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    Oconaluftee Islands Park

    4.5 (15 reviews)

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    Nicole E.

    This is a beautiful park. We saw it driving to our campground and decided to pack lunch and picnic here. We had no trouble with parking. There's a little bit of walking to get to a table. A few of the closer ones were already taken. We found one in a shady area where we could enjoy our lunch. The coolest thing about this park is that a river runs through it. People were wading, swimming and fishing. We also saw geese while we were there. There's also a bamboo area and that was neat to walk through. I also like that it's nestled in the mountains and it's just beautiful scenery. Best of all it's free to visit. It's worth a visit if you want a place to walk, relex, and play in Cherokee.

    Massive bamboo
    Mel B.

    I'm a local and I love to go here. The reason I only gave 4 stars is because SOMETIMES "trash" is not picked up in a timely fashion and is lying around the park. It's a wonderful place to get your power walk in. It has gazebos for family time. The water is usually full of people enjoying some play time. You will also see people fishing here. Make sure to check out the gorgeous "bamboo forest". Animals that I personally spotted have been chipmunks, squirrels, heron, snakes, red headed woodpeckers, hellbenders (mudpuppies) many ducks and Canadian geese, and many more birds. I recommend parking at the lot above the park, near the bridge and loop. From here you can enjoy a longer walk and stroll along a shaded bridge that opens into the park. I do not think that dogs are allowed inside the park.

    Bamboo
    Rowanda C.

    The definition of a hidden gem. I felt so much positive energy being at this park. I came here about 2 weekends ago and it was a magical experience. There was a beautiful forest of all bamboo trees. I just walked around knocking on trees because it's the most amazing sound. There were plenty of areas to sit and even have a nice picnic. There's a river that flows through and a sigh for possible SALAMANDER! The wildlife there is extraordinary to say the lease. Beautiful ducks and even Elk! I like how there was a board filled with energy saving tips. How to utilize natural resources such as light and water. There is a pretty nice pizza spot not too far (see my review on Wise Guys), highly recommend having lunch here if you can, if not, just come see the Bamboo Forest! It's beautiful here!

    Andrew C.

    Nice public park with picnic areas, water access and doggie stations! There is a good walking trail around the entire park, keep an eye out for the ducks and what they leave behind though!

    Tracey S.

    It's hard for a duck area to get 5 stars from me; this one is one of the better ones. They have a waterfowl/fish food pellet dispenser that empties out a handful of pellets for each quarter you feed it. A handful at a time is inefficient if you want to feed all the waterfowl a full meal. I had to go to a nearby bank to get exchange bills for quarters and then dispensed 44 quarters worth of food. You should put a bag under the dispenser to cleanly get all the food out. I think the right dispenser gives a little more food. Seems like a lot of people let pellets fall out of the sides so the ducks are often looking for food on the ground around the dispenser. It's slightly dangerous since the dispenser is in the parking lot and ducks could get run over by careless drivers. While the cute and friendly ducks seem very hungry and even come onto the parking lot to beg for food, please feed them in the water for their own good. If ducks get used to coming onto the parking lot, they are in more danger. It is very common for ducks at other parks to get run over by cars (and thus killed). While I was there on a chilly and rainy fall afternoon, white pickup trucks were driving through the lake regularly. I hope they are taking care that all the ducks in their way scatter in time. I saw one lone goose--a friendly Canadian one. There was one lone muscovy--a white adult drake who probably wishes he had company. There was a mule drake who looked like a muscovy-Pekin mix. All the ducks were friendly (and hungry). The majority look like dumped domestics but there were also some mallards with the small, sleek size and shape of wild mallards. The Swedish ducks looked very small for being adult sized so I guess the domestic ducks here are undernourished. This park has a nice walking trail along the river perimeter. The surface is a mixture of small rocks, dirt, and wood (boardwalks). I wish I had more time to walk it. There was a cool area surrounded by bamboo plants. There was no one else in the huge parking lot off Hwy 441. Bring plenty of quarters or you can go to the nearby First Citizens Bank to exchange money. I didn't see any fisherman nearby but at other parts of the river nearby there are lots of fisherman standing in the water.

    Get your Zen here.

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    3 months ago

    Cute little park to while away a part of your day. On the river. Awesome bamboo area.

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    7 years ago

    Beautiful area to walk, have a picnic or have fun in the water. We did not fish but saw others fishing.

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    7 years ago

    Absolutely gorgeous! Great place to hang out by the river. Fishing is allowed with a license and the stream is stocked with trout.

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    Review Highlights - Oconaluftee Islands Park

    Swimming, tubing, splashing, and fishing are the water-based activities that you can do here.

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    The Sinks - The Sinks in its glory.

    The Sinks

    4.9(37 reviews)
    23.3 mi

    I never met a waterfall that I didn't like. We did a driving tour along Little River in Great Smoky…read moreMountains National Park to see if we could spot some wildlife. The Sinks is a lovely waterfall along the river. There is a small parking lot with about a dozen spaces where we found parking. An observation area is a short walk from parking. A sign describes the area and that the falls were manmade. During the late 1800's the river was used to transport logs/timber to the nearby town of Elkmont. After a storm, flood waters caused a jam in the river. Dynamite was used to restore water flow. The blast resulted in a twist in the river and creation of the waterfall. A set of stone steps leads up a hill, offering lovey views of the falls. There are dozens of waterfalls in the Park. Sinks is one of the few that is drivable, which is great for people that cannot hike. I picked up a Waterfalls map at the visitor center that I found interesting and informative. Parking passes are required to park in the lot. There are no amenities at the falls. Plan 15-30 minutes for a stop and photos.

    The Sinks is such a fun outdoor experience! Our boys, ages 11 & 13, loved it! The parking is not…read moregreat though, with only about 15 spots in the parking lot and nowhere else to go. It's super busy in the summer, so just be prepared for that. We had to wait about 15 minutes for someone to leave so we could park. That wouldn't keep us from going back, though.

    Photos
    The Sinks
    The Sinks - Observation patio

    Observation patio

    The Sinks - View from path to the platform.

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    View from path to the platform.

    Waynesville Parks & Recreation - Awesome playground!

    Waynesville Parks & Recreation

    4.0(11 reviews)
    19.0 mi

    Hello, I hope that this will be taken seriously, in hopes that this never happens to anyone else…read more Since Helene destroyed our local Canton park we wanted to give the Waynesville Recreation pool. I called the day prior to get all the information I could gather, checked the website since we have not been in over a decade. The receptionist gave me all the information, dates, times, pricing, and and temperature of the pool. I asked if there was still a kiddy pool working with buckets, slides, splash area etc. and I was told yes. The next day we were very excited and happily payed our fee to enter.As we walked passed the 1st life guard posted at the shallow end of the deep pool we smiled and found a spot near the slide as we knew that was what our son was going to be the most excited about. We got our son in his swim vest for safety and goggles and off he went down the slide. All of a sudden I see a young blonde lifeguard running around the Side of the slide saying "NO NO NO!". My husband and I smiled and said "Its ok we are right here and he's safe (Thinking she was worried he was alone since we didn't even see her from where she was sitting)". My son was already coming down the slide when she was yelling at him, (He's autistic and doesn't always understand things or respond to others well). He made it down no problem and was swimming to get out when she said "we do not allow swim vest or life jackets on the slide!" I asked "why?" And she responded with "because of the bolts on the slide they can get hung up and get hurt." I Replied " so there are bolts sticking out on a toddlers waterslide? I think you should be more concerned with that cutting and hurting someone if thats the case, not be concerned with a protective swimming vest." She replied "Well he's to small to ride" I was confused since I called asked and check the website and the slide is on the kiddie pool. I said "ok" as my husband is trying to regulate our son and explain things to him but he just wants to slide. By this point there are only 2 life guards for both pools and my son won't stop trying to slide. I carry him over to her hoping if he hears it from someone else that he's not allowed it will help. It did not! I then am very upset that was the whole reason for coming and anyone with autistic children or any kids understand if you tell them something fun your going to do but then have to tell them they can not its never fun. I ask the girl if I can sign a waiver or anything to allow him to slide, she says"no" I ask can he take of his vest and slide and ill be at the bottom to help catch him if he needs it ( He's a very good swimmer for his age) to which she responded "parents are not allowed to stand at the bottom and help there child". I was blown away buy this since we have been going to canton pool, and Dollywood splash country where kids can wear the life jackets, swim vest, or floats on any slide and parents were always at the bottom to help catch them as well since its all about safety when around water! Well, expect here at Waynesville rec. center. I was upset by this point and asked her what and where are these rules since I was not informed.?" She says "its on the back of the slide". Again I was upset and said " well that a horrible place for rules against a back wall on a slide that not every sees until your back here, also I was not told this and just so you know for the future maybe you all could post your rules on the website and tell them when they call so this doesn't happen to other special needs family and regular families to! I could tell she was uncomfortable so I simply asked what would happen if he did go down the slide (as he can be a runner)? She said " I would ask you to leave" I said "ok" and walked away. So for reference and refresh you can call and check the website where these rules are NOT posted or come in pay inside change enter at the opposite side of the pool area walk always to the back wall behind the side, and on the back said you see this weird outdated slide rules. By this time I was wondering why no one was on the slide and its because you have to be 48 inch tall but not over a certain weight, no parents are allowed on the slide, parents cannot catch kids at the bottom, and no life jackets or vest are allowed. These rules do the opposite of keeping kids in the kiddie pool safe. And again you can go to canton pool, Dollywood splash country or many other water parks or pools and they encourage you to put vests on your child and stay close to your child in water. By this point there are a good amount of ;little kids in the kiddie pool I would say about 10 to 15 and more kids in the bigger pool about 10 as well and only 2 life guards. I'm sorry but I'm not going to rely on a lifeguard to see everything in a pool. But none the less we kept trying to explain it to our son and play in the kiddie pool and enjoy the best we can. Our son was having a melt down and other parents in the pool understood what was happe

    We just moved to the area and took a tour of the recreation center here. We will be joining the gym…read moreafter Covid issues get better. They have the main staples of indoor pool, workout equipment, racket ball courts. It clean and people are very friendly. We use the outdoor grounds a lot. Our main use is the dog park. There is a small dog park and a large dog park. We are in the small dog area. The disc golf court runs past the dog areas which is cool. There is a great skateboard park that lots of young people use, even on bikes. Lots of paved pathways. I love that the pathways attract older and young people. And, the path runs alongside The bold creek. It is more like a small river. It is filled with trout should you want to fish. Definitely a major asset to our town!

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    Waynesville Parks & Recreation - Playing at Waynesville park!!!

    Playing at Waynesville park!!!

    Waynesville Parks & Recreation
    Waynesville Parks & Recreation - Creek by skate park

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    Creek by skate park

    Clingmans Dome - Walk up the tower

    Clingmans Dome

    4.6(201 reviews)
    11.6 mi

    At 6643 feet, Clingmans Dome, now known by its Cherokee name, Kuwohi, is the highest point in the…read moreGreat Smoky Mountains National Park. My visit to Kuwohi was a highlight of my visit to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The drive up to the summit is breathtaking. There are several overlooks along the way to stop and enjoy the views. When we arrived, it was about 20 degrees colder than in Gatlinburg and it was very windy. Fortunately, we had dressed warm for the hike. The half mile trail is paved and accessible, however, the climb is straight up and was very difficult for some people. At the top of the trail we passed the Appalachian Trail. Then we found a fantastic Mid Century concrete spiral structure to climb. At the top, is an observation deck with placards describing the magnificent views of Tennessee and North Carolina. The modern observation deck was completed in 1960, replacing a wooden structure. Thomas Lanier Clingman was one of the early explorers that mapped the region in the 1850's. Kuwohi was (and still is) a sacred mountain of the Cherokee people. The mountain held Magic Lake that is believed to have healing powers for those who value the earth and its people. Parking permits are required to park in the large lot. Permits can be purchased on site for $5/day. Restroom facilities are available, but no running water. A nearby Visitors Center sells maps, shirts and other hiking gear. Kuwohi is a must visit on a trip to SMNP. Bring warm clothes (gloves, hat, etc). Cell tower reception is poor, so maps are helpful.

    It's a great spot and it is part of national park so essentially free other than parking fee. The…read morewalk is good 20 minutes after parking. The views are great. Nice pictures to take at the Clingman dome. If you want to get some steep hill walking, this is the place to do it.

    Photos
    Clingmans Dome - Mushrooms in sight

    Mushrooms in sight

    Clingmans Dome
    Clingmans Dome - Trail sign along the path to the dome

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    Trail sign along the path to the dome

    Great Smoky Mountains National Park - Mushroom

    Great Smoky Mountains National Park

    4.7(429 reviews)
    18.9 mi

    Great Smoky Mountain National Park has been on my bucket list for many years. I was hoping that…read morespring break would be down season at the Park, but the Park was busy!!! We had a fabulous visit to this vast natural wonder. We learned that Park is the largest natural habitat in the continental U.S. The signature "smoky" appearance of the mountains is caused by an evaporation of organic rich moisture released by the vegetation within the Park. We started our visit by stopping at the visitors center to pick up a parking permit ($5/day) and maps ($1). I was glad we picked up maps because there is very little internet connectivity in the park, so we lost our navigation tools. The leaves were not on the trees yet (April) so we had magnificent uninterrupted views of the mountains and skylines. Spring wild flowers were in bloom. And we actually saw a mother bear with two cubs crossing the road. Each day during our visit we explored a different part of the park. We hiked to waterfalls and enjoyed scenic overlooks. We enjoyed exploring historic cabins and cemeteries. Popular sites were crowded and sometimes we had to wait for parking. Plan to arrive early. The park is filled with parking areas to pull off and enjoy the views or hike. Rest areas are available at many of the major sites. Leased dogs are only allowed in camping and parking areas and on two of the many trails. Bring good walking shoes, a hiking stick is helpful, water and sun glasses. You probably need to bring snacks, but keep those secure from wildlife.

    ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL!…read more This is my first time coming to the park and it was an amazing sight to see. It is something that I think everyone should experience. I am already wanting to go back to spend a little more time than what I did. We came by here on our way to another place. We were supposed to come back by here but didn't get the chance. So another trip it is!

    Photos
    Great Smoky Mountains National Park - Babbling brooks

    Babbling brooks

    Great Smoky Mountains National Park
    Great Smoky Mountains National Park - Sugarlands Visitor Center

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    Sugarlands Visitor Center

    The Pines Recreation Area

    The Pines Recreation Area

    3.0(2 reviews)
    21.4 mi

    It's a beautiful spot for swimming, or to launch your kayak from. Great for picnics and it's very…read moreeasy to access and handicap accessible. The con is the putrid smell from the unclean restrooms and the garbage is overflowing. I went up several times with my grandchildren and truly it was not kept up. Such a shame as it is a popular tourist and local destination.

    Good place to visit!…read more Duke Energy worked with the city/state/County? to build this beach/Park. Nice parking spots on both sides of the road. Bathrooms located up in the parking area. A nice ramp down all the way to the water. Seriously, you could wheel a wheelchair all the way into the lake. The sand is very nice. And you can easily swim out to and hold onto the barriers. There's a dock off to one side where you can fish off of. We'll thought out and done pretty well. They even have donated life jackets for kids hanging here at the beach! My reasons for 4 instead of 5 stars: Dogs. The path down to the beach was littered with dog poop. On the path, on the side, everywhere! It was gross and unsanitary. Don't know if dogs are allowed on the beach, but they've turned the park area to crap. The beach is quite small. I do believe too small to support all the parking. The beach is very steep. I know it's the mountains, but if you're going to drain the lake and make a beach, a gentler slope to the beach for the little ones would've been preferable. A larger swim area. Some people just want to swim! Maybe another 10 feet out into the lake for swimming, not just waking.

    Photos
    The Pines Recreation Area - Roped off swim area

    Roped off swim area

    The Pines Recreation Area
    The Pines Recreation Area - Beach

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    Beach

    Oconaluftee Islands Park - parks - Updated May 2026

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