Northwest River Park Campground

Amazingly clean, modern restrooms and showers!!! Nice and large playground area for children. Camp grounds are not my style, as they are too close together for my tastes. I go outside for the solitude and serenity, not to be tent to tent with my neighbor. This park is great for families who do not want to stay in a hotel but not too far from modern amenities.

On this beautiful, sunny day, my cousin Kim (fellow Unilocaler), my daughter and I decided to start our day enjoying nature at Northwest River Park in Chesapeake. When we arrived, we decided we’d go canoeing first. Kim is a pro and my daughter and I… well, let’s just say that we could use a few lessons lol.
The Ranger signed us in, gave us some directions, and off we went. When we arrived to the area to get our life jackets, we weren’t sure exactly if we were suppose to wait for an attendant or just get our gear, canoe, and leave. We stood around for a second and watched the others who pretty much just got their stuff and did their own thing, so we looked at each other, shrugged our shoulders, got our life jackets, paddles, and chose our canoe.
We got off to a great start! We had a very peaceful experience canoeing and taking in the sounds and sights of nature. So grateful we sprayed ourselves down in deet! We had no problems with any bugs :-) I am also grateful I brought along Kim… someone who really knows how to canoe because if it had just been myself and my daughter, I’m sure we probably would have gotten stuck.
We had a lot of fun.
We certainly are planning on doing this again. We had such a great time, we decided that we’d have a snack and then go on a little hike. I’ve been to this park many times to help out with scouting events but I had not experienced all of the trails. My only experience was a night hike several years ago with the scouts.
Our hike was very hilly and scenic. It was peaceful and quiet. There were other people out hiking, fishing, and taking photos. Everyone was very friendly and welcoming. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and are looking to return again soon.

Not a great campground. It’s a rainy Sunday afternoon and they asked us to leave because they saw TWO beer bottles in our trash! The campground is empty and we have been quiet all weekend and wanted to stay another night. I understand it’s a rule, but really??? Literally, empty. I guess Chesapeake doesn’t need the money to help pay for «Ranger Ricks» paycheck. I’m stunned.

Have lived here thirty years and didn’t know this place existed. The event was fun and we will surely be back this summer.

Wow this is an awesome place! Just a short 30 min drive from where I am and so worth it! Has a few running trails varying from .75−2 miles. Wish they had more: P canoeing. paddleboating (perfect for a cute little date for me and my man) showers. Water taps on your campsite! Tons of room between sites due to not many people. Beautiful. Quiet. Lots of tree cover :) definitely would go again and tell friends!

Drove here yesterday for some late season leaf peeping and to get some cool, fresh air before I birth my second child and am restricted to my house until next year. This park is way out there, but that’s what makes it great. The drive up was lovely, especially during Autumn. Once you enter you immediately see the campgrounds, lake with canoes and paddle-​boats and the bike rental station. We opted to take advantage of the leaf covered trails which were seemingly empty, which was nice. Our son had a blast running through the woods and throwing leaves around, our dog enjoyed marking his territory on all the things he decided were «his» and my husband and I enjoyed the peace and quiet the wilderness provided, which also offered beautiful backdrops for some photo ops. I love nature and roughing it and I would absolutely love to come here and camp when I am not 10 months pregnant, but until then. Its just a really nice escape from the day to day hustle that is VA Beach. We will absolutely return!

We really like this park. It’s a drive to get here, but worth it. Tons of space to wander and spend the day. We parked and walked by the lake (kids really wanted to do paddle boats… another day), past the camping area entrance, onto a wide, level trail to the river. The trail was shady and flat, easy for walking. It wasn’t too buggy either. We got to the end of the trail and it opens up into wide space up against the river. We spent time here watching the river, butterflies, and letting the kids run around. It was a beautiful spot.
We saw another open space off the main gravel road. There is a camp store on site. There is a campground here. We really like this park and will be back.

I went to the park yesterday and it was too late to rent a pedal boat for my 2 grandsons so we rushed back today and got there at 330 pm we could have been out for 30 min. before all boats were due back in, but the guy with the badge would not hear of it! The sign said all boats due back by 4 pm!!! He was just lazy! My babies were disappointed!!!

We were looking to get out on an outdoor adventure on a recent Sunday morning, so I googled hiking trails in Chesepeake. This park popped up so we headed that way. We drove into the area and to the right is the road to the campground. We parked in one of the lots and headed down a trail. We didn’t get too far until we saw a really cool play area for the kids. So, off they went. In this area, there are some picnic shelters, a cool stage with seating and the playground. There were also four horseshoe pits, bring your own shoes. It was a nice area for some family fun and picnic, if that’s your thing.
The trail was a little too muddy so we turned around and ended up near the pond/​lake area with canoes and paddleboats. There were quite a few folks fishing there, as well. There was another hiking trail that originated here that we followed for a bit. We didn’t get to head down to the campgrounds since it was gated, which is a nice security feature for those wanting to camp. There was also a mini-​golf course near the camping entrance.
Overall, it’s a nice, secluded park that is quiet and has a number of activities for kids of all ages. I am sure we will be back when it’s a little warmer.

Great Chesapeake city park with plenty of campgrounds. Of course, we picked the coldest day of an otherwise perfect fall weekend to spend a night on the grounds. Leaves galore and plenty of wood to burn. The nearby bath house was in good shape and has a couple of showers as well as an electrical outlet between the sinks.
The rangers there were extremely helpful and the store has plenty of sundries to help with supplies. There are canoes to rent that you take out on the decent-​sized water on the park.
Glad we found it; we look forward to returning!

The park and campgrounds are gorgeous. We went for a stroll through the area the other day and loved how peaceful it was. We booked our campsite and will be sure to report on our experience.
There is a beautiful little lake with paddle boats and canoes. You are allowed to fish and they have trails for hiking all through the park. There’s a little camping store with a few items and some food. They have cabin rentals, camp sites, and rv hookup sites. They also have a bike rental and putt putt. I’m sure we are going to have a blast. More to come…