Playing in Chesterfield
Recreational opportunities are plentiful in Chesterfield County for both indoor and outdoor enthusiasts.
There are nearly 13,000 acres of public parks and recreational facilities available in the county.
Indoor facilities includes four recreation centers (Bensley, Beulah, Ettrick and Stonebridge), the Rockwood Nature Center and the exhibition building at the Chesterfield County Fairgrounds.
In addition, the parks system maintains historic sites, an extensive trail system and conservation areas.
Rivers & Lakes
Bounded by the James River to the north and the Appomattox River to the south, Chesterfield is an ideal location for fishing and water sports.
Numerous lakes are available, including the 3,000-acre Lake Chesdin and 1,800-acre Swift Creek Reservoir.
Local Parks & Athletic Fields
The Chesterfield County Department of Parks and Recreation operates 67 public parks and 12 athletic complexes which total 5,138 acres.
Instructional programs for both the general public and special groups in general recreation, athletics, and outdoor recreation are provided.
Participatory sports include Little League, youth soccer, basketball, baseball, football, cheerleading, wrestling, lacrosse, field hockey, ice hockey and other children’s sports programs plus tennis, pickleball, golf, swimming, sport rock climbing, backpacking, whitewater rafting and canoeing.
Pocahontas State Park
In the center of the county is the 8,115-acre, Pocahontas State Park.
Pocahontas offers boating, picnicking, camping, camping cabins, 90-plus miles of trails, and nature and history programs.
The Aquatic Center, which has a toddler pool, fountain wet deck, three-foot and five-foot-deep leisure pools, an activity pool and two tubular water slides, affords seasonal water-based activities for all.
Three lakes offer plenty of fishing. Boat rentals are available seasonally by the 225-acre Swift Creek Lake.
The Civilian Conservation Corps Museum, dedicated to Depression-era workers who helped build the state park system, is one of a handful in the nation.
Two dining halls may be rented for meetings, weddings and special events.
Rustic group facilities with primitive overnight cabins (bunkhouses) are available seasonally for larger groups.
The park’s 2,000-seat amphitheater hosts the Pocahontas Premieres series of concerts and family-friendly entertainment.
Pocahontas State Park’s 90 miles of trails make it particularly popular among bicyclists and mountain bikers.
Amusement Parks
Two large amusement parks, Busch Gardens in Williamsburg and Kings Dominion in Doswell, are both less than one hour from Chesterfield.
Professional Sports
Professional sports in the area include: Richmond Flying Squirrels, AA affiliate of the San Francisco Giants baseball team; Richmond Kickers soccer, a second division affiliate of the DC United. Richmond International Raceway hosts the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.
Area Sports Facilities
The award-winning, county-owned, River City Sportsplex provides quality tournament experiences for over 35+ weekends annually. River City Sportsplex is home to one of the largest collections of synthetic turf fields in the United States. The state-of-the-art facility features 12 synthetic athletic fields for soccer, lacrosse, field hockey and many other sports. Nine of the fields are lighted for evening play.
The Richmond Volleyball Club has a 50, 000 sq. ft. indoor facility housing 8 volleyball courts in Chesterfield.
Other sports facilities in the area include the 12,103 seat The Diamond baseball stadium; the 10,000 seat Robins Center at the University of Richmond; the 7,500 seat Siegel Center at VCU; the 6,000 seat Arthur Ashe, Jr. Athletic Center; the 22,000 seat University of Richmond Stadium; and the 51,000 seat Richmond International Raceway.
