LIMESTONE DRIFT KENTUCKY WATER, TOLD STRAIGHT
FIELD CARD Pool & Access · No. 06-3
Corps lake · KY 196 to Jabez · KY 76 from Russell Springs · Wolf Creek and Caney Fork arms

Lake Cumberland

Fifteen launches and fourteen of them free — the densest no-fee run on the lake. Two roads in: KY 196 south from Nancy to Jabez and KY 3277, or KY 76 off KY 80 east of Russell Springs. Two ramps are summer-pool only, two more are unpaved, and there is no Corps campground on this road.

KY 196 TO JABEZ · KY 76 FROM RUSSELL SPRINGS Launches at KDFWR coordinates · shoreline and roads schematic
US 27 · Somerset–BurnsideKY 80 west · Somerset–NancyKY 196 · Nancy–JabezKY 76US 127 · Jamestown–dam–AlbanyKY 90 · Albany–MonticelloKY 92 west of MonticelloKY 90 east · KY 1275KY 235 / KY 761 · Nancy peninsulaKY 619KY 92 SE of JamestownBoat rampAlligator INo fee · multi-lane · 51+ parkingWalk-in accessUpper Wolf CreekCarry-downBoat rampTwin OaksNo feeBoat rampPuckett BranchNo feeBoat rampOnoNo fee · KY 1611Boat rampPark Forest BehearsNo feeMarinaLake Cumberland MarinaRamp + marina · feeBoat rampDudley CreekNo fee · unpavedBoat rampClearwaterNo feeBoat rampPoplar HillNo fee · unpavedBoat rampPrudy HillNo fee · KY 1611MarinaWolf Creek MarinaNo-fee ramp · high water onlyWalk-in accessThomas BranchCarry-downBoat rampCumberland GlenNo feeBoat rampCampbells LandingNo fee · high water onlyN02 miSchematic · launches at KDFWR coordinates · hollow discs are other corridors
Three numbers to get right
What you hearWhat the primary sources actually say
"Just read the USGS gauge."There isn't one. USGS 03413500 served "0 data types" on 10 Sep 2026. Live pool, releases and generation are on the Nashville District Water Management site. A link, never a level.
"Winter pool is 673."700. 673 ft is the minimum power pool, the project floor. Corps: the lake fills "from elevation 700 to 723 feet by mid-May". Flood pool 723–760. Record 751.69 ft, May 1984.
"It's 65,000 acres."50,250 at summer pool (el. 723) — Corps engineering page and KDFWR's 2026 forecast. KDFWR's database says 47,688; the Corps division page 65,530. We print 50,250 and note the rest.
What the pool does on this road
KDFWR's notes, verbatim: Wolf Creek Marina ramp "accessible during high water elevations"; Campbells Landing "Ramp accessible during high water only." Dudley Creek and Poplar Hill are unpaved. With winter pool 23 feet under summer pool, those four are summer launches. Alligator I — no fee, multi-lane, paved, 51+ parking, year-round restrooms — is the one to plan around, and Lake Cumberland Marina next to it ("formerly known as Alligator II") is the fee alternative. The creek-arm ramps going high first is reasoning from the shape of a reservoir, not a Corps figure.
The whole shoreline is Lake Cumberland WMA — 38,788 acres of Corps land overlaid by KDFWR and hunted in fall (rabbit and quail 1 Nov–31 Dec, grouse 1 Oct–31 Dec). A fall bank angler at any undeveloped ramp is standing in it. Corps shoreline rules: status pending (no order was readable). Below the dam is a different water: trout rules, its own card.
LIMESTONE DRIFT
LAKE CUMBERLAND · KY 196 & KY 76 Access and limits
Thirteen ramps and two carry-downs
LaunchFeeKDFWR record, in the agency's words
Alligator INoKY 76 "to the end of road". Any trailerable, multi-lane, 51+ parking, restrooms.
Lake Cumberland MarinaYesKY 76, KY 1383. Multi-lane, no dock, marina. "Formerly ... Alligator II."
OnoNoKY 76, KY 1611, old Jamestown Road. Any trailerable, paved.
Prudy HillNoKY 76, KY 1611 "through Ono". Paved, no dock.
Wolf Creek MarinaNoWolf Creek Island Rd. Marina. "Accessible during high water elevations."
Dudley CreekNoKY 3277, Dudley Creek Road. Unpaved, no dock.
Puckett BranchNoKY 3277, Puckett Branch Road. Paved, no dock.
Poplar HillNoKY 3277, Poplar Hill Road. Unpaved, no dock.
Campbells LandingNoKY 3277, Cave Springs Road. Paved. "Accessible during high water only."
Twin OaksNoKY 196, McClendon Rd, Gourley Rd to Sheffield Dr. Paved, no dock.
Cumberland GlenNoKY 196 "approximately 16 miles" to the yellow sign. Paved, no dock. Wayne Co.
ClearwaterNoKY 196, Richardson Road. Paved, no dock. Wayne Co.
Park Forest BehearsNoRichardson Rd, Pottershop Rd, Lake Rd. Paved, no dock. Wayne Co.
Upper Wolf Creek (carry)NoCarry-down. KY 196, Wolf Creek Road. No facilities.
Thomas Branch (carry)NoCarry-down. KY 3277, Denny Ridge Road. No facilities.
Limits — four of them differ from statewide
SpeciesSizeDaily creel
Striped bass22 in minimum2
Walleye14 in minimum (statewide)6 (statewide)
Smallmouth bass18 in minimumstatewide
Largemouth bass15 in minimumstatewide
Crappie, black and white10 in minimumstatewide
Everything else is statewide — spotted bass, white bass, catfish, sunfish, black bass and crappie creels. Lake sturgeon: "Protected Species: must be immediately released." Marinas: Wolf Creek Marina; Lake Cumberland Marina. Camping: none on this road on any record read; Cumberland Point (KY 80 card) is nearest. Fish attractors: KDFWR publishes a GPX and a map; no count is stated.
Live pool: USACE Nashville District Water Management, lrn-wc.usace.army.mil (no USGS series) · Corps Resource Manager, Somerset, (606) 679-6337.
Sources: USACE Nashville District Wolf Creek Dam and Lake Cumberland pages and Public Affairs releases via DVIDS (verbatim elevations and dates); Recreation.gov campground listings; KDFWR waterbody records 98 and 186, the 62 access-site records, 2026 Fishing Forecast and WMA record; USGS 03413500.
Conditions change. Verify pool, access and regulations before you travel. Revised September 2026.
QR code: https://limestonedrift.com/waterways/lake-cumberland/#ld-alertslimestonedrift.comAlerts and the water page
Water alerts. We email when the pool actually moves. limestonedrift.com/alerts/?w=lake-cumberland