Overview
Kentucky's Southern Lakes region is in the middle of the state's southern border with Tennessee, and is home to Lake Cumberland.
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Apr–Oct. Summer highs reach about 86°F; winter lows dip to about 25°F. Wettest: May and Mar. (climate data from nearby Cumberland Falls State Resort Park)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- LEX Blue Grass Airport, Lexington — 79 mi away. Directions
- SDF Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, Louisville — 88 mi away (major hub). Directions
Sample 3-day trip
- Day 1: Somerset — Mill Springs Battlefield, Shark Aviation, Eagles Nest Country Club.
- Day 2: Monticello — Mill Springs Mill, Hidden Ridge Camping.
- Day 3: Lake Cumberland State Resort Park — explore the town.
Built from the best-covered destinations in this region; open each for its own day plan.
Places in Southern Lakes
Understand
The term "Southern Lakes" is used for tourism promotion, but generally not by locals. The traditional local name for most of the region is Pennyrile, taken from the local pronunciation of "pennyroyal", a plant common in the area. The far east of the "Southern Lakes", depending on the speaker, may overlap with the state tourism region of Daniel Boone Country, which in turn is part of the region locally known as Eastern Kentucky or the Eastern Coalfield. "Pennyrile" still sees use, but in recent decades the term South Central Kentucky (which also includes most or all of the Caves and Lakes region, depending on the speaker) has been increasingly used for this area.
Cities
- Campbellsville
- Monticello — the self proclaimed "Houseboat Capital of the World"
- Russell Springs
- Albany
- Jamestown
- Burkesville
- Somerset
Other destinations
- Lake Cumberland State Resort Park
Nearby
Campbellsville
City / town · 15 listings · 27 mi away
Pickett State Park
Park · 3 listings · 36 mi away
Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area
Park · 7 listings · 41 mi away
Glasgow
City / town · 24 listings · 42 mi away
Cave City
City / town · 46 listings · 45 mi away
Cumberland Falls State Resort Park
Park · 4 listings · 46 mi away
Rugby
City / town · 7 listings · 50 mi away
Danville
City / town · 29 listings · 50 mi away
My experience
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