Get the family together for Thanksgiving Wildlife Walk-It-Off

If you’re ready for a bit of post-Thanksgiving exercise that the whole family can enjoy, consider heading to Riverfront Park.

From 2 p.m. to about 3:30 p.m. Saturday, naturalist John McKenzie will lead a free Thanksgiving Wildlife Walk-It-Off along the path that runs along the Columbia Canal and the Congaree River.

“Riverfront Park is one of the best places in Columbia to take a walk, particularly now when the trees are bare and the view is so different than it is during the summer,” said Karen Swank Kustafik, assistant superintendent for park rangers with city of Columbia’s Parks & Recreation Department.

In addition to a variety of birds, including hawks, owls and, if you’re lucky, a bald eagle, Riverfront Park is home to otters, beavers, muskrats and even the occasional deer.

“You never know what you’ll see,” said Kustafik, adding that the park’s north entrance, near the Broad River Bridge, has reopened. “It’s a great place to fish or watch the sunset.”

To participate in the free Thanksgiving Wildlife Walk-It-Off, gather a little before 2 p.m. in the parking lot at the 312 Laurel St. entrance to the park. Wear walking shoes and be prepared for a stroll that will stretch your legs but won’t be overly strenuous.

For more information, visit www.columbiasc.net.

This story was originally published November 25, 2016 at 12:00 PM with the headline "Get the family together for Thanksgiving Wildlife Walk-It-Off."