Black Friday at Cliffs of the Neuse

 

Instead of spending the Friday after Thanksgiving fighting the insane mobs of greedy deal grabbers in the stores, my missus and I went with our sons and Son 2's girlfriend to Cliffs of the Neuse State Park for a hike. The Cliffs of the Neuse are a geological formation created when the oceans retreated some 50,000 years ago as the Neuse River formed. My father, who grew up near the Cliffs, liked to tell stories about how he and his brothers used to scale the cliffs when they were kids.

The park at Cliffs of the Neuse includes a swimming lake created by a dam across one of the tributary streams close to where it flows into the river. The swimming area includes men's and women's bathhouses and a snack bar. Adjacent to the swimming area is a boathouse where visitors to the park can rent canoes and rowboats to paddle around the lake.

There is also a family campground in the park. Most of the sites are better for tents, but there are a number of sites with electric and water hookups suitable for small to medium campers.

Hiking trails also crisscross the park. The trail lengths are perfect for short hikes. You can also hike a series of the trails and make a day of it.

Along the trails, which cross several streams, are some great photo opportunities.

 

 

Visitors who enjoy fishing will also enjoy the park. At the bottom of the 350 Yard Trail is a great spot along the river bank from which to wet a line. However, one must be careful while moving along the trail because, as these signs indicate, you might find fish hiking along them, too.

 

Spending the day at the park was a lot more relaxing and enjoyable than fighting crowds in the stores. If you went shopping today, here is the calming sound of a waterfall to help you find some peace of mind.