Mountain View Park (formerly Grottoes Town Park)

Description

Elevation: 1070 ft.

Mountain View Park provides easy access to the South River, and the adjoining fields and ponds are well worth exploring, especially during migration. The river itself is worth checking for water birds such as great blue and green herons, wood duck, and belted kingfisher. Woods along the river can host a variety of sparrows in winter and Baltimore oriole and warbling vireo in spring and summer. Moving away from the river and into the large open fields of the park, search for open country species such as eastern kingbird, indigo bunting, eastern bluebird and chipping sparrow. These fields host a variety of butterflies such as spicebush swallowtail, orange sulphur, and pearl crescent. The small marshy ponds located behind the baseball diamond are worth checking for sparrows in the winter and roosting blackbirds in the late summer and fall. During migration, black tern may drop in for a snack. Dragonflies and damselflies abound throughout the park. Species to look for include common whitetail, widow, twelve-spotted and slaty skimmers, common green darner, eastern pondhawk, banded pennant, and eastern amberwing. Damselflies are best found along the river, with American rubyspot, powdered dancer and ebony jewelwing all being numerous.

Directions

Location: End of 20th St, Grottoes, VA 24441

From the entrance off 20th Street, either keep right for the ballfields or left for the tennis courts and boat ramp.

From I-64 near Afton/Waynesboro, head west and take the US 250 E/US 250 W exit. Turn left onto US 250 W and follow signs for Waynesboro. In 3.2 miles, turn right onto US 340/N Delphine Ave and continue for 14.2 miles. Then, turn left onto SR 256 W and continue for 0.5 miles. Turn right onto Dogwood Ave/SR 825. After 1.1 miles, turn left (west) onto 20th St and continue for 0.7 miles until the park entrance appears to the right.