Sandy Bottom is a great place to bring the family (including your four legged family members). There are always well behaved dogs on the walking trails ( as well as in the doggy park). The trails are well marked and there is info available along the trails that allow you to learn more about Sandy Bottom and the wildlife and plantlife there. I have also ran here quite a few times and the trails make for an enjoyable jog. There is fishing allowed in one of the lakes for the fishermen out there as well.
For being located next to the freeway in the middle of Newport News, this is a nice place for a (reasonably) quiet walk with the spouse or dog (even both!). It is not exactly a wilderness walk but there may be a deer or two and is not overrun with people. We go here a few times a year. The dog enjoys the dog compound.
Nice park that offers a variety of activity. We walked around the lake, but there were paddle boats, fishing, picnic areas, and camping areas that we saw. There is also a nice visitor center.
They have boats and paddleboats that you can rent for a pretty cheap price. Huge pond/lake with lots of fish and turtles.
We go here all year round, it's good for kids and families. My husband likes to run round the trails, I would recommend not doing this in the winter however as raised water levels often flood the park in winter.
I liked the small museum thing. I loved the camping bungalows right on the lake. I loved the cheap, easy boat renting and good fishing. Did not like the pier fishing. Sucked. Put some fish underneath your fishing pier!
Sandy bottom is a great place to bring your children or grandchildren. They have static exhibits and educational hands on experience with wildlife. They have a fishing pier and rental boats available. This is a small lake that contains bass and brim. Good for younguns to learn what fishing is all about in a controlled environment. There are also nature walks you can take and guided tours if you prefer. Pretty neat place.
Learn about snakes and their environments. Enjoy the many trails, camp grounds and picnic areas. Visit the visitor center to view the snakes and other animals and get maps for the various trails.
Had a great day at this park over the weekend for a birthday party. There were lots of things to do and we really enjoyed the views, the cleanliness, the bathroom facilities, and trails. We look forward to coming back next month to go on the trails and probably have a picnic in one of the many provided picnic areas. We also want to try out fishing and paddle-boating. They also have life jackets provided, which is a plus. We are glad we were invited to and visited this hidden gem for outsiders. I would come back just for the views.
Sandy Bottom has a long history and has turned into a wonderful park in the middle of urban sprawl. It has lakes, trails, fishing, paddle boats and canoes, camping, picnicing, a nature museum and much more. It is a great place to geocache as it has about ten inside the park as well as many more within a mile of the gate.