West Neck Creek Natural Area
West Neck Creek Natural Area is a park in Pungo & Blackwater, Virginia Beach, best for horseback riding, birding, quiet forest hikes away from the beach crowds.
A 217-acre wooded natural area kept deliberately undeveloped, West Neck Creek borders West Neck Road and Princess Anne Road in the rural southern reach of the city, across from the Municipal Center. Roughly 2.5 miles of soft-surface shared-use trail plus 0.3 mile of paved, ADA-accessible trail wind through older deciduous forest, opening onto the cleared grounds around the historic Buffington House. The permitted activities list is unusually broad for a city natural area — hiking, fishing, birding, nature photography, and horseback riding all have a place here.
- Free
- Hidden Gem
- Dog Friendly
Amenities
- 2.5 miles of soft-surface trail
- 0.3 mile of paved ADA-accessible trail
- Historic Buffington House grounds
- Horseback riding permitted
- Birding and fishing access
Know Before You Go
- Best for: horseback riding, birding, quiet forest hikes away from the beach crowds
- Parking: Free lot off North Landing Road, per the city's general city-park parking policy.
- Accessibility: 0.3 mile of the trail network is paved and ADA-accessible; the remaining 2.5 miles are soft, natural-surface path.
- Dogs: allowed — Per citywide park rules, pets must be on a physical leash and under control at all times, with owners required to clean up after them.
- Location: 2249 N Landing Rd, across from the Municipal Center, Virginia Beach, VA
Last verified 2026-07-11.
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While You're in the Area
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Monk's Place
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Upcoming Events Nearby
Sandbridge Pig Pickin'
September 12, 2026 · annual
The Sandbridge Volunteer Rescue Squad's all-you-can-eat pig roast at Little Island Park has been the neighborhood's signature fundraiser for more than four decades, paying for the advanced life-saving equipment behind the squad's 1,000-plus annual emergency calls. Barbecue, beer and wine, live music, local art vendors, and a bounce house for kids fill the park for an afternoon, with free admission for children under 10. It's Sandbridge at its most neighborly -- a beach-community fundraiser rather than a tourist draw, held at the same park that anchors the south end of the beach.
Autumn in the Air
November 7, 2026 · annual
A newer addition to the city's Parks & Recreation calendar, this single-day fall festival takes over Mount Trashmore Park with folk, americana, and rock bands on an outdoor stage, food and drink for purchase, and activities scattered across the lakefront lawn. Now in its third year, it's grown into the city's answer to a proper autumn street festival without the Oceanfront crowds -- bring a lawn chair or blanket, since tents and large coolers aren't allowed in the event area. Free admission and parking make it an easy afternoon add for anyone already in Kempsville.
Mount Trashmore July 4th Celebration
July 4, 2027 · annual
Virginia Beach's inland Independence Day tradition fills Mount Trashmore Park -- the converted landfill hill that gives the park its name -- with live music, food trucks, and family activities before a fireworks show over the lake at 9:30pm. It's the free, low-key alternative to the Oceanfront's Stars & Stripes Celebration the same night, drawing families from the Kempsville and Town Center side of the city who'd rather skip beach traffic. Free admission and free parking, with the park's grassy hill doubling as a natural amphitheater for the fireworks.