Wilderness Road State Park

The park is open daily from 8 a.m. - dusk. The Visitor Center is open daily from 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. mid-March through December 22, 2024. Winter hours begin December 23, 2024 through March 16, 2025. During winter hours the Visitor Center is open Monday – Friday from 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. and is closed on weekends.

Martin's Station is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. (closed Mondays and Tuesdays, except May 31, Memorial Day and Sep. 6, Labor Day) between May 1 and Oct. 31.

TRAILS

Wilderness Road Trail, an 6.5-mile hiking, biking and equestrian trail, is registered as a stop on the Virginia Birding and Wildlife Trail.

Indian Ridge Trail, a .77-mile self-guided, is a natural heritage trail.

The .9-mile, hiking-only Pioneer Trail offers scenic views of Martin's Station Fort and the iconic White Rocks.

Fisherman's Loop Trail, which is 1.1 miles and for only hiking, runs beside the trout fishing area.

We visited while staying at Natural Tunnel State Park, and it was about a 1-hour drive to get here. The scenery was breathtaking the whole way.

Our first stop was the Visitor Center, and we walked the museum and watched a short video.

We then started our tour of the grounds and this cabin was interesting, and we were able to get a good look at it.

We started making our way to the fort.

We meet the local pigs and then the fort was in site. Be sure and call ahead to find out what days the fort is going to be opened, we were not able to see inside except through some holes in the walls.

Fire pit and Craft Table

Peek inside the fort at a cabin and the blacksmith forge.

Wow!

Another blacksmith shop outside the fort and a craftsman shed.

The Gardens

Some of the wildlife we observed on the trail.

Another view of the fort and the monument, we read while resting under the trees on a bench.

The 6-mile trail is very flat and well maintained. You can walk it in tennis shoes or ride bikes, and if you forget your bikes, they are available to rent at the Visitor Center. Be sure and stop to view the buffalo.

#SantaLovesCamping

Day 1, Friday, May 24, 2024

Virginia State Parks Website

Trail Quest

We arrived at James River State Park, and we came to the Meet and Greet Campfire and listened to Ranger Marty talk about the history of the banjo and entertain us with a few tunes.

We had a late supper with chicken, pineapple, veggies and cauliflower rice in a bowl.

We just chilled around the campsite for the rest of the evening.

Day 2, Saturday, May 25, 2024

For breakfast, we had scrambled eggs, turkey sausage and protein waffles. We wash the dishes outside like we did in Scouts. Two tubs of hot water, one with a teaspoon of Clorox and the other with Dawn. Wash and let soak in Clorox water for a few minutes and then dry. Although we occasionally use paper products, 95% of the time we use our plates and utensils and wash.

We went to the Visitor Center and registered for some of the weekend activities, and then looked through the museum that was there.

After lunch, we headed to Bear Creek Lake State Park and rented a tandem kayak and paddled around the lake. We saw a lot of wildlife in and out of the water. The cost was $10 an hour per boat and we had a great time. We split a drink and chicken tenders at the café after coming off the lake.

Here are some pictures of our campsite during daylight.

After dinner, we went on the wagon ride tour of the campground. We learned a lot about the history of James River State Park. The most popular attraction at James River State Park is the Tye River Overlook. Here the Tye River and James River converge at a perfect 90 degree angle.

That evening, and spent our time around the campfire just talking and eating smores.

Day 3, Sunday, May 26, 2024

Sunday morning for breakfast I had eggs and Amy had a BLT with egg. We both had tots and fruit.

For morning worship we attended services at Liberty Chapel Baptist Church. The pastor preached about us remembering.

After lunch, we went with a group from the campground on a canoe ride down the James. We stopped at Treasure Island and waded in the cool waters of the river.

That evening, we had another campfire and made our Sunday camp sandwiches.

Day 4, Monday, May 27, 2024 (Memorial Day)

We drove up the road to three Amish owned stores. The Townsedge Hardware store is one of the best hardware stores I have ever seen. The Cottontown Variety Store is a good place to pick up cloth, kitchen accessories and other variety items. The Farm Market is a great small grocery and be sure to pick up some ice cream, you will not regret it.