Cumberland Trail Permit: Route
Cumberland Trail permits are booked by advance reservation in Justin P. Wilson Cumberland Trail State Park (TN). The route covers 300 miles.
This guide covers the Cumberland Trail Thru-Hike permit.
Trailside camping fee through Tennessee State Parks (confirm current rate at booking)
Permit Cost
3-4 weeks for the ~210 completed miles; the full corridor is not yet continuously hikeable
Duration
300 miles
Distance
About Cumberland Trail
The Cumberland Trail is a linear Tennessee state park stretching across the Cumberland Plateau, built segment by segment by the Cumberland Trail Conference. Camping is by reservation at trailside sites; this page gives sourced trip info and links to book.
The Cumberland Trail
- Distance
- 300 miles
- Route type
- point-to-point
- Trip length
- 3-4 weeks for the ~210 completed miles; the full corridor is not yet continuously hikeable
Cumberland Plateau / Cumberland Mountains escarpment, eastern Tennessee. Nearest town: Chattanooga (south terminus); Cumberland Gap / Middlesboro, KY area (north terminus)
Points along the route
- Signal Point Reservation (south terminus)
- North Chickamauga Creek Gorge
- Laurel-Snow backcountry campground
- Richland Creek backcountry campground
- Grassy Cove
- Obed River section
- Emory River Gorge
- Emory Tract
- Frozen Head State Park section
- Arch Mountain2,859 ft
- Lawson Mountain2,590 ft
- Anderson and Cross Mountains
- Eagle Bluff1,976 ft
- Tennessee Valley Divide
- Cup Gap section
- Tristate Peak
And 1 more named points along the route.
Cumberland Trail permit detailsandAll Justin P. Wilson Cumberland Trail State Park (TN) permits
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This guide is based on personal experience obtaining wilderness permits and is regularly updated to reflect current policies and strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a Cumberland Trail permit?
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Cumberland Trail permits require advance reservations. Book online as soon as reservations open for your desired dates.
How long is the Cumberland Trail route?
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The route is 300 miles, as a point-to-point.
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