The water is an icy blue

You hope your fingers won’t be too,

It’s not a time for jumping in!

 

But sit awhile and you will find

A sense of calm and peace of mind,

When it’s just you and some sanderlings.

 

Biking is a great way to enjoy the beach at False Cape State Park.

 

At the southern tip of Virginia Beach sits a park that exemplifies the beauty of coastal Virginia in winter: False Cape State Park. Despite its stunning 6 miles of Atlantic beach, you won’t find crowds at this park. What you will find is an ideal place for wildlife viewing and peaceful reflection.

 

Getting there is half the fun!

Why wait? Your winter beach adventure can start even before you reach False Cape State Park. In order to get to the state park by land, you must first walk or bike through Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge. However, the interior trails that connect the refuge and state park (the West and East Dike Trails) are closed from November 1 through March 31. During this closure period, you can only get to False Cape by walking or biking through the refuge on the beach.

Park in the refuge parking lot (no fee November 1 – March 31), and take the short Seaside Trail over the dunes to reach the beach. Please keep in mind that pets are not allowed in Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge, and the refuge closes at sunset.

Take the short Seaside Trail to reach the beach at Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge.

 

Beach walking or biking might sound daunting, but with a little planning it’s a lot like being on a dirt road. The trick is to time your trip within 2-3 hours of low tide. This will ensure you have lots of hard packed sand on which to walk or bike. A quick internet search for “tide chart Sandbridge, Virginia” will give you a good idea of when the low tides will occur during your visit. Luckily for planning purposes, ocean tides are determined by the moon and can be predicted far in advance. It’s also a good idea to check the weather before your adventure. It can be cold and windy near the ocean, so be sure to dress appropriately.

Time your adventure around low tide and you will find plenty of hard packed sand for walking or biking.

 

Winter Wildlife

Sharp-eyed visitors will have a chance to see a large diversity of wildlife from the beach. Keep your eyes peeled for birds like sanderlings running along the edge of the water or northern gannets plunging into the ocean in search of a fishy meal. Dolphins are a regular visitor to our coastal waters and can often be seen playing in the waves or swimming together in large pods.

Sanderlings run along the edge of the waves looking for aquatic insects.

 

One insider wildlife viewing tip: look for large groups of birds diving into the water together. This is a good indicator that a school of fish is just offshore, and is the best place to find other wildlife like dolphins and even the occasional whale!

Keep an eye on the ocean to spot dolphins playing in the waves.

 

Peace and Quiet

The farther you get from the refuge parking lot, the fewer people you will encounter. Once you arrive at False Cape State Park you will only see a handful of people, even if you spend the whole day. Bring a blanket and a thermos of hot coffee, and enjoy having the beach to yourself. You might even feel moved to write a little poetry, do some sketching, or try out your photography skills so don’t forget to pack a notepad and camera.

One of the best features of a winter beach is having the place to yourself.

 

Next time you are looking for a winter adventure, come experience all the wonders of the beach at False Cape State Park!

Learn more about False Cape State Park here, and Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge here. For more information about accessing this state park call (757) 426-7128 or email the False Cape office at falsecape@dcr.virginia.gov.