Parks and Wildlife
Chesapeake
Chesapeake Arboretum
This 47-acre combination of gardens and natural areas is sandwiched between Battlefield Boulevard and Kempsville Road. The arboretum includes a 43-acre stretch of mature hardwood forest and a top-notch trail system.
624 Oak Grove Road, Chesapeake, (757) 382-7060 www.chesapeakearboretum.com
Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
This preserve consists of about 111,000 acres of forested wetlands. It's home to one of the East Coast's largest black bear populations, as well as bobcats, white-tailed deer, river otters, bats, raccoons, mink, turtles, more than 200 species of birds, 21 types of snakes and 23 species of fish. Fishing and boating are allowed in Lake Drummond. Seasonal deer hunting, with the proper permits and licenses, is permitted. The refuge has trails for biking and hiking.
Located in Chesapeake, Suffolk and Northeastern North Carolina. Headquarters: 3100 Desert Road, Suffolk, (757) 986-3705 www.fws.gov/northeast/greatdismalswamp/
Northwest River Natural Area Preserve
This preserve has no public-access facilities, although the shoreline can be explored by boat. Part or all of the preserve is sometimes closed to visitors.
In Chesapeake. For more information: (757) 925-2318 www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural_heritage/natural_area_preserves/northwest.shtml
Norfolk
Norfolk Botanical Garden
Visitors will discover one of the largest collections of azaleas, camellias, roses and rhododendrons on the East Coast. Other features at the botanical garden include the three-acre World of Wonders, a children's garden full of sprinklers, trails, habitats from around the world and even a section called "The Dirt Factory."
There are more than 20 other themed gardens, including the Bristow Butterfly Garden, Bicentennial Rose Garden, Virginia Native Plant Garden and Annette Kagan Healing Garden.
6700 Azalea Garden Road, (757) 441-5830, www.norfolkbotanicalgarden.org.
Open daily 9 a.m.-7 p.m. April-Oct. 15; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily Oct. 16-March.
Weyanoke Sanctuary
A well-kept secret among birdwatchers, this seven-acre sanctuary nestled in West Ghent also is home to more than 150 species of flowers, shrubs and trees. The sanctuary also features pine-needled trails that zigzag through the woods and meadows.
1501 Armistead Bridge Road
Portsmouth
Hoffler Creek Wildlife Preserve
Housing five distinct habitats - tidal wetlands, riparian forest, creek and bay, wildflower meadow and brackish lake - the wildlife preserve is home to white-tailed deer, river otters, bullfrogs, copperheads and oysters. Bald eagles are sometimes seen here. Hoffler Creek, open to the public on Saturdays, has interpretive trails. Golf carts are available for the disabled.
4510 Twin Pines Road, Portsmouth, (757) 686-8684, open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday (weather permitting) www.hofflercreek.org
Suffolk
Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
Details, under "Chesapeake"
Virginia Beach
Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge
A birdwatcher's delight, the Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge, south of Sandbridge, is a temporary home for about 10,000 snow geese and a wide variety of ducks during fall migrations. The refuge includes more than 9,000 acres of beach, dunes, woodlands, farm fields and marsh, and is home to a plethora of wildlife, including loggerhead sea turtles, piping plovers, peregrine falcons and bald eagles.
Fishing, boating and bicycling are allowed, with some restrictions, and the refuge includes a visitor contact station and two boardwalks leading to the beach as well as other areas open for hiking.
4005 Sandpiper Road, (757) 721-2412 www.fws.gov/backbay/
False Cape State Park
The 4,321-acre park is a mile-wide barrier spit between Back Bay and the Atlantic Ocean in the southeast corner of Virginia Beach. There's no vehicular access to the park, but visitors can hike, bike or paddle their way in or take the Terra Gator, a specially designed vehicle that has minimal impact on the environment. Visitors can see an abundance of wildlife.
The Back Bay Restoration Foundation also operates a tram that leaves from Little Island City Park, drives through the wildlife refuge and lets visitors explore the park. Some fees apply, depending on parking, touring or camping arrangements.
4001 Sandpiper Road, (757) 426-7128 www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/fal.shtml
First Landing State Park
2500 Shore Drive, (757) 412-2320 www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/fir.shtml
The park has a beach, cabins, campsites and hiking and biking trails. The first mile of the Bald Cypress Trail crosses dunes and ponds and is handicapped accessible. The park has the highest natural points in Southeast Virginia - massive dunes that reach up to 75 feet, according to the Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries.
Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge
Details, under "North Carolina"
North Landing River Preserve
This preserve contains more than 7,300 acres of wetlands and uplands along the west bank of North Landing River in Virginia Beach and Chesapeake. The area is a refuge for migratory waterfowl and rare plants, and includes four of the state's rarest habitats: freshwater-brackish tidal marshes, canebrakes, pocosins and Atlantic white cedar forest. A boardwalk from the woods to the marsh is open to visitors on weekends, during daylight hours. An observation deck, accessible by boat, is also open. No fishing, bicycles or pets are allowed.
Virginia Beach/Chesapeake. Entrance at Blackwater Road, just past Blackwater Fire Station, (434) 295-6106 www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/virginia/preserves/art1239.html
West Neck Creek Natural Area
West Neck Creek is a wooded, 178-acre site that remains largely undeveloped, except for a network of trails.
North Landing Road, (757) 385-1100
North Carolina
Buxton Woods Coastal Preserve
This preserve on Hatteras Island, the largest maritime forest left on North Carolina's barrier islands, is a haven for more than a dozen rare plant and animal species sheltered by the ancient dunes. Features an interpretive loop trail. Camping is available at a campground at Cape Point near Buxton Woods.
Buxton, in Dare County, along N.C. 12, (252) 261-8891 or (252) 995-4474 for campground information: www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/northcarolina/preserves/art5593.html
Cape Hatteras National Seashore
The slender barrier islands of Cape Hatteras National Seashore provide nesting space for sea turtles and piping plovers. The maritime woods support deer and other creatures. Parts of the beach close periodically to protect nesting areas. Cape Hatteras is home to a famous lighthouse and is a prime spot for fishing and collecting seashells.
Northern entrance: at the junction of U.S. 64 and N.C. 12 in Nags Head. Southern entrance: on N.C. 12 just north of Ocracoke, accessible by ferry; (252) 473-2111 www.nps.gov/caha/
Chowan Swamp Game Land
Chowan Swamp, a favorite spot for hunters and canoers, is an excellent place to spot black bears, otters and turkeys.
Along the Chowan River, Gates County; multiple access points, including public boat ramp at end of N.C. 1111, south of Gatesville. For more information: (919) 733-7291 www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/northcarolina/preserves/art5600.html
Currituck National Wildlife Refuge
The 4,500-acre refuge, just north of Corolla, is managed as a satellite of nearby Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge. The land, sandwiched between the Currituck Sound and the Atlantic Ocean, includes beaches, grassy dunes, maritime forest, shrub thickets and fresh and brackish marshes.
Refuge begins three-fourths-of-a-mile up the beach from where N.C. 12 ends in Corolla, (252) 429-3100 www.fws.gov/currituck/
Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
Details, under "Chesapeake"
Jockey's Ridge State Park
Entrance: Carolista Drive, Nags Head, (252) 441-7132 www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/jori/main.php
The stunning Jockey's Ridge features the tallest "living" sand dune on the Atlantic Coast, a tough climb that offers a spectacular view. On the dunes, shifting sands, howling winds and heat combine to create a harsh, desert-like environment. But visitors also can explore the more forgiving estuarine habitats.
Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge
This refuge straddles the state line, with its 8,200 acres split between Currituck County and Virginia Beach. The site juts out into the Currituck Sound and ranges from freshwater and brackish marsh to upland forest. Both peregrine falcons and bald eagles nest here, and it's home to other raptors, wading birds, shorebirds - and a breeding population of wood ducks.
Refuge office: Knotts Island, on N.C. 615, one mile south of the Virginia state line, (252) 429-3100 www.fws.gov/mackayisland/
Merchants Millpond State Park
This park includes Lassiter Swamp, the remnants of an ancient bald cypress swamp. The swamp, creek and forest also are a stopping point for migrating birds. Canoes are available for rental, and the park includes campsites.
71 U.S. 158E, Gatesville, (252) 357-1191 www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/memi/main.php
Nags Head Woods Ecological Preserve
Designated a National Natural Landmark in 1974, the preserve now includes more than 1,000 acres, administered by The Nature Conservancy and open to the public daily from dawn to dusk.
701 West Ocean Acres Drive, Kill Devil Hills, (252) 441-2525 www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/northcarolina/preserves/art5618.html
Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge
The 13-mile long refuge on the northern end of Hatteras Island ranges in width from a quarter mile to a mile and includes ocean beach, dunes, fresh and brackish ponds, salt flats and salt marsh. It's a popular stopover for migrating birds. The refuge has a visitor center and wildlife trails, and offers guided canoe tours and other special programs.
10 miles south of Nags Head on N.C. 12, (252) 473-1131 www.fws.gov/peaisland/
Eastern Shore
Assateague Island National Seashore
Assateague Island has sandy beaches, salt marshes, maritime forests and coastal bays, with a landscape that is constantly being resculpted by the wind and water. Most famous for its feral horses, Assateague also is a hot spot for bird watching. During the summer, piping plovers nest on the beach. Camping is allowed only in the Maryland district of the island; children's programs are available in the summer. Hiking, biking, swimming, surfing and fishing are permitted in some areas.
Along Virginia's Eastern Shore. Virginia visitor information, (757) 336-6577; camping, (410) 641-3030 www.nps.gov/asis/
Cape Charles Coastal Habitat Natural Area Preserve
On the bay side of the Eastern Shore, this 29-acre preserve has coastal beach, dune and maritime forest habitats and is home to the threatened northeastern beach tiger beetle. Access to the beach is restricted to researchers and land managers.
Northampton County, (757) 787-5576 www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural_heritage/natural_area_preserves/capecharles.shtml
Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge
This wildlife refuge includes more than 14,000 acres of beach, dunes, marsh and maritime forest. The refuge also has management programs aimed at restoring threatened and endangered species, including the Delmarva Peninsula fox squirrel and the piping plover. The refuge has a new educational center that offers exhibits and an auditorium.
8231 Beach Road, Chincoteague, (757) 336-3696 www.fws.gov/northeast/chinco/
Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge & Fisherman Island National Wildlife Refuge
The 1,127-acre refuge is a temporary home each fall to millions of monarch butterflies and songbirds and to thousands of raptors heading south for the winter. The area is also home to foxes, deer, otters and a wide range of other animals. The refuge includes a visitor center, walking trails, boat ramp, photography blind and special ranger-led activities. Nearby Fisherman Island is not open to boat or foot traffic, but tours are offered on Saturdays from October through March. Registration, via phone or e-mail, is required.
5003 Hallett Circle, Cape Charles, (757) 331-2760 www.fws.gov/northeast/easternshore/
Kiptopeke State Park
Kiptopeke offers access to the Chesapeake Bay, with a swimming area, cabins and campsites, a boat ramp and fishing pier, playground and more than four miles of hiking and biking trails.
3540 Kiptopeke Drive, Cape Charles, (757) 331-1040 www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/kip.shtml
Magothy Bay Natural Area Preserve
The 286-acres preserve includes woodlands, forested wetlands and salt marshes. Shorebirds, waterfowl and wading birds can be seen foraging in the marshes, and the mud flats are a prime place for spotting diamondback terrapins and clapper rails. Public facilities are still in the development phase, and part or all of the preserve may be closed periodically.
In Northampton County. For more information: (757) 787-5576 www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural_heritage/natural_area_preserves/magothybay.shtml
Mark's and Jack's Islands Natural Area Preserve
This 2,000-acre preserve, owned by The Nature Conservancy, can be reached only by boat and is open only for educational or research purposes.
In Accomack County. For information: (757) 442-3049 www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural_heritage/natural_area_preserves/markjack.shtml
Mutton Hunk Fen Natural Area Preserve
This site, on the sea side of Accomack County, fronts on Gargathy Bay to the east and Whites Creek and Mutton Hunk Branch on the north. The preserve does not yet have any public access facilities.
In Accomack County. For more information: (757) 787-5576 www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural_heritage/natural_area_preserves/muttonhunk.shtml
Parkers Marsh Natural Area Preserve
The most notable feature of the 759-acre Parkers Marsh is the extensive salt marsh, which makes up about three-fourths of the site. The preserve has no public access facilities and can be reached only by boat.
In Accomack County. Call before visiting: (757) 787-5576 www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural_heritage/natural_area_preserves/parkers.shtml
Savage Neck Dunes Natural Area Preserve
This 298-acre preserve in Northampton County includes Chesapeake Bay beach, dune and maritime forest communities and a migratory songbird habitat. The preserve has parking facilities and a hiking trail. It is periodically closed for resource protection or management.
Savage Neck Drive (Va. 634), (757) 787-5576 www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural_heritage/natural_ar ea_preserves/savage.shtml
Wreck Island Natural Area Preserve
This pristine island has beaches, dunes, shrub land, salt flats and salt marsh habitats. This preserve can be reached only by boat and is open to the public Sept. 1 through April 14.
In Northampton County. For information: (757) 787-5576 www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural_heritage/natural_area_preserves/wreck.shtml