Lake Cumberland, one of the ten biggest lakes in the USA means many things to many people. But it makes a wonderful vacation for anyone.

A History

Lake Cumberland has an interesting history. In 1948, construction began on carving out this lake on top of the existing Cumberland River. This was not a natural lake, that is to say it was created artificially. 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 lake's construction was motivated by President Roosevelt's initiative to give unemployed people jobs.

Originally, the citizens of Pulaski County (Where the lake is located) did not approve of the construction. Making it would require the communities of Long Bottom, Horse Shoe Bottom², Lula, Rowena and Stokes to be evacuated and flooded. Today, the only recognizable structure left by 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, ironically) 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 profit 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. There is a food shop, a souvenir shop and a fishing supply shop in both.

Burnside Marina is located on the main channel. What one may notice first is the tire barrier in front. This is a collection of hundreds of tires tied together used to break waves for the closely placed houseboats. Most of these tires have come from the Lake itself, and causes many to ask, why are there so many tires in a lake? The second thing that one might notice is the dozens of houseboats and the covered boat slips behind them. These houseboats are rent-able and buyable, they are the major income source for the marina. Just next to the houseboats are a small collection of jet-skis, also rent-able and buyable.

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 tires 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 is magnificent, large and blue. Unlike many marinas of the area, Jamestown is largely roofed. 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 cafe. The resort is also near animal filled forests and woods. Adjacent to the woods is an entrance into Mammoth Cave.

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

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 recognized as the 'fishing parts' of the lake and has a lot of fishing supplies.

Buck Creek is the only marina in a creek, as the rest are on the main river. The creek is very narrow and so gives home to a specific large bird of the lake. 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 Kentucky⁴ like Lions and Zebras. A man is also featured in the painting. It's impossible to conclude much about this man though. He is probably wearing face paint, though could possibly have contracted a terrible disease that stripes one's face. 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 triumphs in selection.

State Dock is more or less entirely about houseboats. It provides basic essentials, but seems to not care about them. However, State Dock does houseboats well. Although its collection is not as extensive as Jamestowns is, it provides experts to provide lessons for houseboats, while no other marina does this.

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

Places to See and Go

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 overhang off of the wall of the lake where people can jump. There are only two major jumping points, one from about seven feet up and one from about thirty feet up. Its 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, especially 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 as it is really only a creek that runs over the walls and into the lake in a few places. 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 and in a park 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 tightly 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 a Water-Ski course. It is not terribly busy, only consisting of a few well placed buoys and a ramp.

Places to Launch a Boat and Docks

The docks of Lake Cumberland almost seem poorly planned in many ways. 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. In lake Cumberland, the standard fee for putting a boat in is a mere two dollars. The following are some of the places to put ones boat in. This list excludes the marinas, which all provide places to put a boat in.

Waitsboro is one of the less crowded docks, though has less capacity. The parking area of it 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 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 needed.

Bridges

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

A railroad Bridge over Pitman Creek still stands and is used, against all odds. If you're going down Pitman Creek, you'll see a black rusty bridge whose architecture seems like 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 while⁶. 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 one looks.

Fishing

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 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 is largely 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 abundant with fishermen and fishing boats.

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

Houseboating

Houseboats, the very life blood of the lake, in the sense that houseboats are everywhere 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. Many can be found in marinas as well, waiting to be taken to these isolated areas.