Cumberland by Canoe

After passing through the ailing Wolf Creek Dam in Russell County, the Cumberland River turns south through Cumberland and Monroe counties before crossing once more into Tennessee. Averaging 200 to 400 feet in width, the Cumberland is runnable here all year. Access is easy and there are few dangers.

While this section of the Cumberland lacks the wilderness quality of the Big South Fork, it does nevertheless flow through beautiful, steep woodland and farm country, and compared with other Kentucky rivers of similar size, it is generally remarkably free of powerboat traffic. Mud banks rise on the average 6 to 12 feet to a floodplain that varies in width and is lined with tall grass and willows.