Have you visited the beautiful Machicomoco State Park? Located in Hayes, VA, I enjoy this wonderfully unique area and want to share some activities you can do at the park when you visit.

The word Machicomoco (phonetically pronounced: mah-chee-com-oco) is Algonquin for “special meeting place.” Machicomoco is fittingly named as it is the park’s goal of fostering a greater public appreciation for the legacy, significance and culture of Indigenous Peoples to the local region.

1. Enjoy Birdwatching

Machicomoco State Park is in the southern part of Gloucester County and provides a wonderful location to spot numerous types of birds. The park is located along the York River and the different ecosystems within the park make it a special place for birding.

Comprised of 645 acres, Machicomoco State Park contains a high diversity of habitats ideal for wildlife viewing including tidal marshes and wetlands, farmed fields, shrubby grasslands, longleaf pine stands, and mixed forest which make this one of the premier wildlife viewing locations along the Commonwealth’s Middle Peninsula.

The main park road is a paved 3.3-mile loop which can be driven at leisure with multiple adjoining parking areas that allow visitors to pull off and explore the variety of habitats and onsite amenities. American kestrels and Eastern meadowlarks are a relatively common occurrence in the road-adjacent fields which, when flooded, create an ideal habitat that migratory shorebirds such as upland sandpipers and black-bellied plovers may find attractive.

There have been 175 species of birds identified by both staff and park visitors. Guests are encouraged to pick up a bird list at the main office.

When you go birdwatching be sure to bring along your binoculars so you can get a closer look at the birds you are hearing. It is also beneficial to use the Merlin ID bird app to help you identify the sounds from the different species.

2. Tour the Timberneck House

Machicomoco State Park is full of history and a great way to experience the park and better understand the area is with a tour of the Timberneck House.

Many years after the colonization of the Virginia Indians’ lands, the Timberneck House, the only remaining historic structure within the park today, was built by the Mann family in 1793. The home was completed four years later and eventually owned by the Catlett family, whom the Catlett Islands are named after. Today, you can still see the islands from the Timberneck House sitting in the York River, formally known to the Powhatans Peoples as the Pamunkey River.

Every Tuesday from now until December 19, the park has a program called Timberneck Tuesdays. This program takes place thanks to the Fairfield Foundation, a local non-profit organization, that opens the Timberneck house for free walk-in tours. The tours discuss the early history of the 18th-century families buried at the site and the 19th-20th-century history of the Catlett family. During the tours, you will see volunteers working hard on restoring Timberneck. If you are interested in historic restoration and helping out at Timberneck, feel free to explore the park’s volunteering opportunities.

The Fairfield Foundation is dedicated to promoting and involving the public in hands-on archeology, preservation and education activities within Virginia's Middle Peninsula and surrounding areas. Contact the Fairfield Foundation via email at fairfield@fairfieldfoundation.org or phone at (804) 815-4467 regarding volunteering or other questions.

3. Kayak and enjoy a picnic

Visitors can expect a fun paddling adventure during the Catlett Island Paddle Tours. Rangers provide an excellent program on the park history, culture of Virginia's Indigenous Peoples, and the ecosystems of the marshes and estuaries. Wildlife viewing is a major part of the program. Visitors experience a truly special trip as they paddle along historical waterways used by the Indigenous Peoples of Virginia.

Please note that water access is closed from Nov. 1 through Jan. 31 to protect migratory waterfowl that use the area for overwintering.

Before or after spending time on the water, a picnic is a great way to refuel and enjoy the beauty of the park. There are two picnic shelters available for rent by calling the Customer Service Center at 800-933-PARK. Shelters can be rented from 8 a.m. to dusk (all day).

There are other programs that the park offers in addition to kayaking so be sure to check the park’s event webpage to check for upcoming programs.

4. Stay overnight

The park offers camping options with sites for vehicle camping as well as hike-in tent sites and three overnight yurts. These accommodations provide a nice place to rest in between your park adventures.

Nearby state parks include Chippokes, Belle Isle, York River and Pocahontas State Park.

Gloucester County has many restaurants, shops, farmers' markets, breweries, historic sites and other family-oriented activities. You’ll want to visit the Gloucester Courthouse area to check out the main street art projects, outdoor wall murals, and the Werowocomoco and Pocahontas Exhibit at the Visitor Center. Additionally, Yorktown, located just over the Coleman Bridge to the south, has an extensive amount of history and outdoor activities.

For information on the availability of overnight accommodations, particular park amenities or to make a reservation, you can reserve online or call 800-933-PARK.

5. Hike the Interpretive Area

Hiking is always a fun way to explore the park’s scenery and wildlife, and Machicomoco offers scenic views full of rich historical resources.

The interpretive area of the park provides visitors with an opportunity to learn more about the history of Virginia Indians and how they are a critical part of our history today. The area includes a path of history with time blocks that tell of significant occurrences in the life of the Indigenous peoples of the area. This path leads to an open educational pavilion reminiscent of an Indian longhouse, where you can find additional information on Virginia Indian culture. From this structure, the path continues out into the landscape with a gravel, oyster shell and mown grass path, letting the visitor walk through the natural environment, enjoy views of the river and land, and learn some of the Algonquian language at locations of rest and reflection along the way. Plantings of native trees, shrubs and other plants, all a part of Indian life for food, medicine and ceremonial purposes, surround the educational pavilion.

In honor of this historical landscape, the park has been hosting an Indigenous Peoples Celebration to share this story with the public. This year the event will be held on November 4 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. in the Interpretive Area. There will be performances by the Rappahannock Native American Dancers and the Maskapow Drum Group at 10:30 a.m., 12 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.

The Interpretive Area is a special place because of its focus on the unique history and culture of Virginia's Indigenous Peoples. Their story of persistence is evident through the interpretive features throughout the area.  As visitors walk the trail, they will come across structures and the observation pier, which include Algonquin words and their English translation.

You can expect to see early successional forests while hiking on the nature trails. The Forestry Trail weaves in and out of established forests and grasslands. While walking along the Interpretive Trail, you are immersed in the history and culture of the Indigenous Peoples of Virginia with a beautiful backdrop of Poplar Creek and the Catlett Islands just off the park.

Plan your visit to Machicomoco State Park

Machicomoco is a unique state park with a unique name. No matter when you visit, you will find a staff member who is eager to assist you and very passionate about their job.

With daily activities available along with comfy overnight accommodations, you should start planning your visit to Machicomoco today.

Visit the Machicomoco State Park camping webpage for more information.