Hiking

With over 800 miles of hiking trails, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is home to some of the most exquisite natural beauty in the country. Hiking trails range from rugged backcountry trails to relatively easy walks in the woods. Expect to see wildlife–from eagles and hawks to a deer exploring a cove with her fawn. If you happen to be hiking along the north bank of the Tuckaseegee, watch out for the Uktena: the legendary great horned serpent with the talismanic diadem. Be sure to bring a tomahawk just in case.

The Oconaluftee River Trail is a short, 1.5-mile trail connecting the GSMNP Visitor Center with Cherokee, near the Saunooke Village area. Just walk up the road and across the bridge to connect to it once you get to the park road.  It's an easy walk, and the only area trail where dogs and bicycles are allowed!

Tubing

If you enjoy drifting over rippling, clear water through a lush canopy of trees, tubing in Cherokee awaits. Nothing beats the thrill of rapids tickling your toes on a hot summer afternoon. Cherokee offers several tubing opportunities, one within walking distance near the Firehouse Subs in Saunookes Village, that send you twirling down the Tuckasegee and the Oconaluftee rivers, so pack your sunscreen and take a load off as you sink into your giant tube. Outdoor adventure has never been so relaxing. 

Elk Viewing

Don’t be surprised to see your companion in the midst of a surprised double take. Was that an elk I just saw? Yes, it was. And how often do you get to gaze at a herd of elk grazing in the wild? Along with a chill up the spine, the sight of them brings the old Cherokee life of hunting and gathering back into even closer view. Early 2001 marked the appreaance of the first elk to set its hoof on the soil of Great Smoky Mountains National Park since the turn of the nineteenth century. The intention of this reintroduction of elk was to determine if it was possible for elk to sustain themselves here after a 200-year absence. Twenty years later, the park and the surrounding area are home to approximately 160 elk. They are sometimes spotted grazing in the fields near the Oconaluftee Visitor Center, near the Cherokee Central Schools or in the river, all within walking distance of your Bluebird Cabin!

Oconaluftee Island Park

On a warm, summer day in Cherokee, there is nothing so relaxing as some down time at Oconaluftee Islands Park. With easy access to downtown, the park offers shady picnic spots, swimming, tubing, trout fishing, or the pleasant option of simply basking and splashing around with friends and family. When the water levels are normal, the river is divided by a grassy island complete with bridges, picnic tables, piers to feed ducks and fish from, and plenty of room for unbridled play. 

Directions: Drive into town and follow the river to the Island Park, located about 2 miles from the cabins in the heart of Cherokee.

The Cherokee Bonfire

Amazing tales as told by the Cherokee storytellers themselves.

Imagine you’re gathered around a roaring bonfire, the occasional spark shooting high into the night sky, as a strong but gentle voice begins a story you’ve never heard. As the drama builds, you’re nearly breathless, your own heartbeat matching the occasional beat of the hand drum the storyteller uses. Drawing from a rich oral tradition dating back millennia, the Cherokee Bonfire  runs throughout the tourism season, and is an enchanting way to interact with the rich details of the Cherokee people and their stories. Get your room reserved in Cherokee, grab a blanket and someone close to you, and enjoy a cultural experience only Cherokee can offer.

The Bonfire stories crackles from 7:00–9:00 p.m. on the following dates at Oconaluftee Islands Park, on Tsali Blvd.:

Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, starting in June and ending in late October.

For more information call the Cherokee Welcome Center at 800.438.1601.

Cycling/Mountain Biking

The Qualla Boundary and the surrounding areas offer numerous possibilities for anyone wanting to seek adventure on two wheels! We take pride in our mountain bike offerings at Fire Mountain Trails. Fire Mountain is over 10.5 miles of some of the sweetest single track around and is free to access to everyone at most skill levels. Just be ready to climb hard and to have “smiles for miles” on your way back down. It’s some of the most fun and flowy single track you’ll find anywhere!

If mountain biking isn’t your thing, the surrounding back roads offer great opportunities for road and gravel cycling. While staying in Cherokee, the Blue Ridge Parkway is just a few pedal strokes from Bluebird Cabins and offers a three-season road cycling paradise for anyone wanting some great climbs, super-fast descents and amazing views of our ancestral Cherokee homelands.