Things to do at Lake Cumberland

Lake Cumberland is one of Kentucky's top vacation lakes, known for boating, houseboating, fishing, swimming, tubing and exploring cliff-lined coves. On land you can hike at Lake Cumberland State Resort Park, see Wolf Creek Dam and the Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery, golf at General Burnside Island State Park, visit Mill Springs Battlefield or take a day trip to Cumberland Falls. Then come back and relax by the firepit after a day on the water.

Lake Cumberland is about 101 miles long, with roughly 65,000 acres of water and more than 1,200 miles of shoreline at full pool. It's one of the largest man-made lakes east of the Mississippi River, so there's always a quiet cove to explore.

Yes. Wolf Creek Marina, under a 4-minute drive from Hideaway at Wolf Creek, rents boats, and many other Lake Cumberland marinas rent pontoons, ski boats and personal watercraft. Rentals fill up quickly on summer weekends, so we recommend reserving your boat when you book your cabin.

Yes. Kentucky named Lake Cumberland the Houseboat Capital of the World, and several marinas around the lake offer houseboat rentals. Many guests stay with us before or after a houseboat trip, or rent a pontoon for the day instead.

Yes. Lake Cumberland's clear water and quiet coves are popular for swimming, tubing, wakeboarding and paddleboarding from late spring through early fall. Most swimming is done from boats in coves, and life jackets are always a good idea since most of the lake has no lifeguards.

Yes. Lake Cumberland is one of Kentucky's most popular fishing lakes, known for striped bass, smallmouth and largemouth bass, walleye and crappie. Spring and fall are prime seasons. Anglers 16 and older need a Kentucky fishing license.

Yes. Lake Cumberland hosts bass fishing tournaments almost every month of the year, including the Renegade RBT Spring Series, the Lake Cumberland Fall Series, Major League Fishing's Phoenix Bass Fishing League, the NTBA Fall Classic in November, charity events like Fishin' for Missions, and Kentucky high school bass fishing events in the spring. Kentucky Fish & Wildlife publishes the full Lake Cumberland tournament schedule on its website.

Our cabins in Nancy, Kentucky, are minutes from Wolf Creek Marina, and every cabin has room to park your boat and trailer. Lake Daze Retreat and Cumberland Shores each sleep 10, so your whole team can stay together, and Hideaway at Wolf Creek is perfect for two anglers. Tournament weekends book up early, so reserve your cabin as soon as you know your dates.

The Cumberland River below Wolf Creek Dam is one of Kentucky's best-known trout fisheries. Cold water released from the dam supports rainbow and brown trout year-round. You'll need a Kentucky fishing license and a trout permit.

Yes. Lake Cumberland State Resort Park in Jamestown has the Lake Bluff Trail, a 4-mile loop, and the Baugh Branch Trail, which leads to a lake overlook. The Daniel Boone National Forest and the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area offer longer hikes and great day trips.

General Burnside Island State Park in Burnside has an 18-hole golf course on an island in the Cumberland River, and it's often ranked among the best public courses in Kentucky. Lake Cumberland State Resort Park also has miniature golf and an 18-hole disc golf course.

Yes. Seventy Six Falls drops about 38 feet straight into Lake Cumberland and is about 7 lake miles from Wolf Creek Marina, so it's an easy boat trip from our cabins. For a day trip, Cumberland Falls State Resort Park has Cumberland Falls, known as the Niagara of the South, and Eagle Falls, and Yahoo Falls in the Big South Fork is the tallest waterfall in Kentucky. After heavy rain, small waterfalls also spill into many of the lake's coves.

Yes. Seventy Six Falls is a favorite stop for boaters because you can pull up and swim right under the falls. It's about 7 lake miles from Wolf Creek Marina. Always wear a life jacket and watch for other boats.

A moonbow is a rainbow made by moonlight. Cumberland Falls is one of the few places in the world where you can regularly see one, usually on clear nights around a full moon. It makes a memorable evening trip during your stay.

Visit the Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery below the dam, tour the visitor center and museum at Mill Springs Battlefield National Monument, or head to Somerset for shopping and restaurants. Or stay in, put on a movie and enjoy the cabin.

Yes. Kids love swimming and tubing on the lake, watching the trout at the Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery, and the playgrounds and miniature golf at Lake Cumberland State Resort Park. End the day roasting s'mores by the firepit.

Somernites Cruise, a free classic car show in downtown Somerset, runs on the fourth Saturday of every month from April through October. Summer also brings holiday fireworks and lake events, and fall is a beautiful time to see the leaves change around the lake.

Fish Tales, the on-the-water restaurant at Wolf Creek Marina, is just minutes from Hideaway at Wolf Creek. You'll find more restaurants in nearby Russell Springs, Jamestown and Somerset.