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Chris Greene Lake

Description

With forested rolling hills and a 53-acre lake, this 239-acre county park offers an excellent location for year-round birding and wildlife viewing. Explore the park by foot on 3 miles of moderately difficult trails or by water via boat, kayak or canoe. The area is locally popular for bird watching, particularly on the lake itself, which hosts a diversity of waterfowl in the winter, some shorebirds in the spring, and common loons in spring and fall. The park is also popular for viewing migrating wood warblers, which are attracted to the park’s forests surrounding the lake during spring and fall. Bald Eagle, Red-shouldered Hawk, Belted Kingfisher, Cedar Waxwing, and a diversity of woodpeckers have been observed year-round. Summer birding opportunities include wading birds, flycatchers, swallows, and orioles. In addition to the birds, careful observers may spot American beaver, eastern painted turtles, and American toads. On warm summer days, a diversity of butterflies may be observed, including silvery checkerspots, eastern swallowtails, and pipevine swallowtails.

Wildlife Sightings

202 species have been reported at this site to date.

Birds Recently Seen at Chris Greene Lake:

  • Canada Goose
  • American Wigeon
  • Mourning Dove
  • Killdeer
  • Bonaparte's Gull
  • Pied-billed Grebe
  • Double-crested Cormorant
  • Black Vulture
  • Turkey Vulture
  • Osprey

Recent Checklists:

Date# of SpeciesSubmitted By
27 Mar 202642Jennifer Jowdy
26 Mar 202633Jennifer Jowdy
23 Mar 202618Jennifer Jowdy
23 Mar 202634Julie Smith
23 Mar 202634Penelope Reighart

See more recent checklists…

Amenities & Accessibility

Amenities

  • On-site Parking
  • Restrooms
  • Kayak/Canoe Launch
  • Boat Ramp
  • Birdability Report Available

Other Amenities: Hiking Trails, Paddlecraft Rentals, Beach

Accessibility Considerations

This location has a Birdability Site Review available

Learn more about Birdability’s efforts to map accessible outdoor spaces

Maps & Directions

View on Google Maps

Physical Address: 4748 Chris Greene Lake Road, Charlottesville, VA 22911

From Charlottesville, travel on US-29 North to Airport Road. Turn left onto Airport Road following signs for Charlottesville Albemarle Airport. In less than a mile, take a slight right turn at the traffic circle toward Dickerson Road/SR-606. Continue on Dickerson Road/SR-606 for just over a mile. Turn left onto Chris Greene Lake Road/SR-850 and continue for 0.4 miles. Follow signs for Chris Greene Lake.

Access Requirements:

  • Fee, Daily, 7am to dark

Contact Information:

  • Phone: 434-296-5844
  • Email: asmith@albemarle.org
  • Visit Website
  • Sites, or portions of sites, can be closed periodically for management activities. Please always check the site’s website for additional information prior to visiting.

About the VBWT

The Virginia Bird and Wildlife Trail is a network of over 600 greenspaces and blueways throughout the Commonwealth selected for their wildlife viewing potential. Walk a nature trail, paddle a river, or enjoy a scenic overlook and you’ll soon see why Virginia is a premier destination for birding and wildlife viewing.

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