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COVID-19 Guidance:
In light of changing circumstances, please check the Virginia Department of Health and/or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for updated recommendations to ensure individual and community health.
Park Hours:
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​Park  is open dawn to dusk.  
Park News​
Burning Bush Brigade at Work.
November 11, 2021
Alot of burning bush is on the ground (and alot is still left standing...).  It's a start on managing this beautiful but aggressive shrub that blocks native growth in the Park wooded area.  
Rappahannock Garden Club Donation Starts REC Right of Way Planting Project.
October 30.
A group of 4 volunteers put the first low understory trees and shrubs in the ground in the REC Right of Way.   These flowering plants* should provide habitat for wildlife and will not grow tall enough to interfere with the power lines overhead.  Someday, their spring blooms, fall berries, and leaf color may enhance the view from a prospective viewing platform overlooking the Right of Way and the Rush River. *elderberry, ninebark, hazelnut and chokeberry plants 

More plants will be purchased and planted in the spring.

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Park Hosts Rapp at Home Program on Invasives
October 26
Mike Wenger points out native species that have reappeared when invasive plants are removed  to a group from Rapp at Home.
Wheelchair Accessible Table
October 20, 2021

​Ian Cordero  with his completed Eagle Scout project, a wheelchair accessible table for Park Pavilion.  

Volunteers at Work in Park
October 7, 2021
A total of 11 volunteers worked on 3 workdays during the past several weeks to tame the summer growth in the pollinator gardens , clear trails, pull invasive plants, and prep the REC right of way for fall plantings.  The Rappahannock County Garden Club has donated $1000 to the Rappahannock Park Foundation to be used for the purchase of understory trees and shrubs to be planted in REC area.  These plantings should provide both a beautiful frame for the view of the Rush River from the upper Park and trails, as well as  food sources and habitat for wildlife in the park.  Planting date for first set of plants:  October 30.

​Click on images below to enlarge.



Fence Construction begun.
September 13, 2021

When you visit the Park, you will see Stage 1 of the boundary fence between the Park and neighboring property, due to be completed on Sept. 16.


​Goodbye Portajohns! 
September 13, 2021

​Accessible, year-round restroom is open!  This means no more porta-johns!  The new family restroom will be heated year-round.  ​
Picture
Restrooms open at Park!  
August 13,2021
At long last, the men's and women's restrooms in the Park pavilion will open this weekend.  The new accessible restroom will open as soon as signage is in place and paper goods are procured.  
In addition, 2 water fountains are installed and working.
​Enjoy!
Global Big Day at the Park
May 8, 2021

What, you may ask, is Global Big Day.  Each spring, Cornell Lab of Ornithology organizes a citizen science day to collect data on birds observed across the globe in wide-ranging habitats. 

At Rappahannock County Park, 8 birders arrived at 7AM to greet greet the birds.  They observed 24 different species, including 2 immature bald eagles flying overhead.  Watch for future birding events inspired by this first organized effort.​
Earth Day / Rush River Cleanup
April 2021

A group of volunteers--Master Naturalists, Master Gardeners, Friends of the Rappahannock and RCRFA members-- joined to spruce up the Park for spring visitors on April 24.  Stop by to enjoy the river trails and new plantings along the trailhead and pollinator garden.  Keep an eye out for (but do not disturb)  bluebirds and tree swallows, building their nests and feeding young in birdboxes.

Spring Comes to Rapphannock County Park!
March 2021
Stop by and enjoy!
  • forsythia pruned last summer is in its glory
  • a new red oak setting roots in the playground area
  • bluebells planted in 2020 beginning to bloom along the river trail
  • more spring ephemeral blooms along wooded trails.
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Coming attractions:  
  • Work has begun on all-weather, handicap accessible restrooms.  Read more here.
  • An American Conservation Corps crew, scheduled to work in the Park during April, will be building a connector trail between the middle and river trails 
  • Some signs of housekeeping in our bluebird boxes
Mark Your Calendars

Volunteer Workdays
Check back for next workday!
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Fodderstack Race: 
April 23, 2022. Flyer here.
Check here for updates.

Dark Skies events

Dark Skies event calendar for 2022 here.

Please check calendar for scheduled RLEP Dark Skies Events and for Free Observation Evenings. 

NOTE:  Registration for Free Observation Evenings (here) must be submitted at least 24 hours prior to viewing date.

Click to see Monroe and Crocker proposed site plan and planting map.
 ( to be considered and approved by RCRFA board)

Archived Park News:    Archived news from 2020
                                                         Archived news from 2019             
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Fall 2020 accomplishments in Park:

October 6:  32 trees planted in Plots D and E (in addition to 121 trees planted in spring.  Reforested area is new home to shagbark hickory, black gum, redbud, dogwoods, and oaks.

October 19:  23 hazelnut shrubs planted in Plot E, 24 New Jersey Tea set along VDOT right of way

November 14:  volunteers weed gardens and work on invasive management along upper trail

December 10:  Burning Bush Busters--lots of burning bush removed.  Lots remains!

December 19:  ORMN Christmas Bird Count birders observe  95 birds, 18 species.


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