Across Virginia

Deep Run Park in Henrico

Deep Run Park

When cars form a long line to pull into a county park on a cool day in February, it says something about the park’s popularity and amenities.

Deep Run Park is one of the bigger and more well-developed county parks in Virginia. It shows that cities and counties can produce some of the same attractiveness that state and national parks provide.

The park is located in Henrico County, which surrounds the city of Richmond. Henrico is a heavily populated county with a wide-ranging park system. Deep Run is one of the best.

Amenities include hiking trails, playgrounds, ball fields, a recreation center, picnic shelters, basketball, fishing and an exercise trail.

Many state and national parks offer the same amenities, but Deep Run has a gazebo overlooking a small lake with bridges and fountains that add to its natural appeal. Next to the gazebo is a nature pavilion and boardwalk.

On most days, the trails seem to be the most popular attraction. Some of the trails are paved and others are unpaved and unmarked for more adventurous souls.

Parking lots are located just inside the entrance, one before the lake with the gazebo and the other just beyond it. All of them are located on the right side of the road.

On busy days when those lots are full, visitors can drive just a few extra yards and park in the recreation center lot on the left.

Driving beyond the recreation center will take people to more parking, fields, playgrounds and picnic shelters.

Regardless of where visitors park, the common starting point for hiking is right by the lake.

The official county map shows four trails that are 0.3, 0.4, 0.5 and 0.7 miles long, but they intersect at some points and some extend even farther. Paved trails total 3.4 miles. Unpaved trails — which are popular with mountain bikers — add several more miles.

The park is popular with dog owners.

People with other interests take full advantage of the picnic shelters, playgrounds and ball fields as well as events that are outside or take place inside the recreation center.

The recreation center is available for rent and includes AV equipment such as a ceiling mounted projector, sound system and wireless microphones.

The park is open from dawn to dusk seven days a week. It is located at 9900 Ridgefield Parkway with easy access from I-64, I-95 and I-295.

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