Sandwiched Between Richmond And Raleigh Is Virginia's Lesser-Known Wildlife Preserve For Hiking And Bird Watching

The swath of land along the Virginia-North Carolina border is a patchwork of forests and farmland, gently sloping hillsides and wide-open spaces. Mecklenburg County, Virginia, is the 58th-most populous county of the state's 133 counties and independent cities, making it ideal for deep-country wildlife-watching excursions in the region's more isolated reaches.

That's where you'll find Dick Cross Wildlife Management Area, formerly known as Elm Hill Wildlife Management Area. Located along the northern banks of the Roanoke River, the area spans roughly 1,400 acres of old fields, floodplains, and wetlands. The area's main claim to fame is hosting field bird dog trials, which can be quite popular after the hunting season, but it's also become a crucial wintering ground for waterfowl and a popular place for dove hunting.

Roughly 100 miles south of Richmond and 70 miles north of Raleigh, Dick Cross sits just north of the North Carolina border, just off of Interstate 85 and U.S. Route 1. If you're considering visiting, note that the closest proper town (the kind with a dedicated grocery store) is about 15 miles away in South Hill. Daily access permits, at the time of writing, are $4 (or included with hunting and fishing licenses), and camping permits are free, though options are primitive, with no amenities offered.

The primary focal point of any wildlife management area is its wildlife, and in this respect, Dick Cross delivers. Small game and waterfowl are the focus here, and dove hunting is quite popular, followed closely by rabbit and quail hunting. The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources also notes that deer, turkey, and squirrel hunting are on offer.

While waterfowl hunting is subject to the Department of Wildlife Resources' quota system, visitors say that the park can be very crowded during hunting season and afterward when bird dog trials take place. Likewise, the Roanoke River, which flows through Dick Cross Wildlife Management Area and has been called "the Amazon of North Carolina," is rife with aquatic life, primed for warmwater fishing for largemouth bass, crappie, and striped bass.

While doves, quails, and turkeys might be a few of the most commonplace among Dick Cross' wildlife, there's much more for dedicated birders to love. According to eBird, there have been at least 10 reports of white ibises and little blue herons, two coastal birds that are more commonly found in the southern states. You can also expect to see waterfowl, from a variety of ducks like the green-winged teal or, if you're lucky, lesser-spotted species like the Virginia rail. With a solid mix of shorebirds, marsh species, and regional passerines, Dick Cross is more than worth the trip for dedicated birders, though you might want to plan a visit outside of hunting season when the park is quieter.

Dick Cross Wildlife Management Area sits along the northern banks of the Roanoke River, just above Kerr Lake, an expansive lake that straddles the Virginia-North Carolina border, making it an opportune location for watersports. Flowing from the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Roanoke River features multiple connected water trails, from the 45-mile Roanoke River Blueway to the expansive Roanoke River State Trail through North Carolina.

While the Roanoke River is the obvious focal point of Dick Cross' waterfront activity, the parkland is also home to Hundley Pond, which sits comfortably in the very heart of the area. Spanning about a mile as an out-and-back walk with less than 100 feet in elevation change, the Hundley Pond hike at Dick Cross is a leisurely trail with plentiful opportunities for birdwatching in the wetlands surrounding the pond. A handful of other paths throughout the area lead to dove fields and observation towers, but be prepared for potentially rugged paths. If it's well-maintained lakeside paths for fishing and camping you seek, try Occoneechee State Park between Richmond and Greensboro.

Dick Cross is relatively remote, which is a primary draw for folks seeking peace and quiet where wildlife can thrive and visitors can immerse themselves in an off-the-beaten-path experience. Although civilization is never far, including Clarksville, Virginia's idyllic lakeside town for waterfront dining, just 20 miles away, it's the sense of separation from the hustle and bustle of city and town life that makes Dick Cross worth visiting.