately 12 miles to the Big South Fork Visitor Center and Campground.
From northbound 1-75 Exit at Highway 63, the Oneida-Huntsville Exit (141). Follow Highway 63 west for 21 miles through Huntsville to U.S. 27. Turn right on U.S. 27 and drive north 7 miles to Oneida. At the first traffic light, turn left on Highway 297 west and follow 297 approximately 15 miles to reach the Bandy Creek Visitor Center and Campground.
To reach the Stearns Depot Visitor Center in Kentucky Continue north on U.S. 27 through Oneida to KY 92W. Turn left at the traffic light and drive for 1 mile, after crossing the bridge turn right and follow the signs to the Stearns Depot Visitor Center. To reach Blue Heron Campground, turn off U.S. 27 and drive west on KY 92W, travel for approx. 1.3 miles, then bear left onto highway 1651. Travel about a one mile then turn right onto KY 742. From 742 follow the brown park signs to the Blue Heron Campground, Bear Creek Horse Camp, the river gorge overlooks, or the Blue Heron Coal Mining Community.
From southbound 1-75 Exit Highway 461 at Mt. Vernon (Exit 62) and take 461 south for 19 miles to Highway 80 and take Highway 80 west into Somerset, Kentucky to the Highway 914 by-pass. Follow 914 for 6 miles to U.S. 27. Follow 27 south approximately 25 miles to KY 92W for the Stearns Depot Visitor Center. To reach Bandy Creek, continue on Highway 27 about 15 miles into Oneida, Tennessee. In Oneida, take 297 west and follow signs to the Bandy Creek Visitor Center(approximately 15 miles from Oneida).
Climate
The Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area is located in a humid climatic region, typified by mild winters and moist warm to hot summers. Storm systems typically bring heavy rains from December through March which may cause flooding. Summer thunderstorms are common. Winter snowfall occurs intermittently in the area and averages 17 inches per year. Wear comfortable clothing for the season and bring clothing for the possible extremes.
What ever type of outdoor recreation you enjoy, chances are Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, has a place you can do it. The hardest part of your visit may be deciding which trail, overlook, historic site, natural feature or program to try next!
Activities include:
Hiking
Horseback Riding
Paddling the River
Camping
Hunting
Fishing
Volunteer Work
Want to watch a sunset? Do you get up early enough to enjoy a sunrise? There are overlooks all along the Big South Fork River gorge where you can catch the suns first or last rays of the day.
Hiking on your agenda? You can choose from any number of hikes ranging from a lazy stroll along the river to a multi-day hike through the backcountry.
Do you have a horse? Big South Fork has miles of horse trails, stabling facilities and even two equestrian campgrounds.
During a trip to Big South Fork in the spring time you can find spectacular displays of wildflowers and native plants along many trails in the park.
Want to visit a company town and enter a coal mine? Visit the Blue Heron Mining Community a coal mining town once owned by the Stearns Coal and Lumber Company. You can even ride the Big South Fork Scenic Railway from Stearns into Blue Heron.
Looking for something a little more extreme. Try whitewater rafting the Big South Fork River, mountain biking through the backcountry or rock climbing on the miles of cliff lines throughout the park.
If you wish to work in the park, Big South Fork has an active volunteer program. Join the team and aid in the preservation the parks natural and cultural resources, help campers as a campground host, or work to maintain the parks system of trails. The opportunities abound!
For Kids
Big South Fork is an area with a wide range of outdoor activities available for children while they visit the park with their parents. You can ride a train at the Big South Fork Scenic Railway, the swimming pool at Bandy Creek is open (Wednesday through Monday) from Memorial Day through Labor Day, in addition there are many easy and enjoyable hikes to take and even some ranger programs to attend.
The Junior Ranger Program at Big South Fork are available to children of all ages to enjoy. If you are planning on visiting Big South Fork soon, be sure to stop by either of the park visitor centers and pick up your Junior Ranger Booklet.
Outdoor Camping
Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area contains five developed campgrounds which are intended to meet the needs of almost any camper visiting the park.
Two campgrounds, Bandy Creek (TN) and Blue Heron (KY) are highly developed sites with many amenities while the Alum Ford Campground (KY) offers a limited number of primitive campsites. Two equestrian campgrounds, Bear Creek (KY) and Station Camp (TN) are both highly developed campgrounds operated by concessionaires.
Bandy Creek Campground Bandy Creek Campground is located in the Tennessee portion of Big South Fork between Oneida (15 miles west) and Jamestown (24 miles east) off Highway 297. The campground offers a total of 180 campsites, 100 trailer sites which offer water and electric hook-ups, 49 sites for tent camping, and two group campsites. All campsites include picnic tables, fire-rings, access to restrooms and showers and a dump station. The group campsites also have their own cook shelters and campfire circles.
Black bears now reside within Big South Fork. When staying at Bandy Creek Campground, please use proper food storage techinques.
Additional facilities include a swimming pool, open from Memorial Day through Labor Day, volleyball, playground areas, game fields. Bandy Creek Campground is open year-round and operate on a reservation system from April 1 through October 31. Campsites are also available on a first-come/first-served basis throughout the year.
Campground reservations for sites within Big South Fork can now be made through National Recreation Reservation Service by calling 1-877-444-6777 or online at the National Recreation Reservation Service web site. Reservations may be made up to 240 days in advance. Group camp can be reserved up to 360 days in advance.
Adjacent to the campground is the Bandy Creek Visitor Center and the Bandy Creek Stables. The visitor center is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Staff are on hand to provide all the information needed for a safe and enjoyable visit to the park. Eastern National operates a bookstore, vending machines and ice sales.
Fees for the Bandy Creek Campground are; Sites with hook-ups (loop B,C,D) $22.00 Sties without hook-ups (loop A) $19.00 Group Campsites (loop E) $75.00 minimum or $3.00/person
Blue Heron Campground Blue Heron Campground is located in the Kentucky portion of Big South Fork, 9 miles west of Stearns off Highway 742. The campground offers a total of 45 sites all with water and electric hook-ups, picnic tables, fire-rings, access to restrooms and showers and a dump station.
Blue Heron Campground is open from May through October and operates on a reservation system from May 1 through October 31. Campsites are also available on a first-come/first-served basis throughout the season.
Campground reservations for sites within Big South Fork can now be made through National Recreation Reservation Service by calling 1-877-444-6777 or online at the National Recreation Reservation Service web site. Reservations may be made up to 240 days in advance.
Black bears now reside within Big South Fork. When staying at Blue Heron Campground, please use proper food storage techniques.
The Blue Heron Mining Community is located just a few miles from the campground and is open year-round for visitors who wish to learn about life in a company owned coal mining town. The Stearns Depot Visitor Center is located 9 miles away in the Big South Fork Scenic Railway Depot in Stearns, Kentucky. The visitor center is open daily during the summer and early fall and Friday and Saturday the remainder of the year.
Fees for the Blue Heron Campground are; Sites with hook-ups $17.00
Alum Ford Camnpground Alum Ford Campground is located in the Kentucky portion of Big South Fork seven miles west of Whitley City, Kentucky at the end of Highway 700. The campground consists of six campsites each with picnic table and fire ring. Pit toilets are available, but no drinking water.
The campground is located adjacent to the Alum Ford Boat Launch, providing access for motorized boats to this remote section of Lake Cumberland. The Sheltowee Trace National Recreational Trail also passes through the campground. The Sheltowee Trace is a 260-mile back country trail through Daniel Boone National Forest, Big South Fork NRRA, and Natural Bridge, Cumberland Falls, & Pickett State Parks in Kentucky and Tennessee.
Fees for the Alum Ford Campground are; All Sites $5.00
Equestrian Campground Station Camp Horse Camp (TN) contains 24 individual sites. Each campsite offers water and electricity, tables, grills, tie-outs for 4 horses, access to modern restrooms with hot showers, a dump station and access miles of horse trails. The campground is located on Station Camp Road off Hwy 297, west of Oneida, Tennessee.
Bear Creek Horse Camp (KY) contains 23 developed campsites. Each site offers water and electricity, tables, grills, tie-outs for 4 horses, access to modern restrooms with hot showers, a dump station and access miles of horse trails. Bear Creek Horse Camp is located on Bear Creek Road off Hwy. 742, west of Stearns, Kentucky.
Black bears now reside within Big South Fork. When staying at either Station Camp of Bear Creek Horse Camps, please use proper food storage techinques.
Both the Station Camp and Bear Creek Horse Camps are operated by a National Park Service Concessionaire. For additional information or to make reservations write to: Station Camp and Bear Creek Horse Camp, P.O. Box 4411, Oneida, Tennessee 37841 or call (423) 569-3321.
Hiking in Big South Fork is one of the most popular and rewarding activities within the park. Big South Fork has a large system of trails designed to take you away from your vehicle and into the very heart of park.
Within the trail system there are a full range of opportunities available, from a short easy hike along the Big South Fork River to long and strenuous multiple day hikes. There is even a section of the John Muir National Recreation Trail which passes through the park.
The information presented on the hiking trails in Tennessee and the hiking trails in Kentucky, only scratches the surface of what is available in Big South Fork. As you plan your hiking adventure in the park, please contact the staff at either of the visitor centers for complete and up-to-date information on these and other trails in the park. In addition, trail maps and guide books are available from Eastern National.
In an effort to make the trail system more user friendly for the wide variety of users at Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area the park is implementing a new system of trailhead and trail markings.
The Big South Fork of the Cumberland River and its main tributaries, the Clear Fork, North White Oak and New River offer visitors a variety of whitewater paddling opportunities. While on the river you may still see the results of previous agricultural, mining and logging practices, the land today has a quality of wildness with limited access and sparse development.
Paddling can be a dangerous sport in certain stretches of the rivers in Big South Fork. Some stretches may be ideal for beginners, while other sections should be attempted only by highly skilled paddlers with the proper equipment. There are streams which can be floated during any time of the year while others have enough water for boating only during seasons with sufficient rainfall.
The river is a dynamic system which changes constantly. Expect the unexpected for conditions change quickly.
Fishing
Fishing has proven to be a popular recreational activity at Big South Fork. As a responsible angler you can do your part to preserve the environment and keep the river clean for the continued use of future generations. The Big South Fork NRRA follows the same rules and regulations set forth by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.
Horseback riding has become one of the most popular activities at Big South Fork. To provide access to many of the area’s scenic features, there are over 180 miles of horse trails available throughout the Big South Fork. These horse trails are all signed and marked with a white blaze and yellow horse head. The trails vary in both length and degree of difficulty. They range from short, easy day rides to long and strenuous loops that may take several days to complete.
Please note that proof of a negative Coggins Test for Swamp Fever is required to bring horses into Big South Fork.
Mountain bike riding has become one of the more popular recreational activities enjoyed by visitors to Big South Fork.
Currently at Big South Fork there are several trails which have been designed, built and are maintained by the Big South Fork Mountain Bike Club. In addition to bike only trails, mountain bikes are allowed on highway edges, backcountry roads and horse trails. This combination provides bikers of all skill levels with miles of trail options.
In addition, the National Park Service, as approved in it’s General Management Plan is also testing the concept of “time-sharing” the use of mountain bikes on the Grand Gap Loop hiking trail. On weekdays the Grand Gap Loop Trail will be open to both hikers and cyclists.
The way you ride today shapes mountain bike trail access tomorrow. Do your part to preserve and enhance the sport’s access and image by observing the following rules of the trail, formulated by the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA). These rules are recognized around the world as the standard code of conduct for mountain bikers.
Mountain bike trail descriptions are available online, as a PDF fileor from either of the parks visitor centers.
In an effort to make the trail system more user friendly for the wide variety of users at Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area the park is implementing a new system of trailhead and trail markings.
Big South Fork has developed a new trail map depicting the authorized trail system as it currently exists on the ground which is available for download
Big South Fork is one of only a few National Park Service units legislated to allow hunting. Popular big game species found within the park are whitetail deer, turkey and wild boar. In addition to big game, the area is also rich in small game species such as squirrel, raccoon, rabbit and game birds.
As a unit of the National Park Service, there are additional regulations which apply to hunting in Big South Fork. Apart from for these, the hunting regulations within the Big South Fork are the same as the respective state in which you are hunting. For those hunting in Tennessee, the Tennessee regulations would apply and for those hunting in Kentucky, the Kentucky regulations.
In the Tennessee portion of Big South Fork the licensing requirements and hunting seasons are the same as those identified by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency for the state.
In the Kentucky portion of Big South Fork the licensing requirements are the same as those identified by the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. The hunting seasons for the Kentucky portion of Big South Fork, however, are different then those throughout the state. In Kentucky the Big South Fork is managed as a Wildlife Management Area. Contact the visitor center before you hunt.
The park has a special season for hog hunting in January and February, both in Tennessee and Kentucky. A permit is required to hunt hogs during this season in Big South Fork.
Nearby Attractions
Obed Wild and Scenic River
Obed Wild and Scenic River is located in Morgan and Cumberland Counties in East Tennessee on the Cumberland Plateau. The park includes parts of the Obed River, Clear Creek, Daddy’s Creek and the Emory River. Over 45 miles of creeks and rivers are included in the wild and scenic river area. These waterways have cut rugged gorges with bluffs as high as 500 feet above the whitewater in the streams. Outdoor recreational activities such as whitewater boating, rock climbing, hiking and fishing are popular seasonal activities in the Obed.
Pickett State Park
Pickett State Park and Forest is a combination of scenic, botanical and geological wonders found nowhere else in Tennessee. Picket State Park offers camping, cabins, picnicking, swimming and hiking. Once owned by the Stearns Coal and Lumber Company, it became one of Tennessee’s earliest state parks in the 1930’s. Its vintage stone structures recall hard times in America; they were built the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) workers after the Great Depression.
Sgt. Alvin C. York State Historic Park
Sgt. Alvin C. York State Historic Park, located in Pall Mall, Tennessee, pays tribute to Sgt. Alvin C. York, the backwoods marksman from the mountains of Tennessee who became one of the most decorated soldiers of World War I. The historic park includes the York family farm and the grist mill he operated for many years on the banks of the Wolf River.
Frozen Head State Park
Frozen Head State Park is nestled in 12,000 acres in the back of the valley of the Flat Fork watershed. Activities include hiking, biking, camping, backpacking, and picnicking. It has some beautiful wild flower hikes in the spring. The 3 1\2 mile hike up the South Old Mac Mountain Trail leads to the CCC-built firetower. The views from the firetower are spectacular, with the wilderness of the Cumberland Mountains to the north and the Tennessee Valley to the south.
Cumberland Falls State Resort Park.
Cumberland Falls State Resort Park is located in the Daniel Boone National Forest. Known as the "Niagara of the South," the waterfall forms a 125-foot wide curtain that plunges 60 feet into the boulder-strewn gorge below. The mist of Cumberland Falls creates the magic of the moonbow, only visible on a clear night during a full moon. The area is a natural choice for water-sports enthusiasts, offering white-water rafting and canoeing among other water activities. The historic DuPont Lodge offers lodging, dining and a spectacular view of the Cumberland River Valley.
Historic Rugby
Historic Rugby was founded in 1880 by British author and social reformer Thomas Hughes. Rugby was to be a cooperative, class-free, agricultural community for younger sons of English gentry and others wishing to start life anew in America. This would-be utopia survives today with twenty of its original buildings. The Schoolhouse Visitor Center contains exhibits which trace the history of Rugby and daily tours take visitors into several of the original buildings.
Big South Fork offers many interesting places to visit during your stay in the park. It is recommended that your first stop be at one of the park’s two visitor centers at Stearns or Bandy Creek. Here you can obtain all the information needed for a safe and enjoyable experience.
East Rim Overlook off Hwy 297 in Tennessee and Devils Jump Overlook off Hwy 742 in Kentucky are two of many scenic overlooks where one may stand on the edge of the Big South Fork gorge and look down hundreds feet to the river below. Both East Rim and Devils Jump meet ADA standards for accessibility.
If you would like to visit the Big South Fork River, up close and personal, Leatherwood Ford is the place for you. Here you can walk across the old low water bridge, the main bridge across the river until 1983 when the new bridge was completed. There are boardwalks along the rivers edge with benches and picnic spots and a number of trails both long and short which follow the rivers edge. If you choose to get your feet wet wading in the river, please be careful, the rocks can be slippery, currents tricky and drop-offs sudden.
The Twin Arches, the largest sandstone arches in the eastern United States are less then a mile hike from the closest trailhead. Once at the arches you can return across the top of the North Arch back to your car, you can hike down to the Charit Creek Lodge for an unforgettable nights stay in the heart of Big South Fork, or continue on to visit “Jakes Place” and hike through massive rock shelters as you return to the arches and your car.
Yahoo Falls, located in the northern portion of Big South Fork is Kentucky’s highest waterfall dropping 113 feet from the lip to the pool below. A short one-mile loop will take you down to, behind and back to the top of the falls. The Yahoo Falls area also has picnic facilities and scenic overlooks into the Big South Fork river gorge.
A visit to the Blue Heron Mining Community will transport you back in time to the 1940’s and 1950’s as you visit the outdoor museum dedicated to life in a company coal mining town. You can visit ghost structures depicting company houses and buildings, hear the former residents tell you in their own words about life in Blue Heron, enter the mouth of Mine 18 and walk out over the Big South Fork River on the old tipple and bridge. You can drive into Blue Heron or ride in on the Big South Fork Scenic Railway.
