Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area

Big South Fork NRRA in Fall
Encompassing 125,000 acres of the Cumberland Plateau, Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area protects the free-flowing Big South Fork of the Cumberland River and its tributaries. The area boasts miles of scenic gorges and sandstone bluffs, is rich with natural and historic features and has been developed to provide visitors with a wide range of outdoor recreational activities.
Map showing location of park.
BISO Storytelling
Save the Date for the 33rd Annual Haunting in the Hills Storytelling Festival
Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area invites you to mark your calendars for one of the region’s most cherished traditions, the 33rd Annual Haunting in the Hills Storytelling Festival, happening Saturday, September 20, from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. (ET) at the Bandy Creek Visitor Center area.
Vendors lined up along a street path
Vendor Opportunities Open for the 33rd Annual Haunting in the Hills Storytelling Festival at Big South Fork
Are you a craftsperson, artisan, or food vendor looking for a great opportunity to share your work? We are currently seeking vendors to join the 33rd Annual Haunting in the Hills Storytelling Festival on Saturday, September 20, 2025, at Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area!
Overlook view of a river going through the gorge.
Big South Fork to Celebrate “Great American Outdoors Day” on August 4
Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area will be observing the fifth anniversary of the signing of the Great American Outdoors Act on Monday, August 4, 2025, with 50 percent off backcountry camping permit fees.
Collage of two pictures. One of two men plugging up an oil well working. And the other side is an overlook view of Big South Fork.
Big South Fork Plugging Abandoned Oil Wells to Restore Nature
Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area encompasses 125,000 acres of rugged terrain within the Cumberland Plateau in southeastern Kentucky and north-central Tennessee.
A group of youth out in the woods doing trail work.
Youth Conservation Corps Students Repair Four Big South Fork Picnic Areas
Students from McCreary Central High School, Scott County High School, and Oneida High School worked on a Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) project in the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area.
Big South Fork NRRA in Fall
Photo by NPS Photo