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Land’s End Wildlife Management Area

Description

The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources’ Land’s End WMA is a refuge for migrating waterfowl and lies on an area with the densest bald eagle breeding population in the lower 48 states.

The WMA consists of two tracts of land, the 412 acre Land’s End Tract and the 50 acre Salem Church Tract. The property is a mixture of open farmland, woodland and wetlands and is bordered by the Rappahannock River, Jett’s Creek, and Nanzatico Bay.

The larger, Land’s End Tract of the WMA offers a great place to find bald eagles. Look for these regal birds soaring over the Rappahannock or perched along its shores. The Virginia DWR prepares the WMA’s fields annually for waterfowl, and at least 10,000 Canada geese winter here each year. White-tailed deer and turkey are also attracted to the site. The forests at Land’s End host a number of neotropical landbirds, such as red-eyed and white-eyed vireos, hooded and black-and-white warblers, ovenbird, northern parula, great crested flycatcher, and orchard and Baltimore orioles. A short birding trail is available along Nanzatico Bay (spotting scopes are recommended). There are also maintained mowed paths around the fields located near the entrance kiosk. These fields are maintained with controlled burns.

The smaller, Salem Church Tract of the WMA does not contain any trails, but parking is available.

These lands were once home to a sizable population of Nanzatico Indians, who farmed and fished along the Rappahannock shores for hundreds of years. This area is riddled with the remnants of their presence, including a number of burial mounds that have recently been identified. Please respect the original residents of this land and leave all artifacts untouched.

Notes:

  • To Access the Site: A Restore the Wild Membership, Virginia hunting license, freshwater fishing license, boat registration, or an access permit is required.
  • No hunting is allowed.
  • Please be mindful of the property lines while exploring Land’s End WMA; adjacent properties are privately owned.

Wildlife Sightings

141 species have been reported at this site to date.

Birds Recently Seen at Land’s End Wildlife Management Area:

    Recent Checklists:

    Date# of SpeciesSubmitted By
    13 Feb 20262Casey Manera
    17 Jul 20251Stephen Living
    7 Jun 202512Evan Spears
    7 Jun 202517Maeve Coker
    7 Jun 202524Evan Spears

    See more recent checklists…

    Amenities & Accessibility

    Amenities

    • On-site Parking

    Other Amenities: Hiking Trails

    Accessibility Considerations

    This location does not have a Birdability Site Review available at this time

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

    Maps & Directions

    View on Google Maps

    Location Coordinates: 38.17636, -77.12418

    Land’s End is located about 10 miles southeast of the King George Courthouse. The main access road is State Route 698. Proceed south on 698 approximately 1.5 miles to Lands End Trail. Turn left on the gravel road which after .5 miles leads to the informational kiosk and parking.

    Access Requirements:

    Contact Information:

    • Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, Region 1 Office (804) 829-6580, Contact Us
    • 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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