31 Best Stops Between Bardstown and Knoxville (2025)

This is our 2nd time coming here. We really love this place. It is very handicap accessible. The fall is absolutely beautiful. They have restrooms and a visitor center a snack bar and funnel cake food truck. Lots of parking too. We stayed at a nearby campground so it was really easy to drive the 5 miles to get there and have a great time.

My fiance and I have camped here in a tent twice now and we see new stuff every time. This place is BEAUTIFUL and enjoyable. Staff is super friendly. Excellent place to camp and see beautiful places. Most people don't realize a place like this exists in Kentucky. We always have fun here.

Beautiful view from the top of the falls is an easy walk from the parking lot. Some stairs to get to the better viewing areas. Park is well-maintained. Clean bathrooms. Snacks and treats are available at a reasonable price. Great family destination.We did not stay on the grounds. Just drove through and hiked the falls for an hour or so.

First the good. Such a beautiful place and love the trails and views. Highly recommend if you haven't been. The not so good. The cottage rooms were not very clean and the mattress was horrendous. The breakfast at the lodge was all overcooked on the buffet.The other most confusing/aggravating thing is you can't even wade in the shallow river water. $1000 fine and 10 days jail? So generic. Thanks KY.

Wonderful Lodge! The room was clean, and the furnishings were fine. Towels were soft and fluffy. The only issue was that the door stuck a bit when trying to get into the room. I love old buildings and a sticky door didn't put me off. The park was fabulous! Hiked over 10 miles the first day.

Handicap accessible! A friend was complaining about the lack of availability of handicap accessible accommodations, pretty much everywhere. I showed her pictures of our cabin, and she was excited. Not perfect, but doorways wide enough, sinks you can roll up to in a wheelchair, and a bathroom large enough to turn around in.The hike to the falls from the cabin area is challenging but fun. Several other trails around that area were also pleasant. For the physically challenged, we were able to park near the falls, and it's an easy walk/wheelchair trip on paved roads to several nice overlooks.Breakfast was about what you get at nicer hotels, not perfect but adequate . The view from the dining room more than makes up for any disappointment.We've been twice, stayed in a cabin both times, found the staff and cabins quite nice. Much better than a hotel, in my opinion.Do some research and you'll find plenty to do nearby if the park isn't enough to entertain you. We've kayaked with Sheltowee Trace Adventures, ridden the South Big Fork Railroad, hiked at the Natural Bridge and several waterfalls much smaller than Cumberland, and found local shops and diners to round out the fun.

This place is the best kept secret in the area. Our cabin was clean (with an occasional pest, but you are in the woods), spacious, and affordable.Breakfast is free during the week with a variety of food, and the restaurant is more than accommodating. The staff were extremely friendly and helpful.The location is just perfect for any of your outdoor adventures. I highly recommend checking it out!

Beautiful state park. The waterfall is gorgeous. This is one of the only places in the world where “moon bows” can be viewed. Plenty of hiking trails. The main area to the falls is an easy walk and ADA accessible. The have a gift shop, snack shop and bathrooms.

Not to be confused with Cumberland Falls State Park, the resort park is where there is a lodge, cabins, cottages, RV sites, and camping spots available to stay at overnight. We were in a Woodland Cottage for two nights. The cottages are old and need some updating. The beds are comfortable but are covered with plastic mattress pad covers. A little too crinkly for me. There’s a small fridge, microwave, and coffee pot. Not enough hot water for more than one shower. You’ll have to wait an hour for the water to heat up again. The Woodland Cottages are directly to the left of the lodge parking lot when you enter off the road. You sign in and get your room keys at the lodge. (This is down the road from the entrance to the falls and visitor center.) Make sure to go to the balcony at the lodge that overlooks the river. The fall colors are magnificent! A great photo spot. For fall foliage reference, we were there Oct. 18-20, 2022. The desk staff and housekeeping were very nice.

The falls were beautiful. The trails were well kept and enjoyable. Booked a stay in one of the cottages, but when we got there, they said none were available, but that they had available rooms in the lodge, so we took one of those instead. The room itself was ok, however it's not very soundproof. The ceiling creaked whenever someone moved in the room upstairs and we could hear all of conversations in the hall outside.

The park is a convenient location near interstate 75, We did not stay at the Inn or eat there. The campgrounds are very small, so pay attention to the size of your RV since two that we drove through were dead end streets, where you can't circle around and look at all the sites if you're trying to pick the best one for your rig and the time of the year.The hike from our camp site was really enjoyable, ending up at the falls, which are spectacular. We visited the park in early June, so the falls were really rolling. Likely if it's a dry summer, they say the falls will not be very pretty.

I am dad. And stayed with my two daughters. One is 9 and the other is 4. They loved the hotel, the views, the pool. I liked the clean bathrooms, towels provided at the pool, all the hikes in the park. Is an older lodge. But it appears to be maintained very well. I loved!!!! The attention. The staff was very top notch with me and my girls

This is our third time visiting the park. We drive up from Florida on our way to visit my son in Southern Indiana. I love this park . It's so laid back and has lots of activities. They have a lodge and cabins along with camping. We stayed in the cabins . The area is quiet and so relaxing. We like to hike so there is plenty of trails that offer beautiful scenery. I will definitely be back again .

Absolutely some of the most beautiful views I have ever seen! Really awesome place to walk around and hike. Some really beautiful waterfalls here. Highly recommend!!

Cumberland Falls State Resort Park is an absolutely beautiful park - I wish I could have spent several days here. I went to this beautiful park , intending on going on a hike for a better view of the solar eclipse, but the weather wasn't making it possible ( Brief, Scattered rain showers would have made the hike a bit dangerous. ). We visited the gift shop, checked out the gems, had a few snacks.We took a mini hike down to the beach by the side of the river ( See my one photo { It's also on Viewbug - search for Viewbug on Google.} We wished we had brought lunch with us. ), and did a bit of exploring while we waited for the eclipse to happen. It was a fun day. I highly recommend Cumberland Falls State Resort Park for a day trip, and Yes, I discovered there are campsites and cottages for rent and activities to do there ( I will LIKELY plan a future trip for a camping trip there. 😁 ). I look forward to returning to this beautiful park.

Stayed in one of the single queen cottages. We have stayed here multiple times before and we love it. Lodge restaurant is open and the food and service was great. There are multiple trails around the park and you can make an entire day out of hitting the trails.The campground is not really designed for large campers. I would say any camper over 25' will have issues in most sites.Overall, great State park and highly recommended.

My family has so many good memories here at the Falls going back to the 70s when my grandparents would bring us here. Now to bring my own family down over the recent years is a great continuation of a family tradition! We will always love it and the sites and places we visit along the way!!

Wonderful trail to different levels of the Falls. You can see a little or a lot. There is an upper trail, but you have to go down steps at end to really see the Falls. The store there is Great!! Lots of samples of area crafts & lotions & food.

I can see why this place doesn't get much business it is way out and no swimming is allowed price per room is pretty high for just a small No-Frills room. The breakfast was awesome although coffee had grounds in it and they did not refill the fruit basket at all once it was gone it was gone first come first serve. The falls were really muddy the day that we visited

We took a detour on our way to northern Kentucky to visit the Falls. It was a very we'll laid out place and there were plenty of places to stand and see the Falls. We parked right at the Falls and didn't have to hike any long trails to get to the Falls. We like to go to see waterfalls and this was one of the best ones that we have seen. It's definitely worth the time and effort to visit.

Like always .loved it never realized why my dad always wanted to come down here. Once I got here I realized why .the beauty alone is breath taking just sitting by the falls or walking the trails. Your at one with nature not trying to sound corny. But yeah oneof the most beautiful places I've ever been in my 44yrs on earth. And the lords will I'll be heading back down often.

We used campsite 28. It is 150 ft away from the showers. The showers are the best we have ever used in any campsite in any state we have been in. It is in a heated building. There are pegs to hang up close. There is a seat. Separate curtains for the shower and for the dressing area. The hot water and cold water valve are separate The large shower head has a shut off. I did not get soaked while waiting for the hot water to start. There are two family bathrooms complete with showers. Fabulous experience.

Stayed in a cabin this past weekend and had a great time. The cabin was very nice and clean, everything needed provided. We ate breakfast and dinner at the resort. We got the buffet both times and had no regrets, great food. I’ve wanted to stay in one of these cabins since I was a child, finally did and will be back to do it again!

We stayed in the resort. The room was spacious and overlooked the river. It was a little dated but not for the price. I loved the history and the huge fireplace. But my favorite was the patio that gave an amazing view of the river below.

We stayed at the lodge and hiked the falls, what a gorgeous place! Seems like a hidden gem (though we were there off-season). Parking is plentiful, at the picnic area and the falls. Gift shop offers thousands of options in a range of budgets, and the employees were very knowledgeable of the area.Make it a day trip or a family vacation, there's plenty to do!

We got married in the grassy area adjacent to the Great waterfall 10 years ago. The park is pretty. I am told if you go during a full moon, you might see a moon- rainbow originating from the tiny droplets scattered by the falls. The restaurant is very nice. Pay attention to the location of boulders, they are in specific places below the waterfall only, due to erosion.

We did not have a room at the hotel on site, however the staff that we encountered was amazing with helpful information and directions, that enhanced our trip. The Falls of Cumberland is beautiful, and a must see at least once in a lifetime. Take time to visit daytime and on full moon nights. We enjoyed the rock formations and the trails around top of the waterfall was breathtaking. Kentucky is hard to beat when it comes to natural beauty. Come play in Kentucky

First of all, Cumberland Falls is gorgeous and well worth a road trip.I'm not sold on the resort, but it was nice to bring our doggie companion. It's $30 to bring pets to stay in the lodge and $50 in the cabins.My friend and I got a double queen room in the lodge "with a view". The view, unfortunately, was of their patio.It is a nice patio, and you can see plenty of sky, but if you're on the first level, people can definitely just look into your room, so keep those shades drawn. The view from the actual patio is very beautiful.The bathroom was large and accommodating. They had dispensers for body wash, shampoo, and conditioner. They also provide a safety bar on the interior wall. It is quite a large tub, with high walls. There was also a hair dryer in our bathroom, though we never used it.There was a small but reasonable area to hang and store items. They also provided a iron and ironing board.You can hear people walking around on the floor above you. Bring some ear plugs if you're a light sleeper.The room was very cramped, the set up seemed illogical. The dresser was impossible to use. I would not call this a wheel chair accessible resort. There are lots of stairs, everywhere.The laundry seemed very clean and fresh.The worst issue we had was there was someone else's food left in the room. And the ice bucket was greasy and dusty. The lights also flicker a lot upon entrance, so if you have any issues with blinking lights, you may want to turn on the lights and wait outside of your room for a moment.Also if you have any dietary restrictions you better tell them well in advance. The complimentary breakfast doesn't necessarily include food you can eat. We were there on a slow day, so no buffet. They were out of waffles and fruit. Their juice machine had a funky taste about it.

Stayed in 1 bedroom cabin, steps away from 2 trails. The falls are spectacular no matter the weather or time of year. It was cool and a bit rainy, but the hikes were wonderful. The Parks Naturalist, G, was a great guide on our trip to the fire tower. Kudos to her lessons and knowledge on how to protect wildlife and the sustainability of nature itself.

Camping sites are too small for what they said would hold the size of camper we have. They were close together too. What we were told the biggest one is for a 29 foot trailer. The one they gave us was a 26 foot site, but we would have been in the road with that if our camper was that long. We had a 19 footer and it barely fit in the site. Breaker box kept flipping off, and was unstable and ready to break off of pole. "Someone probably backed into it." The man said. We were told no electricians were available On the weekend, so we constantly worried about leaving our dogs in the camper. Maintenance man said he was going to drive by to make sure they were OK every hour and he did. If he wouldn't have done that, we would have not been able to go hiking. I tried calling the manager of the park, but she never returned my call. Trails were overgrown and unkepted. Only good part of the trip was the waterfalls. Not coming back.

Driving down this very winding road was fun. When we finally got there, it was around six p m, which was perfect for us. There was hardly anyone around us the whole time. It was so peaceful, and the waterfall truly was amazing. I would love to see the rainbow. Or the moon bow, but that's just another reason for us to go back. Whenever we went there, everything was closed, but it's a very nicely setup park. Lots of trails. Definitely catered to the kids' adventures nearby. When we walked down the trails, I absolutely loved it. You can also go on the other side if you cross the bridge and get a different view. What a great park. We will definitely be going back soon. If you plan on going there, it looks like it closes at midnight. Other than that, it was pretty wide open with its hours. It was also very clean, but make sure to clean up after yourself and watch for black bears.

Do not rent cabin 502. Smoke damage from the fire place. Tried to air the small out, all the windows latches and cranks broken. Missing grout in both bathrooms with black mold growing in the cracks. Would not give state workers a break. No electric for a day and a half. Bachup generator did not work.

Saw the moonbow one night and the next day saw a beautiful rainbow! Hikes are pretty difficult around the area but no hiking required to see Cumberland Falls. Great ice cream! Love it here! Did not stay at the resort.

We camped overnight at the campground and went to the waterfall the next morning. We had a great experience. We only wish we knew that the waterfall is open until midnight so you can see the moonbow!

The trip to the resort was absolutely beautiful and very scenic. I did not eat but stayed in one of the rooms that had no view and very small. Place was clan and very good bed. If you have any problems getting around ask for ground floor unlike I was put in 3rd floor with no elevator’s.

I just visited the falls, I didn't rent a room. The area where your allowed to view the falls from is pretty close to the parking lot. Very easy to walk to. They have several places for you to view the falls from with slightly different views of it. I wish you were allowed to walk up the falls like you can some other parks, but your not allowed. They have hiking trails that are fairly easy to enjoy. They have a little sand place. The restrooms are very clean. It's a really nice place to take your family to.

I have to definitely come back to this place . The falls are near the visiting center . There are a lot of hikes that lead up to the mountain for an amazing view of the whole terrain. There are plenty of spots to just picnic. Very beautiful location!

We didn't stay at the resort. We did park and walk to the falls and some of the trails.We also visited the shop and found some neat items. The staff were kind and helpful l, parking was abundant and the drive to get there off I75 wasn't too steep, windy or narrow. It was a nice diversion on our drive. All in all we spend a couple of hours at the falls and park.

The earth almost sings here! I've been here many times, and it's always amazing. There are several viewing spots below the falls to get a good view, and the walk isn't bad. Lots of historic information, too. It's one of my favorite spots to visit. I didn't stay at the lodge so I can't tell you about the rooms. Go see the falls!!!

It is an old hotel which could use some updating of the bathrooms. The mattresses were so comfortable so I am happy with their decision to improve those. It's a state park hotel and we love to support our state parks. The free breakfast was great. We were here for a honeymoon and to see the moon bow. The hiking around the park was great. We rode horses and saw the moonbow!!! It was a great trip. Food was good. I would only work to update the bathrooms. Oh and the Internet was out the entire time we were there which made it hard to get in touch with our kids.:)

Nostalgic Kentucky Park. Very friendly staff and rangers. There are plenty of observation areas on shore and rafting adventures on the water . Snack bar, restrooms, horseback riding, and pool available . Plenty of parking. Dog friendly

Rooms floor was nasty, lights were dim and basically out, batteries dead in the remotes, every area you want to explore near water was blocked off including the beach unless you was to hike miles to get there. Fishing areas aren't posted and no one will help you or knows we're to go. Area is beautiful but not worth getting a cabin. Just come in early see the sites and leave.

Easy walking paths to get to the falls. There's also a gift shop and ice cream shop at the beginning of the trail head. My kids really enjoyed exploring the beach area too.

So beautiful to visit. And lots to do! We saw 🦌 deer all around. Great hiking around the lake. Disc ⛳️ golf can be fun, I however was not good at it. The Lake is beautiful. The Lodge has great food, just check for hours and food options, the Buffett is very good.

We were rather disappointed. Gift shop was closed. One would think the park would have a Welcome Center as soon as you enter the park, or somewhere you could get brochures. We stayed 1 night in Corbin at Baymount by Wyndham. ( Rooms were clean. Front desk staff were not friendly or welcoming. Housekeeping was beyond friendly, kind and helpful.) Couldn’t find brochures on the park, trails, attractions anywhere.The main falls viewing area not well lighted at night. The trail to it is but the platform in front of it is not. We had a disabled person in our party and walking for her was very difficult, as well as for everyone else. Some reflective paint, markers or tape on rails or asphalt would be helpful!!!! As an area known for night visits with the Cumberland Moonbow, it was lacking in so many ways.

Some may be confused by the term "resort." It is not really a resort, but it is in fact an historic lodge with beautiful views of the surrounding forest and the river running from the falls. The furnishings may not be the most modern, but are solid cherry wood Thomasville furniture. Beds are quite comfortable. Bathrooms are dated, but care has been taken to make sure that they are safe (grab bars and non skid decals in the tubs). Linens are clean and soft. There are plenty of electrical outlets and an extension cord with USB outlets. It is remote, so cell service is limited. Verizon worked, but T-Mobile did not. There is free Wi-Fi. The food at the dining room is pretty good, at least what we had (catfish dinner and buffet breakfast). The staff is friendly and pleasant. There are only two drawbacks. First, they are quite strict about check-in. We were unable to check in until 4:00 pm, so plan on something to keep yourself busy if you arrive early. This is not hard. The falls are very close, there are lots of trails and guests are welcome to use the swimming pool. More importantly, there are few accommodations for the mobility challenged, though there is a ramp to the entrance, an elevator from the lobby to the dining room and we saw a lift from the dining room to the second floor. Otherwise, expect a lot of steps. Advise that you call ahead to make sure that your accommodations will be acceptable if you have a disability. We enjoyed our stay and do not regret our choice to spend the night here.

We stayed in the RV Camping area. We got here later than we intended to. Saw Campground signs but nothing that said Ridgeline camping? Had to ask someone if we was in the right area. On site to book it states no longer than 30' RV. I now know why. The spots are like little postage stamps. The people on the other side of the rd had to move their car for us to get backed in. Ours is only 21'. Then our electricity and water was a good little ways away from the camper and on the wrong side of us. No other way to park it or move it over to help this situation out... another camper let us barrow another cord till morning and we ran to Walmart for another. Did not like having to disrupt other campers to be able to get set up! But very thankful for them, for it! Yes I know what your thinking. Why not already have a longer cord. Well most places we have camped at 25' is all that was needed! And I now have that plus 30'...

4.7

(8246)

4.5

(1411)

7351 KY-90, Corbin, KY 40701, USA