Chesapeake Picnic

Nestled on Virginia's Northern Neck, in Lancaster County, and on the Rappahannock River with 7.5 miles of shoreline on the River and Deep and Mulberry creeks, Belle Isle State Park may be one of Virginia State Park's best kept secret.

We acquired Belle Isle State Park with the 1992 General Obligation Bond. Thanks to the 2002 State Park and Natural Area Bond we have added facilities that transcend the park from a mostly day use park to a full service park.

We brag about the staff at all of our parks, but time and again we get comments from the public about how exceptional the Belle Isle staff are. They go out of their way to make every visitor's stay memorable. The park has a Chief Ranger Interpreter who manages nature and cultural programming appropriate for all ages. Click here to search for programs by park, date, and type. But you don't have to take my word for it, check out this blog post by a family who recently visited the park and participated in the Junior Ranger program. Here are pictures the family took of their stay at the park and their participation in the program.

For overnight accommodations, the park offers 28 campsites with electric (up to 50 amp service) and water hookups. The sites are spacious - can hold up to a 45 foot RV - and great for tents, pop ups or large RVs. There is lots of buffer vegetation which means privacy. The bath house is our new design that features family shower and changing rooms. Opening soon will be our Camping Lodge, a facility we use for our Youth Conservation Corps and other volunteer groups. The Camping lodge sleeps up to 14 on bunk beds and uses the campground bath house. It isn't fancy but it's great for groups who want a slight step up from a camping experience.

We also rent the Bel Air Mansion and Guest House. These facilities make a popular venue for weddings and parties (see the Park Office about special use permit requirements) but they are wonderful for family vacations as well.

The park's motor boat launch area features a screened-in shelter, grills and rest rooms, and docking is permitted during daylight hours. Annual passes for the boat launch are available at the park office or by calling our reservation center at 800-933-7275. If you don't have your own boat, the park offers a number of rental options for canoes, kayaks and motor boats so you can explore the waterways around the park.

There is a car top launch for canoes and kayaks on the other side of the park adjacent to the fishing pier and boardwalk trail on Mulberry Creek. Unfortunately a recent storm took out part of the boardwalk trail loop, but we hope to have that repaired in the near future.

On land, rent a bicycle to explore the park or set off on foot to experience the multi-use trails that expose the visitor to seven types of wetlands and coastal agricultural fields. When I was there a few weeks ago, the corn crop reminded me of that song from the musical Oklahoma - the corn was as high as an elephant's eye! The park also features multi-use trails that permit equestrian use along with a horse trailer parking area.

Click here for a park map that includes detailed trail information. Stop by our information station, located next to the camp store, to view and print detailed trail maps. The camp store sells gift items, fishing licenses, bait and drinks. The park is a great venue for a picnic by a group or family with picnic shelters available for reservation and tables overlooking the river and adjacent to the park's playground.

The park's new visitor center will be another great asset to the park. It is located with a great view of the River and access to a nature trail for environmental education. Unfortunately, we don't have any exhibits at this time but it serves as a great base for some of our environmental programs. The diversity of the park's ecosystems make it a great backdrop for quality environmental education.

A summer concert series sponsored by the Friends of Belle Isle State Park is a great way to spend a summer evening. The park is also home to the annual Bay Seafood Festival in early September. There is lots to see and do in the area around the park as well.

For reservations for camping or the Bel Air mansion and guest house, book on line or call the State Park Reservation Center (Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) at 800-933-7275. Picnic shelters may be reserved by calling the Reservation Center.