Parks
Charlottesville and Albemarle County boast
a number of parks and lakes for public use. Some of these
charge entrance fees "in season." The main ones
are listed below. For a complete list of parks, see their
Web sites or phone ahead.
City of Charlottesville Parks
www.charlottesville.org
970-3590
Charlottesville
Recreation & Leisure Services
www.charlottesville.org
970-3592
Call here to reserve picnic shelters in city parks.
Albemarle Co.
Parks & Recreation
www.albemarle.org
296-5844
Call here to reserve
picnic shelters in county parks.
Beaver Creek Lake
www.albemarle.org
296-5844
Getting there: Rt. 250 West to where Rt. 240 forks
off at Crozet. Turn a sharp right at sign just over the bridge
onto Brown's Gap Turnpike and go another mile.
With 104 water acres, this lake is the largest
and best fishing lake in Albemarle County. Water supply for
the Crozet area, so no swimming. Boat launch, but no gas motors.
Chris Greene
Lake
(photo at top)
www.albemarle.org
296-5844
Getting there: Take Rt. 29 North out of town. Left
on Rt. 649 (Airport Rd.). Right on Rt. 606 in front of airport.
Left on Rt. 850 (Chris Greene Lake Rd.).
Swimming, fishing, boating, canoe rentals,
picnic areas, large and small pavilions, playgrounds, boat
launch, and a fishing pier. All handicapped-accessible. Spring
crappie fishing is excellent. Limited walking trails. $3 for
adults, $2 for children 4-12 (in the summer only).
Darden Towe Park
www.albemarle.org
296-5844
Getting there: Rt. 250 East to Pantops. Left on Rt.
20 North opposite the shopping center (Stony Point Rd). Left
on Elk Drive.
This 110-acre park along the Rivanna River
includes four tennis courts, running trails, children's play
area, picnic shelters, three softball fields, and four multi-use
fields for soccer, lacrosse, and football. One picnic pavilion
may be reserved for as many as 80 people.
Ivy Creek Natural
Area
www.albemarle.org
973-7772
Getting there: Rt. 29 North to Hydraulic Rd. Left (north)
on Hydraulic Rd. Turn left on Rt. 743 (at the Rock Store);
look for entrance on the left.
A great place for hiking, birdwatching and
being in nature, while still in town. Just 10 minutes from
the Law School by car. Six miles of trails in the forest,
nature programs, bird walks. Owned jointly by city and county.
No biking and no dogs, even on a leash.
McIntire Park
Great wading pool for young children, swings, ball fields,
golf course, picnic areas, and nature trail. Dogs must be
on a leash. Getting there: 250 Bypass opposite McIntire
Rd. exit.
Mint Springs Valley
Park
www.albemarle.org
296-5844
Getting there: Rt. 250 west to fork with Rt. 240. Take
240 into downtown Crozet. At the T-junction by the railroad
bridge, turn left and immediately right (it's like going straight
with a jog in the road) on to Rt. 788 (Railroad Ave.). Follow
the signs to park, 1.5 miles on left.
Swimming, picnic shelters, playgrounds,
fishing, and 3.6 miles of hiking trails. Handicapped accessible.
Pavilions with fireplaces, grills, and tables may be reserved.
Pen Park
www.charlottesville.org
Getting there: Take 250
Bypass east to the Park St. Exit. Left on Park St. Right at
the traffic light on Pen Park Rd. and go to end.
This is the largest city park, with a nature
trail along the Rivanna River, handicapped-accessible exercise
trail, 18-hole golf course, tennis courts, volleyball, Little
League fields, three picnic pavilions, and playground. Dogs
must be on a leash.
Ragged Mountain
Natural Area
http://monticello.avenue.org/
Getting there: Rt. 250 Bypass west to the Rt. 29 Business
exit. Right on Fontaine Ave. One quarter mile up, turn right
onto Camp Holiday Trails Road, a narrow, curvy gravel road
popular with joggers. Parking lot on right after two miles.
A beautiful, somewhat rugged, natural area
for quiet hiking. No dogs, bikes, or jogging.
Rivanna Trails
http://avenue.org/rivanna
923-9022
Getting there: Several access points, including the
Law School (start at any of picnic tables in woods behind
Hunton & Williams Hall), Greenbrier Park on Greenbrier
Dr., Hydraulic Rd. near Brandywine Dr.
A series of trails in town linking city
parks along the Rivanna River. Trail sometimes gets overgrown
in summer, but nice in spring, fall, and winter. The section
behind Law School follows a pretty gorge behind Darden to
University Village. Dogs are allowed off-leash on designated portions of the Rivanna Trail on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays only. See the web
site for all access points
and new trails.
Walnut Creek Park
www.albemarle.org
296-5844
Getting there: Rt. 29 South about 5 miles. Left on
Rt. 708 (Red Hill Rd.), right on Rt. 631. Park entrance is
on left.
Great place for mountain biking. Swimming
in lake, nature trails, bike trails, fishing, picnic shelters,
and playground. Entrance fees between Memorial Day (last Monday
in May) and Labor Day (first Monday in Sept): $3 adults, $2
children.
Photo courtesy of
the Charlottesville/Albemarle Convention & Visitors
Bureau,
www.SoVeryVirginia.com
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Nature Comes to the City
Let's face it. Charlottesville is very close to
the mountains. But sometimes you don't want to drive even 20 minutes
to experience nature. For some great hikes and wildlife-watching right
in town, try two of the county's best parks, Ivy Creek and Ragged Mountain
Natural Areas. Created by the same foundation, both offer well-kept
trails and excellent bird watching on unspoiled land only 10 minutes
from the Law School. Ivy Creek also sponsors nature programs, including
star gazing, bird and butterfly-identifying walks, and various lectures.
Please help preserve both of these parks. No bikes and no dogs, even
on leash. The newest area, Ragged Mountain, in particular, is an area
for quiet enjoyment.
For a nice easy hike in the mountains, head
down Rt. 250 West to Mint Springs. After you park your car, head
across the field next to the parking lot. The trail head is at the
far head of the field. After a few minutes the trail forks. If you
take the right-hand trail, you will find yourself mounting the ridge
for some pretty views of the valley below. This trail will rejoin
the lower trail (the left-hand choice at the fork) to complete the
circuit, winding up at the picnic area by the lake. This trail is
especially nice in fall, when there is a lot of color, or in winter,
when the leaves are off the trees and the views are better.
Virginia Law Families Tip:
Ivy Creek Natural Area offers scenic nature trails,
several along water, of varying lengths. Trails are uneven, however,
and hilly terrain quickly tires small children. Excellent place for
an outing if you're equipped to carry very young children and reasonably
sure-footed. One guidebook indicated presence of a stroller-friendly
trail. That trail is so short and unscenic as to not be worth the trip.
Bring water and snacks; there is no place to get a drink along the
trails and the only restrooms are near the parking lot.
Thomas Jefferson Parkway Trail is a new, wide, nicely
surfaced, gently sloping trail that starts just off Route 20 South
(take Rt. 20 South exit off I-64, turn left a short distance down Rt.
20 at signs for Monticello/Michie Tavern, paved parking lot for trail
is a couple of hundred yards on the right). The trail is reasonably
scenic, and much of it is shaded. It is easily negotiated with any
stroller or by young children on bikes. Trail runs behind Michie Tavern
to the entrance of Monticello (approx. 1.7 mi each way). It's a gradual
uphill slope all the way, which makes the return trip with strollers
or bikes very easy, even for tired kids. Only drawback is there are
no watering spots or restrooms along trail.
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