Kingdom Come State Park, with an elevation of 2,700 feet, is the crowning jewel in the crest of Pine Mountain near Cumberland, Kentucky. Admire the beautiful views from one of eight overlooks, hike a trail, or fish for bass, crappie, and trout in the lake.
- See the "Log Rock," a natural sandstone bridge. - Visit the Cave Amphitheater. - See the beautiful view from Creech Overlook. - Don't miss the 12 O'clock Overlook. - Fish in the 3.5-acre mountain lake.
Biking The Little Shepherd Trail is a narrow gravel and blacktop road that extends 38 miles along the crest of Pine Mountain from Whitesburg to Harlan. The road traverses the park near the summit of Pine Mountain. This is an excellent scenic route for mountain bikes, cars (remember the gravel), and light trucks.
Fishing Largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie, catfish, and trout are available for fishing in the 3.5-acre mountain lake year-round. A Kentucky Fishing License is required. Click here to purchase a license online at KY Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Resources.
Gift Shop Overlooking the lake, the gift shop features Kentucky handcrafts and souvenirs, as well as informational boards/displays on the park and black bears in the area.
Hiking The 14 hiking trails that crisscross nearly 5 miles of rugged mountain terrain provide the opportunity to explore the park's giant rock formations and scenic overlooks. All of the trails are fairly short in length (1/8-7/8 mile), but many trail routes may be combined for hikes of varying lengths and difficulty. A trail guide publication is available at the park. Trails are open year-round.
Horseshoes Rental equipment is available for horseshoes year-round.
Miniature Golf A nine-hole miniature golf course is located near the lake and gift shop. This beautiful course follows the natural contours of the hillside overlooking the lake. A $3.00 fee is charged per round.
Outdoor Theater Located at the base of Raven Rock, the amphitheater is equipped with lighting and seating to accommodate scouting and civic groups seeking a totally natural meeting site. This giant sandstone rockhouse can be reached from a trail at the top of Raven Rock or from the Laurel Trail behind the lake parking area.
Pedal Boating Pedal boat rental is available for use on the 3.5-acre lake. Open Monday through Sunday, March to November. A rental fee is charged.
Picnicking The two picnic shelters in the park are equipped with grills and restroom facilities. When not reserved, the shelters may be used by all groups. For large groups wishing to rent a shelter, reservations are accepted up to one year in advance, from March to November. Picnic areas and stone fireplace grills are located throughout the park.
Primitive Camping: Regular primitive campsites are $16, $18, and $22 per night, depending on site choice, and are equipped with a fire ring, picnic table, and access to restrooms. Two sites are on the lake and have basic electrical outlets. Two tents are permitted per site with parking for two cars maximum per site. There are a total of 14 campsites. Call 606-589-2478 to make a reservation today!
Named after the popular Civil War novel, "The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come," by Kentucky author John Fox Jr., the Kingdom Come State Park preserves 1,283 acres of unspoiled wilderness. Some of the most extraordinary rock formations in the state are featured at this park, including Log Rock, a natural sandstone bridge, and Raven Rock, a giant rock exposure that soars 290 feet into the air at a 45-degree angle!
Difficult .6 mile - Walk around the Lake from the Gift Shop and follow the service road on the other side pass the Dam to find the start of Ivy Trail. The steady climb of this trail from below the lake to the level of Raven’s Rock makes this one of the most difficult trails on the Park.
Moderate .5 mile - To walk the Raven Rock Trail you will have to walk another Trail first, because there is no direct access to this trail from the public areas of the park. The trail runs along the top of Raven Rock offering spectacular views of Black Mountain and the Cumberland River Valley.
Easy .3 mile - Starting from the back of the ball field located below the junction of the Little Shepherd Trail and the Park’s Main Road. This trail follows a small drain till it joins with Possum Trail just above Raven’s Rock Trail.
Difficult .4 mile - Like Raven Rock Trail this trail can only be accessed by hiking another trail first. The trail goes from the base of Raven’s Rock to the top of Raven’s Rock by a series of switchbacks that go back and forth under one of the park’s powerlines. Sections of this trail are steep but the view at the top is worth it.
Moderate .25 mile - Saltess Trail is a steady climb from the Trail’s start where the Little Shepherd Trail and the Park’s Main Road join until you meet with Groundhog Trail and Raven Rock Trail.
Moderate .5 mile - Parking for this trail can be found in 3 different locations, the Gazebo, Log Rock, and the turn above the Shelterhouse Area. Walking from the Gazebo the trail makes a steady climb until you get to the area of Log Rock, where the trail makes a more gentle climb to the highest point along the trail, the trail then steeply descends to the parking area above the Shelterhouse Area.
Moderate .25 mile - Starting from the Playground walk uphill along the main Park Road to find the start of Groundhog Trail. The first part of this trail runs gently uphill, but the last section is a steep climb with steps until it meets with Raven Rock and Saltess Trails.
Moderately Difficult .4 mile - Running from the Playground to the base of Raven’s Rock this trail starts off with a sharp uphill section until crossing over into the watershed off of Raven’s Rock. From this point the trail descends to the base of the Rock and Laurel and Powerline Trails.
Easy .25 mile - Park at the Park’s Gift Shop and a short walk around the Lake will take you to the start of Laurel Trail. This service road will take you to the base of Raven Rock, where it junctions with Powerline and Pine Trails. A short steep side trail will take you up to the Cave Amphitheater, which is the largest Rock Shelter on the Park.
Difficult .9 mile - The only other trail in the Park, besides Log Rock, in which both ends can be accessed from roads or parking areas. It's also considered the most difficult trail in the Park. If you don’t have the use of 2 vehicles, we recommend starting at the bottom and going up. Find the start of the trail next to the start of Ivy Trail. From this point, you will be hiking all the way to the top of the mountain and coming out on the Little Shepherd Trail close to the Park’s Office. A side trail about half way up will take you on an easy walk over to Raven’s Rock.
Moderate .5 mile - Park at Halcomb Overlook for the start of this trail. Your first impression of Possum Trail will be that the trail should be rated easy for the Trail is downhill all the way to Raven Rock Trail, it should be remembered that coming back the trail will be all uphill.
Easy .1 mile - Considered easy because of the trails short length, the trail starts across the road from a picnic area along the Little Shepherd Trail and proceeds uphill to 12 O’Clock Overlook. Parking is available at the picnic area.