Get Out! Outdoor Activities Start With the River
Lots of cities offer good fishing or kayaking or maybe hiking and mountain biking. But few give outdoor lovers the variety of options that Richmond does. No matter what your preference, the intrepid explorer will find it all starts with the James River – our great, wet Central Park.
America’s founding river offers ample fishing as well as the only urban whitewater Class III and IV rapids in the nation. Lining the banks of the James west and east of downtown is a series of parks that makes up the James River Park System. Here, there are miles of trails for mountain bikers, hikers, birders, dog walkers and others. The JRPS also boasts rock climbing on the Manchester Wall and on Belle Isle.
The capital city has much for the outdoors lover, but anything it lacks can be found with just a moderate drive. A good place to start would be Pocahontas State Park in Chesterfield County. At 8,000 acres, and with two lakes and miles of trails, it is an oasis in an area of ever-encroaching suburbs.
Fishing
In the James River, shad, catfish, perch, herring, smallmouth bass and striped bass offer opportunities for anglers of every skill level. Start as far west as Huguenot Flatwater on Riverside Drive and continue through downtown to Ancarrow’s Landing off Maury Street.
Where the James widens and becomes tidal through Osborne Landing and Dutch Gap, blue catfish are the favorite catch, though channel cats and striped bass are plentiful as well.
Thanks to an urban stocking program revived two years ago by the state Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, anglers can find trout and catfish in Shields Lake in Richmond’s Byrd Park.
Swift Creek Reservoir, Pocahontas State Park and Lake Chesdin are Chesterfield County freshwater destinations. Dorey and Echo Lake parks in Henrico County and Courthouse Park in Hanover County also provide public fishing. Dorey Park Lake is included in the urban trout-stocking program.
Hiking/Backpacking
The James River Park System has trails around the Pony Pasture, the Wetlands and Belle Isle. Several paths also wind around areas of downtown Richmond and Manchester, including a trail that follows the Flood Wall for 1.5 miles.
A challenge is the 7.5-mile Buttermilk-North Bank loop, a trail that runs roughly from Belle Isle to the Boulevard Bridge on the south bank, then connects with Maymont Park on the north bank and loops back to Tredegar Ironworks.
Counties surrounding the city also have numerous trails. Henrico has 13 established sites, Chesterfield has nine and Hanover has seven.
Boating
For whitewater enthusiasts, the falls of the James at Richmond can challenge even skilled paddlers with Class III and IV rapids. Above Bosher’s Dam, the river accommodates boaters of many skill levels. For information on high-water permits, call 646-6663 or 646-4229.
Paddling instruction is offered by various organizations, such as Adventure Challenge, 276-7600 or www.adventurechallenge.com. Chesterfield County Department of Parks and Recreation also schedules classes.
In addition, Riverside Outfitters (riversideoutfitters.net; 560-0068) and River City Raft (rivercityraft.com; 232-7238) provide rafting trips in the city.
Power boaters have access to ramps on the James at Ancarrow’s Landing in Richmond, Osborne and Deep Bottom landings in Henrico County and Dutch Gap in Chesterfield County. For more info, visit www.dgif.virginia.gov/boating.
Camping
More than 20 state parks have camping facilities, some of them in primitive sites with limited access. More than half of the parks have climate-controlled cabins for overnight or weekend getaways. For information: www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/index.shtml or the Virginia Tourism Corp., (800) 847-4882, www.virginia.org.
Hunting
Virginia’s wide variety of terrain – mountains, swamps, coastal plain, upland hardwood and Piedmont pine forests – gives hunters plenty of game. The major seasons are for deer, bear and turkey, and all can be hunted with bows, crossbows, muzzleloaders and general firearms (shotgun or rifle, depending on the county).
VDGIF publishes a digest of seasons and regulations. Its Web site also lists seasons and regulations and offers the online purchase of hunting licenses.
This article originally published in Discover Richmond. Click here to view more Discover articles, or send us an e-mail to request a copy of the magazine.
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