Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
Managed by United States Fish and Wildlife Service
50,334 acres28.9 mi of trail
East Ditch TrailCamp Ditch TrailJericho Ditch Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: US Army Corps of Engineers, photographer not specified · Public domainA−Outdoors
Outdoors in Chesapeake
36% of Chesapeake’s land is conserved: 78,585 acres
9,343 acres are parks and preserves, 37 per 1,000 residents. The biggest trail networks: Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge (28.9 mi), Northwest River Park (10.6 mi), Oak Grove Lake Park (2.7 mi). 145 miles of mapped trail cross Chesapeake, 0.4 per square mile of land.
Ahead of 84% of U.S. towns · #63 of 253 in Virginia. What drives it
Conserved land
36%
78,585 acres · of 338.5 sq mi of land
Trails
145 mi
0.4 per sq mi of land
Park land
9,343 ac
37 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
71%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
39 mi
3.3 mi lanes · 35 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
28
8 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Chesapeake?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Chesapeake have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Chesapeake is ahead of 84% of U.S. towns, #63 of 253 in Virginia. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; conserved land ranks highest, the share of residents near a park lowest.
A−
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Chesapeake’s overall grade.
Conserved land36% of the land · typical VA town 4% · U.S. 4%A+Trails0.4 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (145 mi) · VA 0.7 · U.S. 0.4BPark land37 acres of park per 1,000 residents (9,343 acres) · VA 8 · U.S. 13A−Parks close to home71% of residents within a half mile of a park · VA 76% · U.S. 72%B
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 84%
LessMore
Virginia towns of 2,500+ (253)Ahead of 75%
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Chesapeake ranks #146 on Outdoors.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from B+ to A. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, with 28.9 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Northwest River Park
Managed by City of Chesapeake
759 acres10.6 mi of trail
Indian Creek TrailMolly Mitchell TrailShuttle TrailFresian Horse Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Chesapeake Arboretum
Nature preserve
45 acres2.5 mi of trail
Central LoopSouth LoopNorth LoopStewartia Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Chesapeake Arboretum Parking
Chesapeake City Park
Managed by City of Chesapeake
83 acres2.1 mi of trail
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
All 70 parks & preserves
Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge50,334 acres · 28.9 mi of trail · United States Fish and Wildlife Service
DirectionsNorthwest River Park759 acres · 10.6 mi of trail · City of Chesapeake
DirectionsOak Grove Lake Park167 acres · 2.7 mi of trail
DirectionsBells Mill Park137 acres · 2.6 mi of trail
DirectionsChesapeake Arboretum45 acres · 2.5 mi of trail
DirectionsChesapeake City Park83 acres · 2.1 mi of trail · City of Chesapeake
DirectionsWestern Branch Park89 acres · 1.8 mi of trail
DirectionsElizabeth River Park13 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
DirectionsGreat Bridge Battlefield & Waterways Historic Park8 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsDeep Creek Lock Park24 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsLakeside Park12 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
Campostella Square Park7 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
Camp Moonya30 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Riverwalk Parkway Park and Playground21 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Great Bridge Lock Park16 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsCreekwood South Park9 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Southwestern Park4 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsCavalier770 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
DirectionsCamelot Park8 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Cavalier State Wildlife Management Area3,763 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
DirectionsDismal Swamp Canal Trail Park183 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Chesapeake
DirectionsIndian River Park87 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsOakbrooke Park8 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsOld Mill Park5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Plymouth Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Cedar Crossing Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsNorthwest River State Natural Area Preserve2,124 acres · Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation
Heritage Park281 acres · City of Chesapeake
Deep Creek Park232 acres · City of Chesapeake
DirectionsCenterville Park92 acres
Charlton - Mott Youth Complex63 acres
Diamond Estates Park41 acres · City of Chesapeake
Cornland Park33 acres
DirectionsWestern Branch Trail18 acres · City of Chesapeake
DirectionsSawyer's Mill Park16 acres
DirectionsEtheridge Lakes Park14 acres
Dunedin Park13 acres
Stonegate Park12 acres
Izaak Walton League Park11 acres
Cheshire Forest Park11 acres
Battlefield Park South9 acres · City of Chesapeake, VA
DirectionsJames W. McNeil Park9 acres
Hunter's Cove Park8 acres
Emerald Lakes Park7 acres
Marsh Creek Park7 acres · City of Chesapeake
Stonebridge Landing Park7 acres · City of Chesapeake
Miars Plantation Park5 acres
Cascade Park5 acres
DirectionsRivers Edge5 acres
Portlock Play Area5 acres
Frederick Consolvo Practice Fields4 acres
DirectionsCrossways Park4 acres
DirectionsLake Drummond Reservation4 acres · United States Army Corps of Engineers
Judge Eileen A. Olds Courtyard Park3 acres
DirectionsJohnson Park3 acres
DirectionsCrestwood Park3 acres
Paradise Creek Nature Park1 acres · Elizabeth River Project
Crossings at Western Branch Park1 acres
Etheridge Point Park1 acres
Butterfly Park1 acres
DirectionsBallahack Boat Ramp1 acres · City of Chesapeake
Harbour North Park1 acres
Oak Grove Meadows1 acres
DirectionsKevin Houston Park at Cedarwood1 acres
Queen City Park1 acres
Bryant Farms Park1 acres
Goose Creek Estates1 acres
DirectionsSouth Hill Play Area1 acres
Long Ridge Park1 acres
Blue Heron Landing Park1 acres · City of Chesapeake
Who protects it
78,585 conserved acres
36% of Chesapeake’s land. Who manages Chesapeake’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service101,852 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits12,665 ac
Town or city7,657 ac
State fish & wildlife4,505 ac
Other or Unknown Federal Land3,685 ac
State conservation2,784 ac
Other or Unknown Local Government1,487 ac
National Wildlife Refuge · 101,852 acState Conservation Area · 9,751 acLocal Park · 9,031 acConservation Easement · 8,215 acPrivate Conservation · 7,611 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 3,223 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 4 of 286 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 101,852 | Restricted |
| Cavalier Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 5,255 | Open |
| Northwest River State Natural Area Preserve State Conservation Area | State conservation | 4,494 | Restricted |
| North Landing River Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 3,944 | Closed |
| Northwest River Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 3,587 | Closed |
| US Government NW Radio Station Federal Other or Unknown | Other or Unknown Federal Land | 2,795 | Open |
| Northwest River Park Local Park | Not recorded | 1,513 | Open |
| Chesapeake Fee Simple Holding Local Park | Town or city | 1,284 | Open |
| Chesapeake City Easement Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 1,232 | Restricted |
| Stumpy Lake Natural Area Local Park | Not recorded | 757 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
157 places to go in Chesapeake
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Public pools in Chesapeake
1 public pool without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Playgrounds in Chesapeake
Bounce House
DirectionsCenterville Baptist Playground
DirectionsGreat Bridge Primary School Playground
DirectionsIndian River Community Center Play Area
DirectionsNorthwest River Park PlaygroundHours: Mo-Su,PH 09:00 - (sunset- 00:30) · In Northwest River Park
DirectionsOak Grove Lake ParkIn Oak Grove Lake Park
Directions124 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Chesapeake
Western Branch Park - Dog ParkHours: sunrise-sunset · In Western Branch Park
DirectionsPlus 2 dog parks without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in Chesapeake
Indian Creek Launch
DirectionsPlus 7 boat launches without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Chesapeake
Otter Point OverlookIn Northwest River Park
DirectionsPlus 4 scenic views without a name on the map.
Picnic areas in Chesapeake
Picnic Shelter #1
DirectionsPicnic Shelter #3In Western Branch Park
DirectionsPlus 8 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Campgrounds in Chesapeake
Camp Baker Boy Scout CampFee · Tidewater Council BSA
DirectionsCamp Moonya Scout CampFee · In Camp Moonya · Tidewater Council
DirectionsChesapeake CampgroundFee · Chesapeake Campground
DirectionsLake Drummond Reservation PrimitiveIn Lake Drummond Reservation · United States Army Corps of Engineers
DirectionsNorthwest River Park CampgroundFee · In Northwest River Park · City of Chesapeake
DirectionsDisc golf in Chesapeake
1 disc golf course without a name on the map.
Trails & water
25 named trails and 28 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 30.3 miHorses · 3.0 miUnpaved · 45.2 mi
East Ditch Trail4.9 mi
Camp Ditch Trail2.0 mi
Indian Creek Trail1.9 mi
Molly Mitchell Trail1.2 mi
Shuttle Trail1.1 mi
Fresian Horse Trail1.1 mi
Central Loop1.0 mi
Deer Island Trail0.8 mi
Otter Point Trail0.7 mi
boundary path0.7 mi
15 more trails
Paint Horse Trail
0.6 miSouth Loop
0.5 miQuarter Horse Trail
0.4 miPaso Fino Horse Trail
0.4 miNorth Loop
0.4 miTrail
0.4 miSpotted Horse Trail
0.4 miMain Trail
0.3 miwalking path
0.2 miArthurs Court
0.2 miMolly Mitchell Accessible Trail
0.2 miEntrance 4
0.1 miStewartia Trail
0.1 miCutthroat Trail
0.1 miArabian Horse Trail
0.1 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Crystal LakereservoirGreat Bridge LockKemp Woods LakepondLake DrummondlakeLake ForestreservoirLake HugheslakeLake LesalakeOak Grove LakelakePeanut PondpondPoolSouth PondpondWinchester PondpondAlbemarle and Chesapeake CanalAlbermarle and Chesapeake CanalBailey CreekDeep CreekDismal Swamp CanalDrum Point CreekGoose CreekIndian CreekNew Mill CreekNorthwest RiverPocaty RiverSaint Julian CreekScuffletown CreekSmith CreekSouthern Branch Elizabeth RiverSterns Creek
Biking & sports
39 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
3.3 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
35 mi
off-road bike paths
0.9 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
103Baseball
90Tennis
34Soccer
22Basketball
19Football
11Multi-sport
8Tracks
5Volleyball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →8 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 7 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Great Bridge Battle SiteSite · listed 1973
About itSouth Norfolk Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1989
About itWallacetonBuilding · listed 1994
About itOld Portlock School #5Building · listed 2000
About itCentreville-Fentress Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2003
About itOaklette Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2003
About itSunray Agricultural Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2007
About itCornland SchoolBuilding · listed 2015
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Chesapeake: April and May
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.9 | 10.8 | 11.9 | 13.1 | 14.1 | 14.7 | 14.4 | 13.5 | 12.4 | 11.2 | 10.2 | 9.7 |
| High (°F) | 51 | 54 | 61 | 70 | 78 | 85 | 89 | 87 | 81 | 72 | 62 | 55 |
| Rain (in) | 3.6 | 3.0 | 3.9 | 3.5 | 3.9 | 4.6 | 5.5 | 5.3 | 5.2 | 4.0 | 3.3 | 3.4 |
February is the driest month (3.0 in) and July the warmest (highs of 89 °F). 5.5 inches fall in July, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 89 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Chesapeake →
Next door
Chesapeake and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chesapeake | 36% | 0.4 | 37 | 71% | A− |
| Portsmouth | 2% | 0.6 | 6 | 76% | B− |
| Virginia Beach | 30% | 0.8 | 29 | 94% | A |
| Suffolk | 17% | 0.7 | 17 | 44% | B+ |
| Norfolk | 8% | 0.6 | 7 | 86% | B+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Chesapeake
Where can I hike in Chesapeake?
The longest trail networks: Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, 28.9 miles; Northwest River Park, 10.6 miles; Oak Grove Lake Park, 2.7 miles; Bells Mill Park, 2.6 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Chesapeake is conserved land?
36% of its land, against a typical 4% for a Virginia town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Chesapeake’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Chesapeake City Park (on leash). For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Chesapeake?
39 miles of bike routes are on the map: 3.3 of painted or protected lanes, 35 of off-road paths and 0.9 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Chesapeake?
42,388 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Chesapeake or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 10,209 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Chesapeake have?
Ahead of 84% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #63 of 253 in Virginia. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Chesapeake neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →