City: Chesapeake, VA

Category: Parks & Recreation

Telephone: (757) 421-7151 or (757) 421-31

Address: 1733 Indian Creek Rd.

Description: Still in the mood for nature? Then head over to Northwest River Park in southern Chesapeake. This 763-acre tract is located on the banks of the wide Northwest River and is owned and operated by the city. It’s open from 9 a.m. until sunset year-round and offers 70 campsites as well as two rental cabins for a quick getaway that doesn’t involve sleeping on the ground. If you hike quietly, you might surprise a few whitetails on Deer Island Trail. The park has 7 miles of winding trails, all teeming with wildlife, and a portion of one is accessible to the physically disabled. One of the shortest paths leads to an elevated wooden walkway over wetlands and an observation point on the Northwest River that shouldn’t be missed.There’s a ranger station loaded with information, and just outside is a fragrance garden with azaleas, camellias, honeysuckle, and other wildflowers, all under the shade of native hickory, pawpaw, oak, and buckeye trees.You can enjoy the river by boat, and the park rents kayaks, canoes, Jon boats, and paddleboats that can be used on an enclosed 40-acre lake that runs through some of the prettiest wooded areas. The lake is stocked with bass, bluegill, crappie, and catfish. You’ll need a valid freshwater license year round—and a Virginia trout license during the winter months when they put them in the lake. The park doesn’t sell licenses, though, so be sure to pick one up before wetting a line.If you want to break free, you can portage your boat to the Northwest River and paddle up Smith and Indian Creeks, which form the park’s boundaries, or launch your own boat in either and circumnavigate the park.There are plenty of picnic areas, with horseshoe courts and a children’s playground. You can rent a shelter or an activity building for your group. Sometimes, there are music acts on a portable stage, and the Virginia Symphony occasionally plays a concert along the river here.It’s far enough away from the bustle and lights that every month the Back Bay Amateur Astronomers organization gathers in the park’s equestrian area. Visitors are welcome and can get a primer on telescopes and what’s up there in the night sky. The Sky Watch begins at dusk and runs to midnight, but bad weather can force a cancellation, so be sure to check with the park before heading down. Otherwise, the park closes to day visitors at dusk.And that equestrian area is just that. If you have a horse, bring it to the park and ride here and on special trails. Daily passes cost $5 per person, or you can join the Equestrian Club for $15 a year, $30 for the entire family.