Kingdom Come State Park facts for kids

Kingdom Come State Park is a super cool place to visit in Kentucky! It's located high up on Pine Mountain in Harlan County. You can find it near the city of Cumberland.

The park got its name from a famous book. It was called The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come, written in 1903 by John Fox, Jr.. He was from Kentucky! The park has awesome natural spots like Raven Rock and Log Rock. There's also a pretty mountain lake that's about 3.5 acres big. This special park is even a protected nature preserve!

Cool Park Features

Amazing Rock Formations

One of the most exciting spots is Raven Rock. It's a huge, bare rock face made mostly of limestone. This rock leans at a 45-degree angle and stands over 290 feet tall!

Close by, you'll find the Cave Amphitheater. In the back of this cave are deep cracks. Thousands of bats live in these dark spaces.

The park also has a natural sandstone bridge called "Log Rock." It looks like a tree that has turned to stone and fallen over. Sadly, some people have written or scratched their names on Log Rock. This damages its natural beauty.

There are also many overlooks where you can see amazing views of the valleys below. The Creech Overlook is the most popular. It offers a truly stunning sight!

Wildlife in the Park

Black bears live in Kingdom Come State Park. They also live in the areas around Cumberland, Kentucky. Black bears naturally returned to eastern Kentucky counties over the last 30 years. They came from nearby states like Virginia, West Virginia, and Tennessee. These bears were not brought back to the park by people. It is against the rules to feed black bears.

Many other animals also call Kingdom Come State Park home. You might see the common raven, which is a threatened bird in Kentucky. There are also foxes, different kinds of hawks, and cottontail rabbits. You can find many types of bats, coyotes, and various amphibians. Plus, there are lots of different insects!

Fun Activities and Amenities

Kingdom Come State Park offers many fun things to do! There are 14 hiking trails to explore. You can play a game of 9-hole miniature golf. The park also has a lake where you can use paddle boats.

If you like to eat outdoors, there are picnic shelters. You can also go fishing in the lake. For those who love camping, primitive campsites are available.

The park gives you access to the Little Shepherd Trail. This is a 38-mile long dirt road. It's great for mountain biking and adventure driving. The trail winds along the top of Pine Mountain all the way to the city of Harlan.

Nearby Places to Visit

Close to the park, you can find the Kentucky Coal Mining Museum. There's also the Portal 31 Mine Tour. The Benham Schoolhouse Inn is another interesting spot. These places are in Benham. They are run by the Kentucky Community and Technical College System.