(757) 331-2267
3540 Kiptopeke DriveCape Charles, VA 23310
Latitude: 37.169934
Longitude: -75.979292
Kiptopeke State Park is located on Virginias Eastern Shore a few miles north of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. It has extensive camping opportunities in addition to a Waterfront Recreation complex. In addition, many types of birds nest in the park permanently or temporarily in the fall as they fly south for the winter. This is why the Eastern Shore Birding Festival is so popular every October in Kiptopeke. The site of this park was purchased by the Virginia Ferry Corporation for the northern terminus of the Virginia Beach to Eastern Shore Ferry. In 1949, when the terminus was moved from Cape Charles, the site was named Kiptopeke Beach in honor of the younger brother of a king of the Accawmack Indians who had befriended early settlers to the area. Kiptopeke means Big Water. In 1950 the terminus opened after the completion of a $2.75 million pier, promoted as the world’s largest and most modern ferry pier.
Outdoor Recreation Award for: Birdwatching, Fishing, Kid Friendly, Park Benches, Scenic Views, Unique Cabins
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Virginia State Parks Calendar
Bald Eagle Bluff Trail and Walkway
The Bald Eagle Bluff Trail and Walkway is handicap accessible and is located at the northwest corner of the campground just north of the yurt and amphitheater. It is the northernmost boardwalk and near the park’s northern boundary. As the elevation above the beach is greater here than in other areas, the walkway provides a nice overlook of the Chesapeake Bay and Cape Charles.
Blaze Color: Green
- Length: 0.2
- Difficulty: Easy
- Surface: Boardwalk
Bayview Overlook Trail
This trail and overlook are only accessible from the Mockingbird Trail, in the parks southern corner. The overlook does not provide access to the beach. From this fenced overlook one can see the bay, the high bridges and the fishing pier to the north. Offshore you can see the arc of nine large cargo ships made of concrete that were sunk just off the beach in water so shallow that much of the hulls rise above the water. The World War II-era vessels were placed here in 1949 to form a breakwater around the Kiptopeke Ferry Terminal, where ferries from Little Creek, across the Chesapeake Bay, docked for fifteen years prior to the opening of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel in 1964.
Blaze Color: Red
- Length: 0.1
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Surface: Natural, Boardwalk
Baywoods Trail
The Baywoods Trail is a moderate difficulty, 1.2 mile loop that is accessible from the picnic area, the Raptor Trail, and the Wood Warbler Trail and Walkway. The trail also provides access to the Peregrine Passage Walkway. The trail leads users to views of osprey nests, a butterfly garden, a bird banding station and numerous fields of seasonal wildflowers. A feature of this and other trails in the park, is the interpretive signs about the migratory birds that make this one of our nation’s most important bird population study areas.
Blaze Color: Blue
- Length: 1.2
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Surface: Earth, Sand
Chickadee Trail
The Chickadee Trail is a .2 mile,easy trail that is accessible from the Songbird Trail in two places and subsequently provides two points of access to the Mockingbird Trail. The trail runs through coastal forest, agricultural fields and dense thickets of American holly. This ‘quiet corner’ of the park is home to numerous deer and other wildlife.
Blaze Color: Yellow
- Length: 0.2
- Difficulty: Easy
- Surface: Earth
Mockingbird Trail
The Mockingbird Trail is a .4 mile, moderate difficulty trail that is accessible from the Chickadee Trail in two places and subsequently provides access to the short Bayview Overlook Trail. The Mockingbird Trail runs through coastal forest with various hardwood trees, and dense thickets of American holly. Please do not wander off of the trail as this area, and the nearby beach,are part of a protected environment.
Blaze Color: Red
- Length: 0.4
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Surface: Earth
Osprey Trail and Overlook Walkway
The Osprey Trail and Overlook Walkway is north of the fishing pier and accessible from the yurt access road. The walkway rises and falls via flights of stairs as it crosses the dunes, providing views and beach access.
- Length: 0.2
- Difficulty: Easy
- Surface: Boardwalk
Peregrine Passage Trail
The Peregrine Passage Walkway is the southernmost trail and boardwalk in the park. It can be accessed from the Baywoods Trail but is not handicap accessible due to the considerable number of stairs along its length. The boardwalk provides access to the beach, however the area south of the walkway is a protected environment and park guests are asked not to enter this area in order to protect this fragile environment.
- Length: 0.2
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Surface: Boardwalk
Raptor Trail
The Raptor Trail is a 1.3 mile long, wide, moderate difficulty trail that is accessible from the Baywoods Trail, the Songbird Trail, the picnic area, and from the main park road north of the contact station. It goes around the cabin area and like the Songbird Trail follows the edges of large fields of tall grasses and wildflowers where many birds, such as the red winged blackbird, may be spotted. Trail users are reminded to be courteous of the private property that abuts portions of this trail.