Cumberland Mountain State Park, located in Crossville, Tennessee, is situated at the top of Cumberland Plateau at the halfway point of the plateau. Cumberland Mountain State Park consists of 1,586 acres including Byrd Lake, a man-made lake created in the 1930s. The large lake is due to a dam that was built. Some people say that it is the largest non-reinforced dam in the world.
Men of the Civilian Conservation Corps’ Company 3464 built the bridge between 1935 and 1940, according to a historic marker located near the bridge. It was built with local sandstone and Crab Orchard stone.
Reaching the Bridge and the Dam That Flows Beneath It
Cumberland Mountain State Park is located less than 5 miles from downtown Crossville. Once you enter the park, head toward the park office. The address is 24 Office Drive, Crossville, Tennessee 38555. There is a decent sized parking area here. If this lot is full you can drive across the bridge and park at the boat dock/restaurant parking area on the opposite side of the road.
We parked at the park office. There is a sign for the park office with an arrow pointing to the parking area. The gift shop and aviary are also located by the parking area. After we parked we walked toward the bridge. There was a pathway at the bridge leading downward, however it was blocked off and a sign read “Cabin Guest Only.” We continued walking across the bridge. There are two lanes (one each way) crossing the bridge with a very small amount of space on the sides. We stayed as close to the side as possible and people gave us plenty of room when passing.
Once we finished crossing the bridge we saw the boat dock/restaurant parking area to our left. To our right was a trail sign for the Cumberland Plateau Nature Trail with arrows pointing in both directions. We went to the right, toward the bridge. There were rocky steps heading down right alongside the bridge. We could see the dam/waterfall from the steps.
We continued to the bottom of the steps onto a dirt trail. It was a little muddy due to the recent rain, but still easy to navigate. There were more views as we continued down the trail. We had the trail all to ourselves as it was later in the day when we visited. We continued along the trail and saw the dam from different angles before heading back the way we came. On our way back we encountered a flock of geese with their babies.
The trail is family friendly and short. It took us less than 10 minutes to reach the view of the dam underneath the bridge.
About the Park
The Civilian Conservation Corps, the Works Projects Administration, and the American Friends Service Committee built the park, which opened in 1940.
Cumberland Mountain State Park is unique, as it contains every type of tree, shrub, and flower found on the Cumberland Plateau. The park is home to a diverse wildlife including deer, rabbits, squirrels, raccoon, skunk, and gray and red foxes, as well as a variety of birds and waterfowl.
There is a small aviary behind a shop for campers in the main office parking lot. There is only room for about a half dozen birds, and a couple were off exhibit for unknown reasons.
The park’s architecture is also unique. Crab Orchard sandstone, a local rock, was used to build many of the park’s buildings including its dam and bridge. The dam and bridge is the park’s widely recognized landmark and is noted as the largest masonry structure ever built by the Civilian Conservation Corps.
Byrd Creek Dam
The Byrd Creek Dam, built to manage water flow and prevent flooding, sends the water cascading over a series of step formations creating Byrd Creek Falls. The dam has seven arches underneath the bridge where the water flows under the bridge. The dam can be viewed from many different angles from around the park.
The dam is unreinforced, which means that the dam is constructed without the use of steel reinforcement within the concrete structure. Instead, it relies on the mass and weight of the concrete itself to resist the forces exerted by the impounded water. This style of dams, typically gravity dams, are designed so that their sheer size and weight are sufficient to counteract the water pressure pushing against them.
Byrd Creek
Byrd Creek flows eastward from the hills to the west for approximately 5 miles before moving north at its confluence with Coon Hollow Branch. The Byrd Creek Dam, located north of this confluence, holds a reservoir that covers approximately 50 acres. Some sources say Byrd Creek Dam may be the largest non-reinforced dam in the world.
Beyond the dam, Byrd Creek merges with Threemile Creek, which flows from the west. It then continues eastward for another 10 miles before emptying into Daddys Creek (a tributary of Obed River). Cumberland Mountain State Park forms a semicircle around Byrd Creek and Threemile Creek, with Byrd Lake being in the eastern side of the circle.
The Cumberland Mountain State Park Bridge historical marker by the dam reads: “Men of the Civilian Conservation Corps’ Company 3464 built this unsuspended bridge between 1935 and 1940, for a 30-acre impoundment of Byrd’s Creek. Three thousand five hundred and fifty cubic yards of dirt and rock were excavated and the core, containing 8,000 tons of concrete, is faced with Crab Orchard stone for the 319-foot span. Seven spillways, rising 28 feet above the stream bed, carry the 18-foot roadway approximately 16 feet above water level.”
Other Things to do at Cumberland Mountain State Park
There’s lots to do at Cumberland Mountain State Park! The park’s day-use areas are open year-round from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Sunday.
Sports
One of its most popular activities at Cumberland Mountain State Park is The Bear Trace 18-hole golf course designed for professional golfer, Jack Nicklaus. The course is 6,900 yards, with a par 72 layout that is known for its elevation changes. In addition to golf, the park also has tennis, volleyball, and basketball courts available.
Trails
The park contains four miles of dedicated mountain bike trails. The park has fourteen miles of trail that go around the lake and through the woods, ranging from easy to moderate. Trail maps are available at the park office.
Aquatic Activities
If you like swimming, this is the park for you! There’s an Olympic-sized pool with two diving boards, a swim lane, and a wading pool for children. The swimming area includes dressing rooms, showers, lounging areas, and a snack bar. Pool passes can be purchased online or at the park office.
You can rent kayaks, canoes, paddle boats, and fishing boats at the boat dock. The boat dock is open May to October. Fishing is permitted anywhere along the bank of Byrd Lake except for the posted areas saying you cannot fish there and not from the bridges. Byrd Lake is stocked with bass, catfish, bluegill, catfish, and trout.
Playground
The park has a large playground with a variety of equipment ranging from slides to swings. There’s a special section for children ages 5-12. There also a wheelchair accessible swing with a weight limit of 700 pounds.
Dining
The Homestead Harvest Restaurant, located inside the park, features a beautiful view of the lake and dam and serves Southern cuisine. It is open year round, except during the Christmas holiday.
ADA Accessibility
If you have special ADA accessibility needs please contact the Park Office at 931-484-6138 at least 10 days before your visit. All-terrain wheelchairs are available to rent from the park free of charge for park use and available for both children and adults. Advanced requests ensure the availability of wheelchairs. The park offers specific trail experiences that can accommodate this specialized wheelchair. The playground has a wheelchair accessible swing with a weight limit of 700 pounds.
Byrd Lake Trail is a paved 0.50 mile trail leading to a foot bridge at the boat dock. Wheelchair-friendly parking near the trailhead is in the Visitor Center parking lot.
If you want to stay in a cabin, there are two which are wheelchair-friendly – Standard Cabin 15 and Deluxe Cabin 21. Be sure to specifically request them when making a reservation.
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