Description

This 1500 acre privately-owned property has two areas that the owners have graciously opened to the public for exploration: a lower trail with a wetland (known as “the pond”) and an upper trail through the woods (known as “the woodland trail”). Visitors will find that Greenfield is full of surprises, beginning with the large beaver pond along the entryway. The damming of this small creek has flooded many acres, creating a wildlife-rich wetland that regularly supports great blue herons and, on occasion, great egrets. To view the wetland, visitors may pull over to the side of Greenfield Rd/ Rt. 656 to park and view the wetland from the road. A trail is available at the wetland, but please note that it is not marked; most folks prefer to just view the wetland from the road. As you continue along Greenfield Rd/ Rt. 656, toward the upper trail, be sure to take in the open tree line to the east favored by red-headed woodpeckers, who can often be seen pecking away on some of the larger dead limbs.

The upper trail/ “woodland trail” is .8 miles from the house and is marked with Virginia Bird & Wildlife Trail signs. It has parking available and offers a lovely short  half-mile hike. Once in the woods, look through the leaf litter for eastern box turtles and listen for red-bellied and downy woodpeckers. Careful inspection could reveal a white-tailed deer standing still, watching you, before bursting away in the other direction.

While visiting Greenfield, be sure to listen for the characteristic bob WHITE song of northern bobwhites, which inhabit the farm fields, and keep an eye out for resident wood ducks and migrating blue-winged teal. The area also supports dozens of butterflies with common buckeyes and viceroys fluttering all over, and the ubiquitous red-spotted purple almost everywhere you look. Dragonflies to keep an eye out for include slaty skimmers around the ponds and common green darners cruising the skies.

NOTE: Please remember that these two areas (the lower/pond trail and upper/woodland trail) are the only parts of the property that are open to the public. The rest of the farm is private property so please respect the landowner’s privacy.

Directions

Physical Address: 720 Greenfield Rd, Charlotte Court House, VA 23923

From Charlotte Court House, travel east on Church St./ Route 40 for 3 miles. Turn left onto Greenfield Rd/Route 656.

From Keysville, travel west on Church St./ Route 40 for 6.2 miles. Turn right onto Greenfield Rd/Route 656.

From  US-15 BUS/ S Main Street in Farmville, continue south onto US-15 S. Travel 16.4 miles on US-15 S, then turn right onto US-15 BUS S/ US-360 BUS W. Go 1.7 miles, then turn right onto VA-40 W/ Church St. Travel 6.2 miles. Turn right onto Greenfield Rd/Route 656 and continue 0.6 miles, looking for the pull-offs.

Park in the turnouts and walk down the left side of the road about 0.2 miles to the wetland on the left. The lower/pond trail will begin here. To reach the upper trail, continue .8 miles up the road from the house. Trail entrance is on left and marked with signs.