Cave Run Lake, located south of

Morehead, Kentucky Morehead is a list of Kentucky cities, home rule-class city located along U.S. Route 60 in Kentucky, US 60 (the historic Midland Trail) and Interstate 64 in Kentucky, Interstate 64 in Rowan County, Kentucky, Rowan County, Kentucky, in the United ...

, USA along Kentucky Route 801, is an

reservoir A reservoir (; ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam, usually built to water storage, store fresh water, often doubling for hydroelectric power generation. Reservoirs are created by controlling a watercourse that drains an existing body of wa ...

built by the

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is the military engineering branch of the United States Army. A direct reporting unit (DRU), it has three primary mission areas: Engineer Regiment, military construction, and civil wor ...

. The , half-mile (800 m)

dam A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use, aqua ...

(and

outlet works A gatehouse, gate house, outlet works or valve house for a dam is a structure housing sluice gates, valves, or pumps (in which case it is more accurately called a pumping station). Many gatehouses are strictly utilitarian, but especially in the ni ...

) construction began in 1965 and was completed in 1973. Cave Run Lake is in the northern part of the

Daniel Boone National Forest The Daniel Boone National Forest (originally the Cumberland National Forest) is a national forest in Kentucky, United States. Established in 1937, it includes of federally owned land within a proclamation boundary. The name of the forest was ...

. Cave Run Lake provides flood protection to the lower Licking River valley, supplies water to the area's communities, improves the Licking River's water flow conditions, and offers a habitat for various species of fish and wildlife. It is in

Rowan The rowans ( or ) or mountain-ashes are shrubs or trees in the genus ''Sorbus'' of the rose family, Rosaceae. They are native throughout the cool temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with the highest species diversity in the Himalaya ...

, Morgan, Menifee, and

Bath Bath may refer to: * Bathing, immersion in a fluid ** Bathtub, a large open container for water, in which a person may wash their body ** Public bathing, a public place where people bathe * Thermae, ancient Roman public bathing facilities Plac ...

counties.

Recreation

The lake also provides various other recreational activities (swimming, boating & sailing, canoe and kayak, jet skiing, camping, hiking, well known for Mountain Bike trails, etc.) There are two marinas that serve the lake, Scott's Creek Marina and Long Bow Marina. Zilpo Road, a scenic byway, is one road which provides access to the Bath County side of Cave Run Lake and is usually accessible throughout the year. The byway provides access to pioneer weapons hunting areas, a campground, and numerous hiking trails. Cave Run also has designated beaches for recreational use. A small fee will allow you to enter the beaches and partake in swimming, hiking, and barbequing.

Tourism

Cave Run Lake offers a wide variety of fishing opportunities. Cave Run is home to a variety of aquatic species such as

crappie Crappies () are two species of North American freshwater fish of the genus ''Pomoxis'' in the family Centrarchidae (sunfishes). Both species of crappies are popular game fish among recreational anglers. Etymology The genus name ''Pomoxi ...

largemouth bass The largemouth bass (''Micropterus nigricans'') is a carnivorous, freshwater fish, freshwater, ray-finned fish in the Centrarchidae (sunfish) family, native to the eastern United States, eastern and central United States, southeastern Canada an ...

smallmouth bass The smallmouth bass (''Micropterus dolomieu'') is a species of freshwater fish in the Centrarchidae, sunfish family (biology), family (Centrarchidae) of the order (biology), order Centrarchiformes. It is the type species of its genus ''Micropterus ...

, musky, and various pan fish. Fishing tournaments are also held on the lake. Boat charters with a professional guide can be purchased on the lake. The Daniel Boone National Forest surrounding Cave Run holds many opportunities. Free campsites can be found in the state park and is first-come, first-served. The forest contains hiking trails and hunting is permitted during the regular season. Horseback riding is allowed on the trails. Visitors can visit Cave Run's sand beaches for a small entry fee. These beaches do not have a lifeguard on duty. The state park offers showers at the beach sites as well as restrooms. Designated barbeque sites can be found along the shoreline. Throughout certain spots of the land surrounding the lake, ATV's and other off-road vehicles are allowed. Lodging is readily available around the lake. There are plenty of rental properties such as cabins and lake houses on the land. Many of the cabins available are just walking distance from the lake. The surrounding towns are filled with small shops and restaurants to visit. Cave Run has various marinas that offer boat storage and boat rentals. Skiing and tubing on the water is allowed.

References

External links

USDA Forest Service - Daniel Boone National Forest - Cave Run LakeU.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Cave Run LakeCave Run Lake Information
{{authority control Reservoirs in Kentucky Dams in Kentucky Dams completed in 1973 United States Army Corps of Engineers dams Daniel Boone National Forest Bodies of water of Bath County, Kentucky Bodies of water of Menifee County, Kentucky Bodies of water of Morgan County, Kentucky Bodies of water of Rowan County, Kentucky Protected areas of Bath County, Kentucky Protected areas of Menifee County, Kentucky Protected areas of Morgan County, Kentucky Protected areas of Rowan County, Kentucky 1973 establishments in Kentucky Licking River (Kentucky)