CHESAPEAKE, Va. — It’s time to take a walk with Patrick and this week he’s headed to Chesapeake, to check out a small park many of you probably drive by every day.
A few weeks ago we visited Northwest River Park in southern Chesapeake and were struck by how big the park and it’s trails are.
This week, it’s the same city, but a very different kind of park. Great Bridge Lock Park is in a busy area of Chesapeake.
The small peninsula is where the Elizabeth river meets the Albemarle and Chesapeake canal, part of the intracoastal waterway that runs 3000 miles from New England, through Florida and all the way to Texas, so most of the activities in this park are centered around the water.
There’s a popular boat ramp and plenty of fishing. It’s clear the walking trails aren’t really a major priority here.
We had a little trouble finding the entrance to the half-mile trail and there were no real trail markings to guide us and we did make a few wrong turns along the way, but since the park is on a peninsula, we were never lost for very long.
The water was always just a few steps away. The trail was a little narrow at some points and we ran into a few obstacles, but usually nothing too hard to navigate.
Despite all the recent rainfall, the trail was actually pretty dry.
Although some online reviews do say it can get a little swampy after a good downpour, we appreciated the canopy of trees which provides plenty of shade from the intense summer sun and there are some really nice water views along the way.
Photographers tell me this is a great spot to enjoy the sunset. The park does have public restrooms and a playground for the kids.
It’s been so hot and humid lately, I’ve been making a mental note to revisit some of these spots during our cooler months and I’d encourage you to do the same.
Great Bridge Lock Park is open from sunrise to sunset and dogs on leashes are welcome.
