savage neck dunes dunes natural area preserve

This trail is a bit "hidden" but that adds to its appeal. Begin your journey along a field and then enter the woods on a path that will surely please all senses! Wander the beautiful woods to Custis Pond where you are sure to see lots of wildlife! As you continue along the trail, the terrain changes to sand and the smell of salt air becomes strong...before you know it, you are overlooking the beautiful Chesapeake Bay! Take your camera! There's always something to appeal to a photographer on this preserve!

This is a wonderful place to visit. It is off the main road and you may miss the parking area (I did on the first pass). Once you turn onto route 634 from business 13, the parking lot is exactly 4.0 miles on the right. There is space for about 4 cars. There is a map in the display case. From there, a well marked trail takes you through a grassy area, a small forest, and past a large pond before the path turns into sand. Then you pass dunes before coming to the bay. The beach and view of the bay are spectacular. The trail is well marked, with different color arrows pointing the way. I was there late May; there were a few small flying bugs (gnats maybe) on the bay, but otherwise no bugs.

Be prepared with tons and tons of insect repellent. This is definitely back to nature as we saw three different types of snakes along the trail. Not a place for children ours were frightened beyond comprehending. It says the trails are well marked but it is easy to get lost and loop around wandering for hours. There are no bathroom benches or anything along these lines. Highly recommend Cape Charles Beach or Kiptopeke State Park. The State Park has nice bath houses with showers bathroom vending machine and a little store you can go fishing or crabbing there.

We visited this park while visiting Cape Charles at the southern tip of the Delmarva Peninsula. Unlike the better known Kiptopeke State Park and the Eastern Shore National Wildlife Refuge, this park is somewhat hidden. Located off Route 13, this slight detour is well worth the visit. It features well marked trails, educational signs and access to the beach. On our visit, we saw a magnificent golden eagle fly close over our heads, various other birds, including shorebirds, and, of course, sand dunes. On the beach lives a rare, light-colored insect, the northeastern beach tiger beetle.