Lake Cumberland, one of the ten biggest lakes in the USA, means many things to many people, but on a basic level, it means a wonderful place for a holiday. Lake Cumberland is a paradise for anyone who wants to enjoy a simple life.

The Lake's History

Lake Cumberland has an interesting history. For one, the lake is not a natural feature of the area. In 1948, construction began on carving out this artificial lake on top of the existing Cumberland River. The lake was mostly created by dynamite¹. Some of the crude methods of creating it are reflected in the rough and rocky edges of the lake, which you can see during low water levels. The lakes construction was motivated by President Roosevelt's initiative to find work for the unemployed.

Originally, the citizens of Pulaski County (the location of the lake) did not approve of the construction. Making the lake would require the communities of Long Bottom, Horse Shoe Bottom², Lula, Rowena and Stokes to be evacuated and flooded. Today, the only recognisable structure left of these towns is a small tunnel off the main channel of the lake that used to be part of a horse trail.

The Wolf Creek Dam was created in 1951 in accordance with the Federal Flood Act of 1938 to help control the now mostly flooded Cumberland River. This is now used to control the water levels of Lake Cumberland.

Although the community did not originally like the lake, it now generates 60 million dollars a year in profits for the County. It also has made a name for the area and helped many local shops and stores.

Marinas

Lake Cumberland contains five major marinas. Most are used for renting out houseboats or selling fishing supplies. The two larger marinas, Burnside and Jamestown, have several shops on them - including a food shop, a souvenir shop and a fishing supply shop in both.

Burnside Marina

Located on the main channel, the marina provides an unusual sight - a big tyre barrier up front. This is a collection of hundreds of tyres tied together used to break waves for the closely-placed houseboats. Most of these tyres have come from the lake itself - something that has caused many to ask, 'Why are there so many tyres in a lake? '

The second thing that you might notice are the dozens of houseboats and the covered boat slips behind them. These houseboats are available for rent or purchase, and they are the major income source for the marina. Just next to the houseboats are a small collection of jet-skis, also available for rent or purchase.

When you approach the marina in your boat, you have to slow it down to neutral mode, as a happy cartoon character at the gap of the tyres' entrance commands. The marina doesn't provide very much temporary 'parking' unless you're buying gas. Burnside has bathroom facilities and a small shop for ice cream, boating accessories and renting out watercraft.

Jamestown Marina

Magnificent, large and blue, Jamestown is largely roofed, unlike many marinas of the area. It has over 800 slips for boats and some slips provide telephone and cable access for houseboats.

It is unique in providing lodging and rustic fishing cabins. Off of the river, it is also a resort - providing tennis courts, a miniature golf course laid out like a Kentucky state map, a swimming pool³ and a pleasant café. The resort is also near animal-filled forests and woods. Adjacent to the woods is an entrance into Mammoth Cave⁴.

The shop provides a mix of souvenirs and fishing/boating supplies. The marina has gas facilities, usually used for its fleet of houseboats. In fact, the houseboat fleet of Jamestown Marina is the largest on the lake, and one of the largest collections in America.

Conley Bottom

This marina's name is somewhat misleading, as it is on the top of the lake. It is somewhat less well known among tourists and is perhaps the most remote. It is most similar to Burnside Marina in format. However, it provides certain amenities that the others do not. It has a genuine seafood restaurant with famous fish sandwiches and peanut butter milkshakes.

Though remote, Conley Bottom is also one of the most popular places for putting boats in the lake. Burnside provides this as well, but Conley Bottom has much more traffic. It is located near what is generally recognised as the 'fishing parts' of the lake and has a lot of fishing supplies.

Buck Creek

This is the only marina in a creek, as the rest are on the main river. The creek is very narrow and is a boon area for ornithologists - over 240 species of bird have been recorded on or near the reservoir in this area. This marina probably has the least amount of houseboats, but of course still has some.

The most notable part of Buck Creek is the large mural painted on the high rock walls surrounding the creek. The painting features many exotic animals that are not found in Kentucky (at least, not found outside of zoos in Kentucky) like lions and zebras. A man is also featured in the painting. It's impossible to conclude much about this man though from the image. He is probably wearing face paint, though could possibly have contracted a terrible disease that causes skin stripes.

Another notable part of Buck Creek is a sign out front saying 'X People Have Drowned in This Lake⁵ - 0 Have Worn Life Jackets.'

This marina also has the largest collection of ice cream and bait on the lake. Although Burnside and Conley Bottom both provide ice cream, Buck Creek beats them hands down in selection.

State Dock

State Dock is more or less entirely about houseboats. It provides basic essentials, but seems not to care about them. However, State Dock does houseboats well. Although its collection is not as extensive as Jamestown's is, it provides experts to tutor in handling them - something that no other marina does.

State Dock does provide other things however. It is affiliated with the stylish Yacht Club. State Dock rents other boats and watercrafts, such as jet skis and pontoons. State Dock also has a busy ramp for putting boats in the lake.

Places to Go and See

Echo Point is a cove off of the main channel. This point is very well known and well attended. It is packed with boats and people. There are small waterfalls and a large cliff sports a handy overhang for people who want to jump into the lake. There are only two major jumping points, one from about seven feet up and one from about thirty feet up. It may come as no major surprise that it is usually young men that drop off of the higher one.

Needle Point is a very subtle attraction of the lake, in that it doesn't attract very many people. It is still worth looking at though. Needle Point is a long, particularly narrow peninsula jutting out into the lake.

76 Falls is arguably the most beautiful part of Lake Cumberland. 76 Falls actually has less than 76 waterfalls. Really it's just a creek that runs over the walls and into the lake in a few places; but 'Half-a-Dozen Falls' probably wouldn't sound so impressive. This is one of the most beautiful places in the whole lake and it regularly attracts many people.

Cumberland Falls is more in the Cumberland River than in Lake Cumberland, but is still worth going to. It's very similar to 76 Falls, but is not altogether as breathtaking.

Wolf Creek Dam is certainly not as beautiful as the waterfalls, but still a place to see. You can get quite close on a boat, but the area around it is off limits and buoyed off.

The Water-Ski Course at one of the only dead ends of the lake, which doesn't have a marina in it, is - oddly enough - a Water-Ski course. It is not terribly busy, only consisting of a few well-placed buoys and a ramp.

Places to Dock or Launch a Boat

The docks of Lake Cumberland may seem poorly planned to the casual observer. For one thing, few docks provide a long enough pier to tie a boat up. For another, the ramps are placed at strange angles and heights. However, those who use the Lake get by well enough and the situation seems unlikely to change.

The following are some of the places to put ones boat in. The standard fee for putting a boat in is a mere two dollars. These excludes the marinas, which all provide places to put a boat in:

• Waitsboro - Waitsboro is one of the less crowded docks, though has less capacity than most of the rest. The parking is relatively central to the dock. Other parking lots can be very far away, though if Waitsboro's parking lot is full, you have to park at a distant camping yard.

• Lees Ford Dock - Lees Ford Dock is a somewhat crowded dock with a large ramp to get in the water. The major problem is the parking, which has a much smaller capacity than is generally needed.

Bridges

Lake Cumberland has some bridges over it, almost exclusively in narrow creeks off of the main lake. Almost without fail the Bridges sport white buoys with orange text reading 'Slow Down - No Wake Zone.'

A railroad bridge over Pitman Creek still stands and is used. If you're going down Pitman Creek, you'll see a black rusty bridge whose architecture seems like something of an anachronism. If you wait long enough, a similarly old fashioned train will come along over it.

There is another Pitman Creek Bridge just next to the railroad bridge. This bridge was rebuilt recently over a bridge that was less wide, and construction took quite a while (and apparently, resulted in many slippery tools being lost by clumsy construction workers). Compared to the nearby Railroad Bridge, it looks absolutely modern.

A large highway bridge stands adjacent to Burnside Marina. This bridge is closest to the water, so people in boats, and people in cars, can see how small the other ones look.

Fishing

• Lake Cumberland - Lake Cumberland is generally known for its fishing of striped bass. However, there are many other fish, including crappies, bluegills, other kinds of bass, stripers and walleyes. Fishing in Lake Cumberland, as with anywhere, requires a license unless the fisher is under 15 years old.

• Fishing Creek - Fishing Creek is a great place for fishing. The narrow creek does not have much boat traffic, leaving the fish undisturbed. This creek is known as the best place to spot jumping fish as well.

• Pitman Creek - Pitman Creek is used largely for private fishing. At the end of the creek is the best spot for fishing, as there is no wake allowed. However, the docks at this end are only for private use of their owners. This creek is usually filled with fishermen and fishing boats.

• Beaver Creek - Beaver Creek is the least narrow of these three creeks. Beaver Creek also has the most trafficked fishing spot. At any given time, there are at least a couple of boats speeding through.

Houseboating

Houseboats are the very life blood of the lake, in the sense that houseboats are everywhere amidst the arteries of the lake. Lake Cumberland is considered the houseboat capital of the USA. In Pulaski County, there are several dealerships and even a large houseboat factory. Many houseboats can be found in the small coves and isolated areas of the lake, or in marinas, waiting to be taken to these isolated areas.