Local parks are managed by city or county governments, and constitute the largest component of our Central Virginia park collection.  Nevertheless, there are many more local parks available for use than we have in our list.  We chose only those parks that have nature hikes of some length, excluding neighborhood parks, sports complexes, and other facilities lacking natural areas of size.  We may add additional parks as time goes along and we become aware of hiking opportunities.

In addition to hiking possibilities, local parks tend to offer other recreational opportunities such as playgrounds, ball fields, picnic shelters, and recreation centers. They can be especially attractive for families with children or anyone who wants to relax or play after a hike.  Use the park link on our Web pages and maps to learn more about the amenities in each park.  Note that most local parks do not charge entrance fees, with the exception of a few parks that are devoted mostly to swimming beaches.

The best way to familiarize yourself with the total set of local parks in a given locality is to visit the Parks and Recreation pages for the local government.  In the links below, you can connect to the Parks site for the localities with the greatest representation in our parks collection.  For other localities, simply do a Google search on your own.

Chesterfield County Parks
Henrico County Parks
City of Richmond Parks
Hanover County Parks
Albemarle County Parks