Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge

This is one of my favorite parks to visit in Virginia beach.
Really cool place to take wildlife pictures.
There are some neat wooden trails and kayak launches too.
I love going especially when the waves are rough because you can hear them from the trail.
There’s an area past the gravel trail where you are able to view the ducks/​birds without disturbing them. They can make a lot of noise!
Ps: Unfortunately dogs are not allowed at this park!

April to October
Took the family there for a planned bike ride on March 31. Wow we were looking forward to it. We had never been to Sandbridge area and the 8+mile loop was calling our names. Bought a new bike rack and fixed the bikes up for the trip. Long story short, the full trail doesn’t open up untl 01 April and runs through October. UUUGGGHHHHhhh. Had to tell the kiddos that the one mile loop was all we were allowed on. My wife and I had scoured the websites on this place but somehow missed this important piece of information.
Lots of wildlife and cool things to see, but not for us this day. We will have to go back there to check it out again. We did go out onto the beach for a little while. Kids were good sports about it and they want to go back.
Lesson is to do your homework and look at the hours of operation before you drive an hour and a ½ to a location.

Back Bay National Wild Life Refuge offers a beauty all it’s own.
It is an ecosystem that is largely undisturbed by man. There is fish and wild life in abundance. Yet, you must be willing to slow down to observe it.
Animals will stay in their hiding places if they are unsure of their safety.
The trail is tough on the feet. Carry plenty of H2O. Bike awesome! Bring camera with a nice lens or some binoculars.
This isn’t really kid friendly if you want to go deep into the reserve. The conditions are just too difficult for most. You can do it, but you will probably wish you hadn’t.
The path can probably handle a good motorized chair but once again if you don’t have plenty of power and water this could be a bad situation. If dehydration is an issue stay close to visitor station.
I don’t have a Kayak but I imagine this would be epic!

Interesting place to take the kids. You never know what you may see. We saw a number of mammals, insects, reptiles and birds. The beach trail was our favorite. It does get very hot in the summer months with very little cover. There is water at the visitors center but don’t fill up bottles or you will be fined.
The bugs especially the deer flies can swarm and be nasty. Be prepared if you plan to trek to false cape sp. the deer flies won’t give up or leave you alone. You will be bitten if you venture too far from the visitors center.
This past week I was there three separate times on my annual holiday. I will be back.

This park is really beautiful. Lots of migratory birds to see.

The $ 5 entry fee is a steal for what this place has to offer:
–gorgeous dunes
–lovely trails
–birdwatching
–plant-​looking
–and plenty of spots to stop and take romantic pics
If you happen to be in the area and like nature, you must find your way here.

Great park but TOO MANY RULES! The only activities allowed are wildlife related activities.
For example, I like to dolphin watch, but the ranger said I was sun bathing and that I needed to keep walking. Well, I had a shirt and hat on so I don’t think that counts as sun bathing. Basically you can sit still in the interior of the park and call it bird watching, but sitting still on the beach is not allowed. In the past, I have sat still long enough that horses, feral pigs and deer are able to be seen.
No surfing. Apparently the park controls what happens beyond the low-​tide line. I didn’t even think that was possible, but I’ve seen the rangers tell kids that they are not allowed to body board while their parents shore fish.
No potable water. Not a rule, just a warning. They don’t let you fill up your water bottles in the ranger station, and the water from the sink in the bathrooms is untreated well water. I wouldn’t touch that stuff without boiling it first. Even the ranger told me last month it was pretty much guaranteed to get you sick.
The BEST thing about Back Bay is that it is the path to get to False Cape, where they let you sit on the beach, and have all the twice-​filtered water you could want, and plenty of beach camping.
I used to volunteer at Back Bay looking for turtle crawls to protect the eggs from predators, so I have spent plenty of time at the park.

A fantastic refuge for birds and people alike, light years away from Virginia Beach. This is a great part of the state that welcomes day-​trippers, weekend beach visitors, and campers alike. The dunes trails to the Atlantic are great, as are the bayside hiking paths. Lots of places to rest, soak in the surroundings, and leave with digital memories.

I cannot say enough good things about Back Bay. It is my favorite place to visit in Virginia Beach, and since we always rent on Sandfiddler Road, it is really easy to get to.
The entry fee is $ 5 per vehicle, but if you get there before the guard house opens — before 8 am — you won’t have to pay. I would suggest getting there early anyway. I usually go around 6:30 — 7:00 am, to avoid the heat and see more wildlife. Every time I have gone I have seen at least four or five different animals — once we even saw the wild horses!
The trails are very well-​maintained. For a quick walk, I’d recommend the Bay Trail or the Seaside Trail. Trams run through out the day, and guide you around Back Bay and into False Cape (the adjoined state park to the south). They also run nature programs for the kids on certain days.

There is an entry fee, so come with cash (I don’t think they take checks or credit/​debit cards). There is a small visitor center, too. Nice scenic trails, and I enjoyed watching the wildlife.