Description
Located along a small indentation known as Godfrey Bay, the Piankatank River Landing offers naturalists spectacular views of the Piankatank River mouth at its juncture with the Chesapeake Bay. This site features a quiet, publicly accessible beach which can be used to launch a kayak or canoe. During favorable tides, and especially during migrations, the marshes, mud flats, and small white sand beach provide foraging habitat for various shorebirds and large waders. In the channel, wintering horned grebes, loons, and diving ducks can often be seen. Up to five species of tern summer here, including locally rare least and sandwich terns. Bald cypresses along the site’s eastern edge, and the trees just inland, attract several species of woodland birds. These trees are especially rewarding during migration, though nesting birds are also numerous here.
Wildlife Sightings
103 species have been reported at this site to date.
Birds Recently Seen at Piankatank River Landing:
Recent Checklists:
| Date | # of Species | Submitted By |
|---|---|---|
| 16 Feb 2026 | 16 | Mark Sopko |
| 6 Feb 2026 | 7 | Bill Corbin |
| 6 Feb 2026 | 7 | Anonymous eBirder |
| 27 Jan 2026 | 9 | Morgan Brown |
| 16 Jan 2026 | 3 | Mark Owens |
Amenities & Accessibility
Amenities
- On-site Parking
- Kayak/Canoe Launch
Accessibility Considerations
Learn more about Birdability’s efforts to map accessible outdoor spaces
Maps & Directions
Location Coordinates: 37.505579, -76.354304
From I-64, take Exit #220/SR 33 East. Proceed 17 miles to Glenns and continue straight through the light onto SR 198. Follow SR 198 16.2 miles and turn left on Rt. 626. Proceed 0.4 miles to Rt. 632, turn left, and continue 0.4 miles to the road’s end.
Site Information
Access Requirements:
- Free, Daily
Contact Information:
- Mathews County Planning, Zoning and Wetlands Office; (804)-725-4034
- 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.


