Description
With forested rolling hills and a 53-acre lake, this 239-acre county park offers an excellent location for year-round birding and wildlife viewing. Explore the park by foot on 3 miles of moderately difficult trails or by water via boat, kayak or canoe. The area is locally popular for bird watching, particularly on the lake itself, which hosts a diversity of waterfowl in the winter, some shorebirds in the spring, and common loons in spring and fall. The park is also popular for viewing migrating wood warblers, which are attracted to the park’s forests surrounding the lake during spring and fall. Bald eagle, red-shouldered hawks, belted-kingfisher, cedar waxwing, and a diversity of woodpeckers have been observed year-round. Summer birding opportunities include wading birds, flycatchers, swallows, and orioles. In addition to the birds, careful observers may spot American beaver, eastern painted turtles, and American toads. On warm summer days, a diversity of butterflies may be observed, including silvery checkerspots, eastern swallowtails, and pipevine swallowtails.
Kayak and canoe rentals are available seasonally. A trail map for the park can be found on the Albemarle County Parks and Recreation website.
Wildlife Sightings
Birds Recently Seen at Chris Greene Lake:
- Common Merganser
- Mourning Dove
- Turkey Vulture
- Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
- Downy Woodpecker
- Pileated Woodpecker
- American Crow
- Carolina Chickadee
- Tufted Titmouse
- Ruby-crowned Kinglet
202 species have been reported at this site to date.
Recent Checklists:
| Date | # of Species | Submitted By |
|---|---|---|
| 23 Jan 2026 | 20 | David Kaczka |
| 21 Jan 2026 | 19 | Brett Mitchell |
| 17 Jan 2026 | 4 | Tim Chaney |
| 17 Jan 2026 | 4 | Monica Chaney |
| 17 Jan 2026 | 7 | Julie Smith |
Amenities & Accessibility Considerations
Site Amenities
- On-site Parking
- Restrooms
- Kayak/Canoe Launch
- Boat Ramp
- No Fee or Permit/Pass Requirement
Other Site Amenities: Hiking Trails, Paddlecraft Rentals
Maps & Directions
Physical Address: 4748 Chris Greene Lake Road, Charlottesville, VA 22911
From Charlottesville, travel on US-29 North to Airport Road. Turn left onto Airport Road following signs for Charlottesville Albemarle Airport. In less than a mile, take a slight right turn at the traffic circle toward Dickerson Road/SR-606. Continue on Dickerson Road/SR-606 for just over a mile. Turn left onto Chris Greene Lake Road/SR-850 and continue for 0.4 miles. Follow signs for Chris Greene Lake.
Site Information
Managed By:
- 0
Access Requirements:
Contact Information:
- Visit Website
Sites, or portions of sites, can be closed periodically for management activities. Please always check the site’s website for additional information prior to visiting.
