Huntley Meadows Park, Virginia

This area is important for both wildlife and water quality, providing a natural filter for suburban run-off. Be sure to visit the nature center before exploring the park. The park offers handicap accessible trails, boardwalks, and viewing platforms. The forest hosts a broad diversity of breeding, migrant, and wintering birds. Yellow-billed cuckoo, prothonotary warbler, red-shouldered hawk, Acadian flycatcher, eastern wood-pewee, and red-headed woodpecker breed in these woods during summer months. Year-round avian residents include barred owl, great horned owl, pileated woodpecker, and wild turkey. The forest is also home to diverse insect life. Look for an abundance of butterflies and dragonflies during summer months. Southern pearly eye, eyed brown, red admiral, zabulon and silver-spotted skippers can be seen flitting below the deciduous canopy. Diverse dragonflies, such as the eastern pondhawk, twelve-spotted and great blue skimmers, and common green darner zip through the woods in search of prey. The forest floor is also home to a wide array of amphibians and reptiles. Its scaled inhabitants include northern water snake, eastern ribbon snake, and five-lined skink. An elevated boardwalk offers views of marsh-loving birds such as great egret, hooded merganser and common yellowthroat.

Huntley Meadows Park protects over 1,500 acres of breathtaking forested and open wetland areas. Huntley Meadows is a natural depression surrounded by urban development.