Cumberland Plateau

The Cumberland Plateau is the southern part of the Appalachian Plateau in the Appalachian Mountains of the United States. It covers much of eastern Kentucky and Tennessee, and also includes parts of northern Alabama and northwest Georgia.

Both the "Allegheny Plateau" and the "Cumberland Plateau" describe the dissected plateau lands west of the main Appalachian Mountains. These names come from history, not from differences in rocks or land shape, so there isn’t a clear line between them.

Two big rivers are named after these plateaus. The Allegheny River starts in the Allegheny Plateau, and the Cumberland River begins in the Cumberland Plateau, specifically in Harlan County, Kentucky.

Geography

The Cumberland Plateau is a high, flat area with lots of cliffs and rocky surfaces. It has many interesting features like deep valleys, tall cliffs, and natural bridges.

In Kentucky, the hills get taller as you move from northwest to southeast. Some areas have gentle hills, while others near Black Mountain have very steep and tall hills.

Geology and physiography

The Cumberland Plateau is part of the larger Appalachian Plateau, which belongs to the Appalachian Highlands. It rises about 1,000 feet above the areas around it. The land here is rough, which has led to small, isolated communities and local economies that often rely on basic farming.

The rocks that make up the Cumberland Plateau and the larger Appalachian Plateau are from the Mississippian and Pennsylvanian time periods. These rocks were formed from sediments that washed westward from the Appalachian Mountains. Some layers were created in shallow coastal waters, while others, including coal, formed in swampy areas. These rock layers are mixed with sandstones and occasional conglomerates.

Natural history and conservation

The Cumberland Plateau has some of the biggest continuous forests in the eastern United States. These forests have a mix of trees, including oaks, hickories, and pines, with other plants growing in sheltered valleys.

Groups like the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, The Nature Conservancy, the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, and the Natural Resources Defense Council work to protect these important forests.