If you’ve never heard of the town of Cumberland Gap, Tennessee, I honestly don’t blame you. Up until about three months ago, I had never heard of the population sub-300 town myself.
But if you’re located in northeastern Tennessee, southeastern Kentucky, or southwestern Virginia – or if you're just passing through and looking to make a pitstop – Cumberland Gap is definitely worth the a visit.
So if you decide to check out Cumberland Gap, but you aren't sure what to do, this one's for you. Because in this post, I am sharing with you exactly how to spend a day in Cumberland Gap, Tennessee.
This post is all about how to spend a day in Cumberland Gap, Tennessee.
How to Spend a Day in Cumberland Gap, Tennessee
Get the day started with some coffee
To get the day started, you'll want to visit the Gap Creek Coffee House. (It's pretty easy to find, in that it's smack in the middle of town!) The menu includes a bunch of specialty coffee drinks you can pick from, as well as some small plates, and everything is super inexpensive. You can easily get an entire meal here for under $10.
Get your steps in and see the town
Once you've had your coffee, it's time to get your steps in. I'd recommend walking around the Hallmark-movie-esque town square first, and then walking the greenway. Because Cumberland Gap is so small, you can do both in less than two hours.
As for things to actually see or do around town, there's not a ton of options. If you have your dog with you, you can stop by the free dog park, which you can access from the greenway. There's also a bicycle museum in the town square. We've personally never visited the bicycle museum – but maybe we'll do that on our next trip up to Cumberland Gap, and I'll report back. 😉
Head into the mountains
Once you've checked out the town of Cumberland Gap, you'll want to head into the mountains next. Cumberland Gap lies at the base of Cumberland Gap National Park, which sits at the intersection of Virginia, Tennessee, and Kentucky – is definitely the best thing do to around here.
The National Park has a few of trails to choose from, ranging from 200 yards to 19 miles. But the one thing you have to do is visit the Pinnacle Overlook.
To get there, you can either hike or just drive to mountaintop parking lot and walk the remaining distance (200 yards). However you choose to get there is up to you. But the Overlook has spectacular views you absolutely cannot miss. Photos do not do the overlook justice.
Wrap up the day with some pizza & booze
Once you've had the chance to snap some pics at the Pinnacle Overlook, you'll probably be ready for some more food, so you'll want to head back to town. For linner/dinner, you'll have a few more choices than you did for breakfast. I'd recommend Angelo's in the Gap, which has a large patio, decent booze menu, and tasty pizza. Angelo's is dog-friendly, too – which is always a plus for those of us who rarely travel doggo-free.