Repairs to Wolf Creek Dam are complete and the water level in Lake Cumberland is rising. This is great news for local residents as well as visitors who are planning their summer vacations in Kentucky.

To celebrate the occasion, Clinton, Pulaski, Russell and Wayne counties have joined forces to create the Lake Cumberland 360 Challenge, a regional event planned for Friday through Sunday, June 7-9. This brand new annual event will showcase the splendor of the Lake Cumberland area with a plethora of activities that will highlight the region’s beautiful countryside, local culture and colorful history.

The Motorcycle Tour, the centerpiece event of the Lake Cumberland 360 Challenge, will take place on Saturday, June 8. Participants can pre-register online and pick up their packets on Friday, June 7, at the Somerset-Pulaski County Convention and Visitors Bureau in Somerset (1-800-642-6287) or on Saturday morning at the Wolf Creek National Fish Hatcher in Jamestown.

The Motorcycle Tour (“Bingo Run”) starts (soft start 8-10 a.m. CST) and finishes (3 p.m. CST) at the Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery, located just below Wolf Creek Dam.

From there, riders will embark on a 165-mile route that encircles Lake Cumberland with stops planned in every county, including Lake Cumberland State Dock (Russell), Alligator #2 (Russell), Lee’s Ford Marina (Pulaski), Burnside Fire Department (Pulaski), Conley Bottom Marina (Wayne), Grider Hill Marina (Clinton), and the Bronston Baptist Church (Pulaski) for a special bandana shop.

Participants who turn in their Bingo cards will be eligible to win a variety of prizes, including a houseboat stay, pontoon for a day, cottage stay and many more. All riders will receive a t-shirt and commemorative bandana.

While at the fish hatchery, visitors can tour the museum, which features local nature exhibits, and learn more about the hatchery’s production of rainbow, brown and brook trout. Everyone enjoys feeding the huge rainbows that live in the outside raceways. Vendors will be set up at the hatchery and food will be available.

Bicycle enthusiasts can also participate in the Lake Cumberland 360 Challenge. Cycling coaching staff from Lindsey Wilson College in Columbia and local cyclists are currently working together to develop three cycling tours–a Century Ride (100 miles); a Metric Century Ride (63 miles); and a Fun Ride (20-30 miles)–that encompass the scenic back roads in several lake and river counties. The Century Ride is a challenging course that will take cyclists through some of the area’s most picturesque countryside, including a ferry crossing that transports riders across the scenic Cumberland River from Winfrey’s Landing to Irish Bottom.

Cyclists can pre-register online and then pick up packets at the Russell County Auditorium/Natatorium Complex in Russell Springs on Friday, June 7, or on Saturday morning in downtown Jamestown where the cycling tours begin at 7 a.m. CST for the Century Ride and at 7:30 a.m. CST for the Metric Century and Fun rides.

The Lake Cumberland 360 Challenge would not be complete without an event for runners. That’s why Albany is planning the 5K Color Run for Saturday. Participants of this non-competitive event designed to encourage family fun and fitness will run along the well-tried and tested route used during the annual Foothills Festival 5K. Runners will want to wear white so they can finish the race as a “tie-dyed” work of art.

Visitors may catch the boating fever when they gaze out at beautiful Lake Cumberland from one of the many scenic overviews or at one of the marinas. One of the very best ways to fully experience the lake, of course, is to simply get out on it–in a boat. Visitors can check out the latest and greatest boats during the Lake Cumberland State Dock’s in-water boat show that will take place on Saturday. The dock will also host live musical entertainment on Saturday evening.

Softball enthusiasts should head to Monticello on Saturday for the Lake Cumberland Classic Softball Tournament which will take place at the Monticello-Wayne County Park. Plan to also visit the Farmer’s Market in Monticello and grab some fresh produce for your dinner table. Then take a trip over to Mill Springs to see the historic mill’s giant water wheel in operation grinding corn. Be sure to purchase a bag of freshly-ground meal and bake some cornbread to accompany the produce you purchased earlier.

A drive to Nancy in Pulaski County will take you to the Mill Springs Battlefield Museum and Cemetery, a great stop for the Civil War history buff and patriotic citizen. The museum preserves, protects and interprets the Battle of Mill Springs. The battle, fought in Pulaski and Wayne counties, was the first major victory in the west for the Union Army.

Participants can pre-register online for the Motorcycle Tour, Cycling Tours and/or 5K Color Run, at www.lakecumberland360.com. For more information, check the website, “Like” us on Facebook, or call 1-800-264-7093.

(The Lake Cumberland 360 Challenge is a charity event to benefit funds established under the Lake Area Foundation.)