Virginia Birding and Wildlife Trail
Site Information
- Seasons: All
- Site Contact: (804) 333-4038, winery@ bellemount.com
- Site Access: Fee, Daily
- Visit Website
Facilities
eBird:
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Site CNN21: Heritage Park Resort
Description
The 243-acre Heritage Park Resort is a remnant of a several thousand-acre plantation. The entrance road rapidly ascends a steep hill. Its grassy crest offers a breathtaking view of the surrounding landscape that gently descends to the Rappahannock River, a few miles away. The hill slopes gently to the shores of Cat Point Creek. Native Americans camped along the creek's bank to harvest the water's abundant fish and clams. The creek remains an important spot for spawning fish, which offer an abundant food source to bald eagles, osprey, wading birds, and waterfowl. The eclectic Resort offers a mix of low-density campsites, deciduous forest, mowed fields, scrub habitat, as well as a pond and tidal freshwater wetlands. The woods are alive in summer with breeding birds, deer, and other wildlife. A visiting beaver occasionally shows off for visitors at the Resort's small pond. Information on trails is available at the Resort's office.
Directions
From the Rappahannock River NWR, return to Rt. 640/Sandy Lane and Rt. 636/Strangeway Road, turn left on Strangeway Road, and proceed 0.3 miles to the Rt. 624/Newland Road intersection. Turn right, travel 1.7 miles, and turn left into the resort's entrance. To return to the interstate, follow Rt. 624 south for several miles to US 360. Turn right and follow US 360 across the Rappahannock River Bridge. In Tappahannock you can take US 17 47 miles to I-95 or follow US 360 South for approximately 90 miles to I-295.
Loop Map
