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Take the Kids: Explore nature at Umstead Park's incredibly family-friendly Oak Rock Trail

If you're looking for a quick and easy opportunity to explore nature with kids of all ages, put Oak Rock Trail at Umstead Park on your list.

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Oak Rock Trail at Umstead Park, Raleigh
By
Sarah Lindenfeld Hall
, Go Ask Mom editor
RALEIGH, N.C. — If you're looking for a quick and easy opportunity to explore nature with kids of all ages, put Oak Rock Trail at Umstead Park on your list.

The 0.6 mile trail not far from Umstead Park's Glenwood Avenue entrance features a natural meandering trail that, about half way along, comes to a creek that's great for cooling off in on hot summer days.

"It's a short trail," park ranger Billy Drakeford tells me, "but it goes by a nice sandy bottom creek that's just perfect for kids to get in."

I took my own kids on a cool, rainy day to Umstead Park to check out Oak Rock Trail a couple of weeks ago after sharing the news that it was among the top 10 most visited TRACK Trails across the country in 2018. TRACK Trails are kid-friendly outdoor adventures organized by Kids in Park, an Asheville-based group that aims to get families outside and exploring nature.

At the trails, including at Oak Rock Trail, you'll find a large TRACK Trail sign and self-guided brochures, so you can learn more about the flora and fauna that you might see along the way.

Oak Rock Trail at Umstead Park, Raleigh

Hikers also will come upon a variety of tree identification signs. My crew mostly read the names of the trees as we passed by a marker, but the signs have a lot more information if you want to dive deeper.

Oak Rock Trail at Umstead Park, Raleigh

"It's as in-depth as people want to go," Drakeford said.

There are a few highlights along the trail.

The creek, called Sal's Branch, was definitely fun for my group to explore even if it was too cold to jump in. To get across, there's an old stone bridge that looks a little rickety, but it served its purpose.

Oak Rock Trail at Umstead Park, Raleigh
Oak Rock Trail at Umstead Park, Raleigh

Not far from the creek, you'll also find the trail's namesake: an 80-year-old chestnut oak that's actually growing out of a rock. "It's very cool," Drakeford said.

For families who want to extend their time at Umstead, they can easily head out on the nearby Pott's Branch Trail, which runs 1.3 miles and follows three small streams which eventually flow into Crabtree Creek.

"You're near water almost the whole way," Drakeford said. "It's a real crowd pleaser."

You can find both trails at the 8801 Glenwood Ave. entrance to Umstead Park. Right next to the trail entrance, you'll find plenty of parking, which rarely fills up, Drakeford tells me. And there are bathrooms nearby (though probably not in really quick walking distance).

The trail will be tricky for traditional strollers because of the natural surface, but a jogging stroller likely will do fine here, for the most part. And, in the summer, the trail's tall trees provide plenty of shade.

"It's one of our most used trails for parents who just have a little time," Drakeford said.

More information about Umstead and its other trails, campgrounds and programs is on NC Park's website.
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