Kentucky isn't necessarily known for its islands, but in the southern part of the state on Lake Cumberland sits an island home to a park encompassing 430 acres.

Named for a Civil War general, it's the only island state park in Kentucky with activities including camping, fishing, even a full-blown golf course.

Come along as we check out General Burnside Island State Park.

[music playing] We're enjoying our time here today at General Burnside Island State Park.

This is Greg Blevins, he's the park manager.

Greg, thanks so much for being with us today.

Yeah, glad to be here.

So, how did all this come about?

What's the origin story here as to how everything was started up here?

Back in 1958, it had become a state park.

The Corps of Engineers gave that, deeded that to the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

When the dam was built, Wolf Creek Dam, the waters come around and kind of made this an island, so it made this a place that was perfect for a state park.

And General Burnside is, what's the story there with that name?

General Ambrose Burnside, a Civil War general, and.. used these to kind of watch the Cumberland River and watch with his soldiers, and they kind of kept an eye on the Cumberland River back in the Civil War.

We just recently put in a walking trail called Point Isabel Trail, and it actually does go back to the overlook, that overlooks the lake, and kind of where Burnside and his troops were at that time.

So, it's got some history built into here as well.

It does, yes.

Sure does.

Okay, that's really cool.

And annual visitors, what's a good number for how many people usually are through here?

We've done over 22,000 rounds of golf.

Oh, wow.

And over 20,000 campers have visited.

If you were gonna bring somebody here for the first time, and you could only show them one thing, where would you take them and what would you show them?

I think I'd probably take them to that overlook.

You know, I really think that's something neat.

You can see the rivers coming in and the lake there, and we have a nice trail that goes back there, and I think it really tells a lot about the park.

Greg, why do you think it's important to be able to recognize this century of what state parks have been able to do in Kentucky?

Well, I think it's for longevity and importance of what the state parks provide for the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

State parks, you know, we have services and amenities that, you know, create memories for families for a lifetime.

So, they're very important, and I think it's important to know how long that they've been here.

I think we just keep improving.

You know, I really do.

I look, when we first opened the park to where we are now, you have to change with the times, and the parks have done that, and I think they're continuing to try to modernize each park to make sure that it is staying with the times.

So, we'll have another 100 years, hopefully.

I hope so.

I think so.

There you go.

Well, obviously, golf is a big part of the draw here.

I'd like to really check out the course.

Can you show me around a little bit?

Sounds great.

Let's go.

Let's go look at it.

Let's do it.

So, Greg, we've walked over to the golf course now.

What an amazing view here.

Tell us what we're looking at and where we are here on the course.

This is Hole 16, one of our signature holes.

Has a water feature, dogwoods in the background, a couple of bunkers that guard it.

I think when we had COVID, there was a lot of things to do, and outdoor adventures and outdoor sports and stuff have become very popular, and golf has took off, and it really hasn't slowed down.

So, it's nice to have an outdoor park setting.

You know, there's wildlife.

You might see that on every hole.

Zoysiagrass fairways is something that we have on this golf course, and not a lot of courses have, and that's really popular, and it makes the golf experience very good.

What sort of recognitions have you gotten here?

Has the park been given any awards or noticed for anything that you've been able to do here?

It has over the years.

You know, one of them is course conditions.

It was top 25 in the United States, so that says a lot about the golf course and the employees and volunteers that put in the time here.

They do a great job and keep the course in excellent shape.

Let's talk about that course condition a little bit.

What's it take to keep this looking like this?

How much of an effort is that?

You know, it's a lot of work, and it takes a team to do it.

You know, it has a lot of pride in the course.

Like I said, we have a lot of volunteers that help at the state parks, and we have a lot of employees, and most of them play golf, and they take a lot of pride in their work, and it shows.

And you know, we just have a great staff here.

Well, you all have been very friendly and helpful to us today.

We really do appreciate it.

Thanks for showing us around.

Yeah, you're welcome.

Thank you for being here.

[music playing] Now, that could have been it for my time at the park, but after seeing the golf course, I just had to come back and give it a try.

[music playing] I hadn't picked up a golf club in 30 years, and it showed.

Ah.

But, hey, I had fun, and I understand why the game is so popular.

[music playing]