Hiking Virginia Beach: Back Bay Wildlife Refuge

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We love going to the Back Bay Wildlife Refuge . It is a very quiet and peaceful area. At least for now, it does get a lot busier during the summer months when the tourists are in town.

On this trip we took the short hike up to a gate and circled back. During the summer months, the gate is generally open and you can walk the 3 miles to False Cape State Park.

Parking

Back Bay Wildlife Refuge is at the end of SandPiper road. On the way, you will pass Little Island Park. After passing the entrance booth to the park, the road winds through the dunes and arrives at the visitor center. There is parking on the left. There is also additional parking on the right. The refuge does not charge an entrance fee from November to March.

Trail

There are a few trails around Back Bay Wildlife Refuge. On this trip, we followed the dirt road that goes towards False Cape State Park. On the way we took a quick detour on the boardwalk path to an overlook over the dunes. It is a short walk to the overlook. There are stairs that continue on to the Seaside Trail. This trail is a 2.0 mile loop. On this particular trip, we just went to the overlook and then returned to our original path. You can take the beach and continue on to False Cape State Park.

Back on our original path, we continued on. This path to False Cape State Park is lined with trees. If you peek through the trees, you can see the dunes on one side, on the right there are marshes. You can see the cattails swaying in the wind.

The path follows to a gate that continues on to False Cape State Park. Just a quick note, this trail is closed from November – March and you can not hike or bike through to False Cape State Park. On this trip the gate was closed. We visited in February. However, it was exciting to see four or five deer resting and eating on the other side of the gate. We watched them for a few minutes before continuing on.

At the gate we followed the path to the right. Then there is another path that then goes to the left that leads to a building that has an overlook. When you go inside, there are bleachers and binoculars on a stand. The building overlooks the marsh and is very beautiful. You can relax and watch the birds and animals. It is very peaceful and quiet.

The overlook area has a restroom but it was locked when we were there.

After enjoying the marsh views, you can head back down the path to return to the main path. The path passes a building and travels back towards the visitor center. The marshes will now be on your left. There is a little pond that will be on the right.

Bikers also use the path. There were a few families there with their little ones biking. It is a very family friendly area and everyone is very nice. Dogs are not allowed in Back Bay Wildlife Refuge.

 

Wildfire

As we were walking back, we noticed a smell and realized the marsh had several burnt areas. It appeared there had been a fire recently. We did an internet search and found that the refuge had four fires occur in the last couple weeks. There was not really any information surrounding the wildfires. All the wildfires put themselves out. The proximity to the marsh helped with that. Just a great reminder to be careful with fire. We were actually a little shocked because the area we were in should not have had any fire or open flames. My hope is no one is intentionally starting the fires. I also hope people aren’t out there smoking and being careless.

False Cape State Park

I hope to get out to False Cape State Park soon. The park is accessible by hiking and biking. Beach transport, tram and boat are the other options. There is not access to drive there. From Back Bay Wildlife Refuge it is a 3.5 mile hike to reach False Cape State Park. Just a few notes about False Cape State Park, you will need to go through Back Bay Wildlife Refuge to reach it. Back Bay is open from dawn to dusk, generally 30 minutes after dawn and before dusk. You must be out by these times. Please keep that in mind when hiking the Beach trail. In addition, cars will be towed if you leave it after closing.

More Hikes to Come

Until I took up hiking as a hobby, I did not realize just how many trails are near me and all the wonderful things they have to offer. I have hiked a few of the trails in the last month and am excited for my next adventure. Although I would like to hike more often, I do depend on family and friends to trek with me so it is slowing me down just a little.

On the plus side, I have also started noticing all the other wonderful activities available like biking trails, paddle boarding and kayaking / canoeing. I have always known these activities were around but never gave them a second thought. I am excited for the summer and warmer weather so I can enjoy these activities as well.

If you are in the Virginia Beach area or planning a visit soon, Back Bay Wildlife Refuge is definitely a great place to visit and get some hiking in. It is a wonderful adventure if you are looking for a short hike. There are many beautiful overlooks and photo opportunities. The wildlife and environment is perfect for it.

I hope you are enjoying your hiking adventures! If you have any questions or would like to share your about your hiking trips, please comment below. I would love to hear from you.

Happy Hiking,

Michelle Louise

e. michellelouise@hikingnewbies.com

Hiking Newbies is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases linking to Amazon.com and affiliated links. When you use the links on this page to make a purchase, I may get a small commission. You don’t pay anything extra by purchasing through these links. It’s a win-win all around. See our Full disclosure for more info. Thank you for your support!