Briery Creek Wildlife Management Area

Description

The area’s gently rolling hills are typical of the topography of the south-central Piedmont. The nucleus of the area is Briery Creek Lake, formed by damming Briery Creek and Little Briery Creek. A nature trail begins at the parking area on Route 790 at the dam and winds along the lakeshore. Due to the large expanses of open water, there are some unusual bird-watching opportunities available at Briery Creek. Ospreys, an occasional bald eagle, and a variety of waterfowl species can be seen on or near the lake seasonally. Tundra swans make an appearance on a regular basis at this lake, so watch them from a distance as they can be much meaner than they appear.

For those looking for a little more excitement, black bear sightings have been increasing in this area over the past few years. Spring and early summer will be the times to keep your eyes and ears open for them. In addition, river otter and beaver are both active along Briery and Little Briery Creeks. River otters are a particular treat as they were once almost entirely extirpated from Virginia and have been increasing steadily since the early 1970’s.

As with any large impoundment, damsel- and dragonflies are common in and around the water. Watch for eastern pondhawks hunting for prey and the larger great blue skimmer. More open areas will also attract great numbers of butterflies. During migration monarchs are common here. Also watch for eastern tiger swallowtails, red-spotted purples and great spangled fritillaries.

Notes:

• To Access the Site: A Restore the Wild Membership, Virginia hunting license, freshwater fishing license, boat registration, or an access permit is required.
• Hunting could be occurring at this site April 1 – May 31 and September 1 – February 28th. If you are visiting this site during hunting seasons, please wear blaze orange or blaze pink for safety.

Directions

Take U.S. Route 15 south from U. S. Route 460 at Farmville, or take U. S. Route 15 north from U. S. Route 360 at Keysville. Turn west onto either route 701 or route 790.