Description

Belle Isle State Park, much of which is in active cultivation, offers a wide diversity of habitats. Narrow hedgerows, maritime pine forests, salt marshes, and scenic overlooks of the Rappahannock River attract a wide diversity of wildlife. A walk along the forest edge can turn up a variety of butterflies and songbirds and visitors may hear the whistle of a northern bobwhite. A trail winds along the salt marshes where visitors can view wildlife from an observation blind. The trail continues to a forested island. On humid spring and summer evenings, chorusing frogs, such as the eastern narrowmouth toad and gray treefrog, can be heard here. The park has a manicured picnic area overlooking the Rappahannock River where nesting ospreys can be seen on marsh structures in summer months. Bald eagles, terns, shorebirds, and waterfowl grace the river and its shorelines at various seasons year-round. Other wildlife common in the park include White-tailed deer, turkeys, groundhogs, rabbits, squirrels, moles, reptiles and amphibians.

Visit the park’s website for fee information.

Directions

Physical Address: 1632 Belle Isle Rd., Lancaster, VA 22503

From Warsaw, take State Route 3 East to SR 354. Turn right and follow for three miles. Turn right onto SR 683 at Somers to the park entrance.

From Kilmarnock, take Route 3 West to Lively, then left on SR 201 for three miles, then right on SR 354 for three miles and left onto 683 to the park entrance.