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| Oconaluftee Islands Park in Cherokee NC © Katrena |
As often happens on our road trips, there are times when you just happen to see a pretty park that is not on the itinerary that beckons the family to stop and explore. The Oconaluftee Islands Park in Cherokee, North Carolina was one of those places.
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| Fun Things to do in Cherokee NC © Katrena |
We visited Cherokee in June 2018. As we traveled to the outdoor drama, Unto These Hills, and to the Great Smokey Mountains National Park nearby, we drove by this park in the center of town. Each time, I looked out the window and decided this would be a good place to check out.
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| Park in Downtown Cherokee, North Carolina © Katrena |
This free park offers beautiful scenery and a shallow river area where many children and adults were able to wade. Many visitors were also moving the rocks to create their own artwork within the ripples of the water. The river splits upstream, and there is a deeper area on the farther side. We saw several people tubing in the center of the shallow part.
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| Fishing in Oconaluftee Islands Park in Cherokee NC © Katrena |
Several people were fishing while we walked the trail. Ducks and geese were sleeping, eating, and swimming, and it was fun to watch the geese separate as they approached one fisherman and then converge again as they got downstream. My dad was an avid trout fisherman - I think he would have loved this stream.
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| Free Exercise Options in Cherokee, NC © Katrena |
The trail was paved and a wide bridge joins one side of the river to the other, which is especially nice for people who have mobility challenges. Bathrooms are located on that bridge. Another bridge is located upstream, and it also appeared to be ADA accessible. We also noticed an exercise area close to the river.
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| Fun Family Activities in Cherokee © Katrena |
Picnic tables abound, and many areas were shaded. Several flowers added a pop of color. This park would be an ideal spot for having a picnic with the family.
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| Storytelling in Cherokee NC © Katrena |
A rustic seating area is near the bridge with the bathrooms. This area was empty when we visited, but apparently they sometimes offer storytelling right by the river. Christy71198 from Kentucky on TripAdvisor wrote a
review about the storytelling and included a load of great pictures of the park and storytellers that were at the park on her visit.
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| ADA Trails in Cherokee NC © Katrena |
I love the unassuming, free parks that dot North Carolina's landscape. These are the times when families can come without an agenda and just soak in sights and sounds of nature and enjoy the serenity of the present.
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| Bridge at Oconaluftee Islands Park in Cherokee, North Carolina © Katrena |
Thanks so much for visiting my Travel NC With Kids blog! You may wish to also read some of my other articles, including:
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