Cumberland Gap National Historical Park: Tri-State Peak (Blog Hike #631)

Trails: Wilderness Road and Tri-State Trails

Hike Location: Cumberland Gap National Historical Park

Geographic Location: northeast of Harrogate, TN (36.60130, -83.66011)

Length: 3 miles

Difficulty: 7/10 (Moderate/Difficult)

Date Hiked: May 2017

Overview: An out-and-back to the summit of Tri-State Peak.

Park Information: https://www.nps.gov/cuga/index.htm

Hike Route Map: http://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=612131
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: This hike starts at the Cumberland Gap National Historical Park’s Daniel Boone Parking Area.  Although this parking area technically lies in Virginia (by less than 500 feet), you have to drive through Tennessee to reach it.  From the intersection of US 25E and US 58 on the Tennessee side of the Cumberland Gap Tunnel, drive US 58 east 0.5 miles to the signed turn-off for the town of Cumberland Gap, TN.  Turn left and drive 0.2 miles to the signed Daniel Boone Parking Area on the right.

The hike: For my introduction to Cumberland Gap and its historical significance, see my first hike to Cumberland Gap from June 2004.  This hike starts by going to Cumberland Gap and then continues on to Tri-State Peak, which as its name suggests is a summit shared by three states: Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia.  Because I hiked up to Cumberland Gap from the Kentucky side the first time, I chose to hike up from the Tennessee/Virginia side this time.  If you want to hike to Tri-State Peak from the Kentucky side, follow my first hike up to the gap and then pick up this hike from there.

Trail leaving Daniel Boone Parking Area

            The hike starts on a gravel trail that leaves the rear of the visitor’s plaza, which also contains restrooms and some information boards.  The Daniel Boone Parking Area is sometimes also called the Daniel Boone Visitor Center, but it was unstaffed on my visit.  Very quickly the Boone Trail exits right to head east 1.6 miles to the park’s Wilderness Road Campground.  Bear left to begin the Wilderness Road Trail, which heads for Cumberland Gap.

            The wide gravel trail alternates between sun and shade as it parallels the former route of US 25E, which used to go through Cumberland Gap but now passes under Cumberland Mountain via the Cumberland Gap Tunnel.  After 0.4 miles of fairly level walking, the Gap Cave Trail exits right.  The Gap Cave Trail leads 0.2 uphill miles to its namesake cave, but it does not lead to Cumberland Gap.  Thus, perhaps after a side trip to Gap Cave, you should bear left to stay on the Wilderness Road Trail.

Hiking the Wilderness Road Trail

            A slight descent brings you to a small creek, which is crossed via a long footlog.  Some rocky cascades in the creek add nice sights and sounds to the ambiance.  Just shy of 0.7 miles, the Tennessee Road Trail exits left to head 0.3 downhill miles to the Iron Furnace Parking Area.  The Iron Furnace Parking Area offers another possible starting point for this hike; from that parking area it is a shorter distance but steeper climb to Cumberland Gap than the one described here.  Continue straight to keep heading for Cumberland Gap.

            The climb now begins in earnest, as the trail gains nearly 200 feet of elevation over the next 0.25 miles to reach Cumberland Gap.  When you hike up to Cumberland Gap from this direction, you are coming up to the gap and entering Kentucky the same way settlers did in the late 1700’s and early 1800’s.  Some interpretive signs describe the rough conditions these settlers experienced while traveling this trail/road.

Arriving at Cumberland Gap

            Cumberland Gap today marks a major trail intersection.  The trail going straight leads downhill to the Thomas Walker Parking Lot on the park’s Kentucky side, and the Harlan Road Trail exiting right leads to Pinnacle Road and beyond.  To get to Tri-State Peak, turn left to begin the signed Tri-State Trail.

Monument to Daniel Boone's Trail

            Now on the north side of the main ridge (and therefore in Kentucky), very quickly you pass a pyramid stone monument erected by the Daughters of the American Revolution in honor of Daniel Boone’s Trail.  At 1.2 miles, you pass a crater dating to the Civil War.  Retreating Union soldiers created an explosion to destroy munitions and prevent them from falling into Confederate hands, an explosion that formed this crater.

Crater from Civil War

            Where a signed spur trail to the remains of Civil War-era Fort Foote exits right, stay left to keep heading to Tri-State Peak.  The grade on the Tri-State Trail started gradual, but it now intensifies as you pass under and back under some high voltage power lines.  In total, the trail gains an additional 330 feet of elevation from Cumberland Gap to Tri-State Peak.  When I hiked this trail in mid-May, the mountain laurel was just starting to bloom.  A switchback brings you back to the south side of the main ridge, thus putting you back in Virginia.

            At 1.5 miles, the gazebo that sits atop Tri-State Peak comes into view.  To be honest, the view from here is a little underwhelming: the only vista opens northwest toward Middlesboro, KY, and the power lines pass directly in front of you in that direction.  Nevertheless, Tri-State Peak allows you to do the usual touristy things of standing in three states at once and jumping from state to state with a single hop without the usual tourist crowds.  Also, some benches make nice places to sit and enjoy a trail snack.

Gazebo at Tri-State Peak

View into Kentucky from Tri-State Peak

            The Tri-State Trail ends at the gazebo, but the treadway does not.  Tri-State Peak is the northern terminus of the Cumberland Trail (CT), the 300-mile cross-Tennessee trail that heads southwest to Chattanooga.  Although I did not see any of the white CT blazes up here, the obvious trail heads down the spine of Cumberland Mountain from the gazebo, and the first few miles are maintained by students from nearby Lincoln Memorial University.  There is no easy way to form a loop, so at some point you will need to retrace your steps down to the Daniel Boone Parking Lot to complete the hike.