Seven Islands State Birding Park: Trails and Birdwatching on the French Broad

About

Seven Islands State Birding Park offers a completely different side of the Smokies region: wide-open grasslands, ponds and river bends instead of crowded parkways. The 416-acre park on the French Broad River became a Tennessee State Park in 2014 on land that had long been farmed, and its name honors the historic Seven Islands community across the river. It is dedicated to birds, and the mix of grassland, wetland and forest draws a wide variety of species through the year.

More than nine miles of trails wind through the park. The paved Bobwhite Trail leads to a pedestrian bridge over the French Broad River and the 1.2-mile Island Loop Trail on Newman's Island, while the flat, paved Kelly Lane Greenway runs 2.5 miles between wildflower fields and farmland. Hikers who want more solitude can take the Upland Trail, Hickory Ridge Loop or 2.7-mile Seclusion Bend Trail. Watch for American kestrels near the Green House, bald eagles over the river, and bluebirds, indigo buntings and warblers in season.

The park is at 2809 Kelly Lane in Kodak and is open sunrise to sunset. Paved parking and accessible restrooms are near the Bluebird Barn, and the Upland Pond observation deck is wheelchair accessible. Bikes are allowed on paved surfaces and the bridge only, and swimming, diving and fishing from the bridge are not permitted. The river can run fast, so check the Douglas Dam release schedule and wear a life jacket if you paddle from the accessible launch.

Photo: David Ratledge, CC BY 4.0

Did You Know

• Seven Islands was established as a state park in 2014, and its Bluebird, Green House and Maple Leaf barns date to the early 1900s (Tennessee State Parks).
• The park has more than 130 acres of native pollinator habitat and is working toward two Monarch Waystation sites (Tennessee State Parks).
• Rangers maintain the native grasslands with regular controlled burns (Tennessee State Parks).
• The Kelly Lane Greenway is 2.5 miles long and fully paved (Tennessee State Parks).