15 Reasons to Visit York River State Park, Virginia

What better reasons to visit York River State Park than hiking, history, and health benefits? This and other state parks provide a great way to get outside and enjoy nature any time of year. York River State Park is a short drive from Richmond, Virginia, as well as the Hampton Roads area, and Virginia Beach in the southeastern corner of the state. It’s also an easy drive from the Washington DC area.

Growing up as the granddaughter of a farmer and just steps from the great Lake Erie in a small town in Ohio, I’ve always had a deep love of nature. So I wasn’t really surprised to find out that a recent study found that:

“Living close to nature and spending time outside has significant and wide-ranging health benefits — according to new research. A new report reveals that exposure to greenspace reduces the risk of Type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, premature death, preterm birth, stress, and high blood pressure.”

Click on any icon on the map to get more details about the location.

Visit a Park Nearby

Even if you live in the middle of the city, nearly every place has some green space nearby. We lived in a more rural area of Virginia, but I still love the chance of getting out to a park where I can enjoy a change of scenery that’s new and different from what I see at home. Virginia’s east coast is also filled with so much history along its beaches on the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay.

York River State Park – Virginia

Living in Virginia provides some great chances to explore outside and one sunny weekend we decided to visit York River State Park, near Williamsburg, VA. We were greeted by a friendly park ranger who accepted our $5 entry fee and then gave us a Park Day pass and a park trail map.

Before you plan your visit be sure to check the York River State Park Events Page to see all the fun activities that are available when you go.

Know Before You Go to York River State Park, VA

York River State Park is easy to find. It’s just 45 miles east of the Virginia capital of Richmond, or 70 miles north of Virginia Beach. Follow Interstate 64, then exit west of Interstate 64 and head to 9801 York River Park Road, Williamsburg, Virginia, 23188. If you’re coming from Washington DC, it’s a quick 3-hour weekend getaway from the city.

The park is open daily from 8 a.m. to dusk all year.

Pets are permitted on a leash no longer than 6 feet (2 meters). Do not leave pets unattended and be sure to clean up after them. You’ll find picnic tables and playgrounds around the park. Some picnic shelters can be reserved for groups.

There is no camping onsite in the park, but here’s a link to some of the campgrounds and RV parks in the Williamsburg, VA area.

When we arrived at the park we saw a reasonable amount of cars in the parking lots, but the park is 2531 acres (1024 Hectare) and offers over 18 miles (29 KM) of hiking trails, so the people were all spread out comfortably. In total, there are more than 30 miles of hiking, mountain biking, and equestrian trails. Visitors can explore the marshes, creeks, York River, shorelines, and forests.

Hiking, Biking, and Equestrian Trails

York River State Park has nature trails of every kind – from easy to difficult and from the half-mile (0.8 km) Beaver Hiking Trail to the Meh Te Kos Bridle Trail exclusively for horses and riders at 4.5 miles (7.25 km). If you like mountain biking, the John Blair Bike Trail is about 10 miles (16 km) long with moderate difficulty. And of course, you can combine any number of trails to stay busy all day and beyond. We were there for the afternoon and covered about 3 miles of hiking, as well as a leisurely visit to Fossil Beach (more on that below). You can find more details about the trails plus a trail map and bike map on their website here.

The York River State Park trails are very well maintained. You’ll see wooden walkways in forested areas where the ground might normally be soggy. There are also raised wooden boardwalks built to cross over some of the marshy areas.

Taskinas Creek Trail

One of the trails we hiked was Taskinas Creek Trail. It’s about 2 miles (3.2 km) with moderate difficulty and passes through fields and forests that border the creek. There are several observation decks where you can look for nesting Osprey, Heron, Eagles, and more.

I know there are many different kinds of hikers out there. Some have a goal of getting from point A to B as fast as possible. While I’m sure that’s great for your heart rate, I’m not that kind of hiker. I always carry a camera or at least my phone so I can stop and observe and capture the details of nature around me.

We started our hike with a trail along the river’s edge, behind the Visitor’s Center. Then after a stop at Woodstock Pond, we continued along the river to Fossil Beach.

Fossil Beach

When we started our hike we had no idea that a Fossil Beach was in the park and I never expected to see fossils of ocean marine life along a river! The fossils are everywhere you look along the shore and embedded high up in the sandy cliff. They date from 2 to 8 million years ago when this area was about 200 feet (60 meters) underwater. (Click the image to read about the fossils)

The York River is so wide that it feels like you’re on the shore of a lake. No swimming is allowed in this spot, but you can wade in the water, walk along the shore, or even bring a picnic lunch. You’ll find sand, grass, and driftwood along with intriguing fossils.

Fossil Frenzy

Searching for fossils is a fun activity for young and old alike. Several times during the year the park hosts a “Fossil Frenzy” where park rangers talk about the history of these fossils and the group, which is open to all ages, is allowed to search for fossils with the ranger helping to identify their treasures. If you participate, you’re allowed to take one fossil home. If you click on the image below you can see thousands of fossils exposed on the side of the cliff.

NOTE: Digging into the cliffs is prohibited.

We didn’t even have to do any digging. I picked up this Chesapecten (scallop) fossil in the sand at the edge of the water and there were many more there too. Chesapecten Jeffersonius was the first fossil identified in North America in 1687 and is the State Fossil of Virginia. Amazing to think how long these fossils have been in the ground waiting to be discovered.

Fun Things to Do Near York River State Park

Boating and Fishing

The park is unique in that there are three distinctly different areas of water to explore, a freshwater pond, a saltwater river, and a brackish creek that has a mixture of both. There is no swimming allowed in any of these areas.

You can normally rent a variety of watercraft for use on the creek, river, and pond from April 1 through the end of October. You may even be able to canoe under the stars where the park website says,

“Get away from the city lights and gaze at the celestial bodies in the night sky. Discover how to identify constellations and hear a legend or two of how they came to be. This program is dependent on the clarity of the viewing sky on the night it occurs. Reservations with prepayment only.”

Always call ahead to see what’s available based on the season and the weather. You’ll also find several fresh and saltwater fishing spots with different license requirements in the park.

Woodstock Pond

This freshwater pond is a beautiful place to sit and watch birds like Bald Eagles and Northern Cardinals. You could catch a glimpse of a frog or snapping turtle along the shore as well. The pond offers freshwater fishing for Largemouth Bass and Bluegill. You’ll need a Virginia Freshwater Fishing License to fish from a boat, the shore, or platforms there. Paddleboats, Jon boats, canoes, and kayaks can be rented for use on the pond in season. Private boats aren’t allowed on the pond.

Taskinas Creek

This tidal creek has a mix of fresh and saltwater surrounded by marshes. Taskinas Creek averages about 6 1/2 feet (2 meters) deep and 65 feet (20 meters) wide where it feeds into the York River. This creek is one of four sites along the York River that make up the largest estuary in America. It was designated as a Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in 1991.

You’ll find a small boat launch area not far from the Visitor Center. Feel free to bring or rent a canoe or kayak to paddle around and catch some dinner of Catfish or White Perch in the creek. From your canoe or one of the many viewing platforms and trails around the marsh, you may see the majestic Great Egret or Green Heron. If you’re lucky, you may even see a muskrat or a non-venomous black and white striped Eastern King Snake.

Ranger-guided canoe and kayak trips are offered at the York River State Park Visitor Center at various times during the year. You can learn about salt marsh ecology on the Taskinas Creek canoe trip.

York River

One of the wonderful things about our little corner of Virginia is that so many of the rivers that flow into the Chesapeake Bay are massive compared to some other parts of the country. The park’s namesake York River enters the Chesapeake Bay about 5 miles east of the historically famous Yorktown. The York River is almost straight. Its width ranges from 1 mile (1.6 km) at its head to 2.5 miles (4.0 km). It runs about 35 miles from the small town of West Point, Virginia, southeast to the Chesapeake Bay. The water is brackish at West Point and becomes saltier as it flows to the Bay.

You can learn about the natural and cultural history of the York River on a ranger-guided kayak trip. Personal motorboats are allowed on the river, but none of the rental boats at the park have motors.

Croaker Landing Pier

Croaker Landing Pier offers parking, fishing, and restrooms for $6 per vehicle/per day. No fishing license is required when fishing from the 360-foot pier, but it is required if you fish from the shore, in a boat, or in other areas of York River State Park. You’ll also find a boat ramp for access to the York River. Anglers can catch Atlantic Croaker and Striper. From March to mid-April you could find Channel Catfish in the river when the salt levels are lower. If you live nearby consider buying a Virginia State Parks Annual Pass for parking, boat launching, and pier fishing online or by calling 1-800-933-PARK.

Catching Blue Crabs

You can find Blue Crabs along the York River shoreline in warmer months. You won’t need a fishing license to catch Blue Crab at York River State Park as long as you don’t use commercial fishing equipment. Each person can set up two crab pots (traps) and take up to 1 bushel (.035 cubic meters) of hard crabs or 2 bushels (.07 cubic meters) of peeler crabs each day without a license. Here’s more info about recreational crabbing rules in Virginia which includes licensing info, size limits, season dates, and possession limits,

If you’d like to see more photos of wildlife and boating activities at York River State Park, check these out on Flickr.

The York River in History

Have you heard the name, Captain John Smith? He was a British explorer who arrived with a small crew in this area of Virginia in 1607. At the age of 27, he was part of the first Virginia Company expedition and became a leader of the group that settled in Jamestown. In addition to his work in the settlement, he also explored and mapped over 3,000 miles (4800 km) of the Chesapeake Bay and adjoining rivers. His mission was to find a route to the Pacific Ocean and claim the land for England. He was also looking for natural resources like gold and minerals, and developing relationships and trade with the various tribes of indigenous people.

Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail

The 3,000-mile Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail was established from the maps and journals left behind by Captain Smith and is the first National Historic Water Trail in America. It includes stops in York River State Park. The trail includes museums, parks, driving tours, and water trails.

You can download the 100-page FREE Boater’s Guide to the Historic Water Trail here. You can also find a mobile version now here. The Guide provides detailed information about the 5 states that are part of the water trail. You’ll also find recommendations for other books and websites about this period of history. You can stop by to see a statue of Captain John Smith in Williamsburg. It’s on the map above as well.

You can also find many other books about the life and activities around the Chesapeake Bay here.

Check out these other posts on my blog about More things to do in Virginia.