William Byrd Park
Overview
Expert Summary
Detailed Insights
William Byrd Park is a highly-rated family-friendly destination offering diverse outdoor activities, from scenic and stroller-friendly walks with fitness stations to an adjacent area featuring a Japanese Garden and a small zoo with exotic animals like buffalo, bears, and eagles.
Key Highlights
- ✓The VITA trail is a one-mile loop with even, stroller-friendly terrain and various fitness stations along the way, perfect for active families.
- ✓Fountain Lake offers a beautiful half-mile loop with benches for resting and taking in the scenery; it's also the only explicitly mentioned spot with a building containing restrooms.
- ✓A stunning Japanese Garden and an adjacent zoo featuring live animals like buffalo, bears, and eagles provide unique attractions beyond typical park offerings.
- ✓Three different lakes (Fountain, Swan, and another unnamed) are within a couple miles radius, enhancing scenic beauty and offering various walking paths.
- ✓Paddleboats are sometimes available for rent, adding an extra activity option for families.
Standout Features
- ⭐One-mile VITA trail with fitness stations and even terrain, suitable for strollers.
- ⭐Fountain Lake, which is a half-mile loop, features benches and a building with restrooms.
- ⭐The unique Japanese Garden and an adjacent zoo with live buffalo, bears, and eagles.
- ⭐Scenic lakes, including Swan Lake, known for its serene beauty.
- ⭐Availability of paddleboat rentals (seasonal/intermittent).
- ⭐Ample benches and garbage cans throughout the park.
- ⭐Proximity to other attractions like the Virginia War Memorial and Dogwood Dell Amphitheater (hosting summer concerts).
- ⭐Free street parking around the perimeter.
Perfect For
Ideal For
💡Pro Tips from Reviews
- →If tracking distance for walking or running, be aware that the park's mile markers are inaccurate; you'll need to walk longer than indicated to complete a mile.
- →For families with strollers or bikes, note that many trails are crushed gravel; the VITA trail is specifically mentioned as having even terrain suitable for strollers.
- →Plan to use the restrooms located in the building at Fountain Lake, as it's the most reliably identified facility.
- →Bring wet wipes or be prepared for bird/goose droppings, especially if walking around Swan Lake or other lake perimeters.
- →Consider bringing a picnic, as the park is described as suitable for picnics, implying outside food is allowed.
Things to Consider
- ⚠The primary walking track's mile markers are inaccurate, requiring users to walk further than indicated to reach a true mile.
- ⚠Many trails, including the main walking track, are described as crushed gravel, making them unsuitable for longboarding and potentially challenging for certain stroller types or bicycles.
- ⚠Sidewalks around Swan Lake and other lake areas can be dirty due to significant bird and goose droppings.
- ⚠There is some uncertainty about restroom availability, with only the Fountain Lake building being clearly identified.
Price & Value
Entry to William Byrd Park itself appears to be free. Costs may apply for optional activities such as paddleboat rentals (when available) or entry to the adjacent zoo, though specific pricing for these was not mentioned.
♿Accessibility & Special Needs
- •The VITA trail is described as having 'even terrain' and is 'stroller-friendly', indicating good accessibility for those with strollers or potentially wheelchairs.
- •The park is easily accessible by car from major roads including Nickel Bridge, Arthur Ashe Boulevard, and the downtown expressway.
🍎Food & Drink Policy
- •Picnics are explicitly mentioned as an activity, suggesting that outside food and beverages are permitted within the park.
🚗Parking Info
- •Free street parking is available along the perimeter of the park.
👥Crowd Levels
- •Reviews do not specify peak crowd times, but the park is described as a 'Richmond Va. favorite' and offers areas for 'solitude', suggesting it can be popular yet also provide quiet spaces. No specific times to avoid due to overcrowding were mentioned.
🛡️Safety Features
- •No specific safety features such as staff monitoring, first aid stations, or controlled access points were mentioned in the reviews.
⏰When to Avoid
- • Using longboards, skateboards, or bicycles that require smooth paved surfaces, as many trails are crushed gravel.
- • Visiting if you are highly sensitive to bird/goose droppings, especially if planning to walk extensively around the lakes.
- • If precise distance tracking for running or walking is critical without your own measurement tools, due to inaccurate mile markers.
Pricing/Package/Events
Events & Schedule
Special Events(Last 2 months - Next 6 months)
Annual Fourth of July Celebration
July 4th (annually)
Free
Held at the Dogwood Dell Amphitheater.
🍎Food Policy
- • No alcoholic beverages allowed in city parks.
- • Full-service concession building at Fountain Lake offers snacks, lunch during the summer season.
- • No feeding geese at Swan Lake, as this encourages unhealthy overpopulation.
🛡️Safety Policy
- • No unleashed pets allowed in city parks (dogs must be leashed).
- • No glass containers allowed in city parks.
- • No open fires are allowed outside of park fireplaces and grills.
- • No golf or archery is allowed in city parks.
- • No cutting of park trees or shrubs in city parks is allowed.
📅Booking Policy
- • Permits are required for park facilities (picnic shelters, garden areas, community centers, athletic fields, etc.).
- • Some permits may require a $25 processing fee (non-refundable).
- • Additional 30% charge for non-city residents.
- • City holiday dates may incur additional fees (double the base rental rate with 2 hr. minimum plus staffing cost).
- • For large events, review the City of Richmond Special Event Planning website for permits and guidance.
- • Large event requests may be submitted online through the Special Event Planning application web portal.
- • Payment for vacuum leaf collection must be received before service is scheduled (note: this is for leaf collection, not general park activities).
- • Early set up fee of $200 for ground rentals for setup the day before the event.
🚗Parking Information
- • No parking on the grass allowed (implies designated parking areas exist, but not detailed).
What People Say
What's Great
- Spacious play areas (mentioned in 4 reviews)
Areas for Improvement
- Parking can be challenging (mentioned in 5 reviews)
Recent Reviews
Teresa Castle Hamm
8 years agoIt's a beautiful park with several beautiful, scenic areas that are great for walking or maybe a picnic. The VITA trail is one mile and has different fitness stations along the way. It is a scenic trail with even terrain. I enjoy taking my son out on the trail in his stroller. Also what's nice about the park is it is surrounded by some beautiful lakes. Fountain Lake is very pretty. It is a half mile around and has benches all along the perimeter in case you just want to sit and take in the scenery. Also, Fountain Lake is the only spot in the area that I have found that has a building with restrooms. Swan Lake is stunning, but the sidewalk does tend to be dirty on account of the birds. Definitely worth visiting though. Swan Lake is serene. Byrd Park also has other neat areas to visit, such as the Virginia War Memorial and the Dogwood Dell Amphitheater (which I believe hosts concerts during the summer). Overall, I am a huge fan of Byrd Park. It is family friendly, great for walks, playing, or just sitting and taking in the beautiful scenery!
Tee Jay
a year agoWilliam Byrd walking track. I love this track. The only downside is that it's not measured correctly. At the mile marker it's not correct, you actually have to walk longer than the marker point to reach a mile. Other than that, it's my favorite track to walk.
Clarence Bey
8 months agoA Richmond Va. favorite please come visit if you're in town. This park has an area called the Japanese Garden and it is an awesome place to behold. An exercise track one mile long and a zoo next to it. Buffalo yes real live Buffalos,bears,eagles, a perverbial wonderland, family friendly, or just a nice place for a romantic stroll.Perhaps you want a little solitude you can have it all here. Enjoy
Monica M
2 years agoPark seems pretty nice. I came to start to longboard here and realized that the trail is all crushed gravel. There’s a nice set of gym stations around the park, I didn’t try them so can’t really know if they work. Not sure if there is a bathroom on site. Parking on the street for the perimeter looks to be free.
Katie Euting
3 years agoGreat park to walk, run, or bike around. Three different lakes and a vita course trail all within a couple miles radius. Just beside maymont park and sometimes paddleboats are available for rent. Ample benches and garbage cans. Lots of goose poop. Easily accessible from nickel Bridge, Arthur Ashe Boulevard, and downtown expressway.