Ivy Creek Natural Area

Great easy spot to get to. Took the family for a hike. Haven’t taken a hike in a long time. The trails were challenging but manageable. Well maintained. Met a volunteer who was there to see if any trees were blocking trails.
Easy to read maps.
Pretty water views as well.

Great place, has several trails that loop through streams, we’ll maintained and convenient location.

Hidden gem in Charlottesville. Free access park with really well maintained and well marked trails at many different lengths. Beautiful surroundings. In my experience it’s the best walking/​hiking close to town.

Nature trails and park six minutes from 29 and Hydraulic Road. There is a barn open on Saturdays and and education center. One pathway is paved and the others are either dirt paths or have grass. With no bug spray and socks the unpaved paths were out of the question so I cannot say how these trails are. There is a large field with a pollinators garden though you can hear traffic from Hydraulic Road there.

One of my favorite places in the world. Worth a visit in good weather. Great place to think.

Great place for near city hiking and seeing the prolific wildlife nearby. Its goal of being a nature area does limit the activities in the park– no jogging, dogs, etc. It is a great place for kids, there is a creek not far down the trail that kids love to splash around in.

A great place for short, easy hikes, or picnics on the hill. It’s likely you’ll get to see some deer, and maybe a beaver or two. I wish you were allowed to run on the trails, but I haven’t been caught yet!
It would be nice if the county could put down sidewalks (everywhere, anywhere!) along the road leading to Ivy Creek so you could walk, ride your bike there. But there’s ample parking at the site.

After living in C’ville and attending UVA for multiple years, it wasn’t until my third year that I finally found out about this place. I took my boyfriend to both here and Shenandoah for his birthday and we both loved it! It was the beginning of August, so we were dripping in sweat, but equipped with thawing pre-​frozen water and a pocket fan hehe.
It was so lovely and peaceful. I loved passing by the open areas in the forest with the logs. Seemed like such a romantic area for a picnic. I loved the view of the creek with all of the hanging vines. It was all so peaceful. I saw 3 deer just standing there peacefully, closer than ever before. The sound of the birds, everything was so tranquil.
Not a difficult trail, but it’s a bit of a stretch on a hot August afternoon, of course. I think I took the red path. One of the best free forms of entertainment that we still have around.

One of many reasons Charlottesville is an awesome city, and UVA is an excellent place to be a student. So peaceful – in some places you’ll feel you’re in the mountains.