A heron at sunset in the waters and marshes of Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge
Many people visit Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge to spot birds, like this heron, that rely the natural resources of the landscape. NPS Photo / Middleton Evans

Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail

Federal Recreation Area · Virginia · National Park Service

People first arrived in the Chesapeake Bay during the last ice age. As glaciers melted, diverse societies learned to thrive in a world of water. When Englishman Captain John Smith explored the Bay in 1608, he documented hundreds of American Indian communities. Today, sites on his map are archeological treasures and sacred sites for tribal citizens. Come join us on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay!

Plan your visit

Know before you go

Official site
www.nps.gov
Managed by
National Park Service

Getting there

Directions on Google Maps →

What's here

Highlights: Archeology · Arts · Colonization and Settlement · Commerce · Trade · Dams · Explorers and Expeditions · Farming and Agriculture · Maritime · Native American Heritage · Religion and Spirituality · Science, Technology and Innovation · Transportation · Bridges · Roads, Routes and Highways · Wars and Conflicts · Colonial/European Contact Conflicts · Animals · Birds · Fish · Climate Change · Coasts, Islands and Atolls · Estuaries and Mangroves · Forests and Woodlands · Deciduous Forests · Geology · River and Riparian · Scenic Views · Trails · Water Trails · Unique Species · Rare · Endangered · Watersheds · Headwaters · Waterfalls · Wetlands · Marshes · Swamps

Activities & features: Arts and Culture · Craft Demonstrations · Cultural Demonstrations · Boating · Sailing · Boat Tour · Camping · Canoe or Kayak Camping · Car or Front Country Camping · RV Camping · Compass and GPS · Geocaching · Fishing · Food · Picnicking · Guided Tours · Hands-On · Arts and Crafts · Hiking · Front-Country Hiking · Paddling · Canoeing · Kayaking · Stand Up Paddleboarding · Whitewater Rafting · Junior Ranger Program · Tubing · River Tubing · Swimming · Wildlife Watching · Birdwatching · Museum Exhibits

Photos

  • A re-created American Indian town.
    Jamestown Settlement
  • Many baldcypress trees standing in the Chickahominy River
    Bill Portlock
  • A lone kayaker explores the Patuxent River
    NPS Photo / Middleton Evans
  • A view of the Susquehanna River and the boat dock at Zimmerman Center for Heritage
    Susquehanna Gateway Heritage Area

Nearby parks

Parks of Virginia

Douthat State ParkTwin Lakes State ParkWilderness Road State ParkAppomattox Court House National Historical ParkSailors Creek Battlefield Historic State ParkFort Monroe National MonumentWestmoreland State ParkGeorge Washington Birthplace National MonumentPowhatan State ParkBreaks Interstate ParkWolf Trap National Park for the Performing ArtsKiptopeke State ParkNew River Trail State ParkBear Creek Lake State ParkLeesylvania State ParkHungry Mother State ParkCape Henry Memorial Part of Colonial National Historical ParkArlington House, The Robert E. Lee MemorialYork River State ParkPetersburg National BattlefieldColonial National Historical ParkFirst Landing State ParkCaledon State ParkShenandoah River State ParkGreen SpringsClaytor Lake State ParkMason Neck State ParkPrince William Forest ParkMachicomoco State ParkStaunton River Battlefield State ParkGreat Falls ParkSky Meadows State ParkYorktown Battlefield Part of Colonial National Historical ParkPocahontas State ParkJames River State ParkNatural Bridge State ParkCedar Creek & Belle Grove National Historical ParkRichmond National Battlefield ParkFalse Cape State ParkWidewater State ParkHolliday Lake State ParkFairy Stone State ParkGrayson Highlands State ParkChippokes State ParkBooker T Washington National MonumentLake Anna State ParkFredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military ParkBelle Isle State ParkHigh Bridge Trail State ParkStaunton River State ParkSmith Mountain Lake State ParkManassas National Battlefield ParkShenandoah National ParkOcconeechee State ParkHistoric Jamestowne Part of Colonial National Historical ParkMaggie L Walker National Historic SiteNatural Tunnel State ParkSeven Bends State Park

59 parks mapped in Virginia

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Sources: National Park Service · updated 2026-08-12