Riverview Park

Elevation: 1731 ft.

Located slightly away from downtown, Riverview Park seems to have fewer visitors than Bisset Park. If visited early in the morning, the park produces a variety of wildlife. One of the shyer residents of the New River, the muskrat, appears to be most active early in the morning. During this time, it is possible to see several sitting along the banks of the river cleaning their whiskers or, more often, using their thin flattened tail to propel themselves, their progress making a thin wake in the water. Their cousin, the woodchuck, can also be easily viewed early in the morning as they graze around the edges of the park’s soccer fields. Otter are occasionally seen swimming and cavorting in the river. Birds along the river are also at their most active early in the morning with species such as downy woodpecker, eastern kingbird, Carolina wren, eastern bluebird, warbling and red-eyed vireos, indigo bunting, song sparrow, Baltimore Oriole, cedar waxwing and house finch calling from the treetops. Out on the river, green heron can be seen perched alongside eastern painted turtle and enjoying the morning sun. Numerous Canada geese float lazily on the current. During migration periods, a variety of shorebirds could appear on the rocky and muddy banks, with solitary and spotted sandpipers being the most likely species to occur.