You have arrived at one of the most historic and ruggedly beautiful areas in Central Appalachia, The Cumberland Mountains of Kentucky.

The major US highway through the area is US 119, designated as the

   Kingdom ComeScenic Parkway
                    
The core portion of the Parkway follows US 119 from Harlan to Whitesburg in Southeastern Kentucky (GET MAP MOVIE). Beneath the shadows of Pine Mountain, this historic Parkway was named the Rhododendron Trail in 1939, for the profusion of Mountain Laurel and Rhododendron that bloom on high craggy exposures above the Parkway.

Beginning in 1911 large manufacturers, from the US north, developed mining operations at the base of Black Mounatain, extracting high-grade coal from thick bituminous seams. The towns of Benham and Lynch were the heart of this mining operation and are today the most well preserved coal mining communities in Kentucky. (VISIT: BENHAM AND LYNCH)

Towering 2,000 to 2,500 feet above the river valley, Pine Mountain offers abundant recreational opportunities. As you travel the Little Shepherd Trail, which spines along the crest of the mountain, you will visit numerous precipitous overlooks, monolithic rock outcroppings, and shady, deep ravines. Unlike neighboring mountains, such as Black Mountain, Pine Mountain contains no coal and yeilds a pristine adventure. (VISIT: KINGDOM COME STATE PARK).

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