Wong Park

Park Score: 8/10

STATS:

Location: 303 Wilson Ave

Swings: 8

Bathrooms: Not that I saw, but recreational building next door that I am sure has them available during operation hours.

Parking: Yes, parking lot that probably has room for about 20 cars at bottom of hill specifically for park

Tables: 10+

Pavilions: only one, but grills are also available in the area.

Other: This park is dog friendly! Bags are provided at the entrance. There is also access to a trail that runs behind the park at the bottom of a hill.

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This park is pretty great. More of an adult feel since there is not a major play structure as with the other park. Instead they have these unique climbing structure that is of epic proportions! I honestly cannot see how it is safe for smaller children, but speaking from an adult perspective (and personal experience) the structure is a lot of fun to climb on! There is also beautiful tree islands surrounding the main portion of the park. Those islands have benches tucked away in them making them nice little spots to sit and listen to the birds. We heard a few Morning Doves and a few other birds while there ourselves. Would also be a great place to grill dinner and relax. I definitely recommend checking this one out!

Trees for the Future Blacksburg Style

So I discovered this little gem while going out on park adventures. Right next to the Blacksburg Department of Parks and Recreation (right behind the Caboose Park) there is a tree nursery. Seems normal enough right? But the sign was the real kicker, just another sign that Blacksburg as a town, not just Virginia Tech really does care about what is going on. Established in 2007 this nursery is giving trees a chance to get acquainted and be used by the local wildlife before they are planted within the Blacksburg city limits for good. Great to know that Blacksburg is giving these trees a chance to flourish and lower emissions rather then just pull them off a shipment truck before planting them. Go Blacksburg! Not the nursery isn’t very big, but there is always room for more growth!

 

Owens Street Park

Park Score: 4/10

STATS:

Location: 316 Owens Street- This small park is tucked away in the neighborhoods behind downtown if you are coming from campus. It isn’t much but would be a great little park if you were within walking distance.

Swings: 2

Bathrooms: Nope

Parking: No parking lot and limited street parking next to the park.

Tables: Nope, only a bench      

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Pavilions: 0

Connection to Trail? Yes, there does seem to be a walking trailing running behind the park.

This park is tiny, but gets the job done. If there was more then a few people you would be competing for playground equipment. Note though that the park does seem to be under construction for expansion. At least that is what the sign seems to say. Then again they could just be updating the trail that runs behind it. Cute park, but nothing fancy.

Blacksburg Skate park?

Blacksburg has a skate park…. who knew? Well I certainly didnt. It is right behind the Caboose park that I posted about earlier. Having never been on a skateboard successfully in my life, my opinion of this park is probably not helpful. But it looked good to me! Plenty of parking and quite a few types of skating options. Plus there were skaters on it when we went so that has got to be a good sign. There was also a nice little shaded area for in between skates. Right behind the high school. Again could have never guessed that Blacksburg had one until I went on their town site. Skate on.

Caboose Park= Most Epic Park Ever.

Park Score: 10/10

If you have not been to this park… you need to get your life together. I discovered this jem way late in my collegiate career and will forever regret it. I seriously find myself driving past this park on the way home from class just to awe at its sheer amount of swings. This is the awesome, the epic, Caboose Park!!!! (Fyi it is also known as Municipal Park and Hand-in-Hand Park) Quite frankly this is what I will be measuring all other parks against.

STATS:

Location: Technically this mammoth park stretches from Turner Street to Patrick Henry and is situated right behind the houses on Giles Road. It is right next to the Community and Aquatic Center and is also right across from the Old Blacksburg High School.

 

Swings: 16+ (a very important factor if you ask me)

Bathrooms: Yes (entire building), even water fountains

Parking: Yes, multiple lots and access routes to park

Tables: Numerous

Pavilions: 2+

One of the best parts of this park is the different sections. There are two entirely different equipment types that divide that park… wood and metal. Honestly I have played on both and they are both great. The wooden part, called the Hand-in-Hand Park is more for the little kids, complete with castles and tire swing type things.

              

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It even has a wood balance beam. It is the old school type of park that is meant for tikes but they could easily get hurt on and was before most safety regulations happened. I am not saying it is not safe, I mean the wood is so oiled down that its practically impossible to get a splinter… I am just saying that those are the best type of care free parks. The other side is more plastic and a little less creative in the equipment but still great. They have a massive slide that I must have gone down 20 times. People judged me but it was awesome.

There is also plenty of land complete with pavilions and tables everywhere if you want to take a rest. Trees shade a good portion of the park and would be a great place to settle down with a book. unfortunately I noticed that the storm last Friday took out one of the larger trees which was heart breaking to see but, there are still plenty of beautiful old trees.

 

Smack dab in the middle of the entire playground is, of course, a caboose. You cant go in it or anything, I cant even imagine that safety hazard, but it is still an unique accent to the landscape.

Even Beyond the Equipment area there is a baseball field. I do not know if anyone can use it, but it sure looked like it was well kept and game ready. Hope everyone enjoys this park as much as I do!!

 

Park-tastic Blacksburg

Before I did some exploring I never would have guessed that there were so many parks with in the Blaksburg city limits. According to the town website, Blacksburg has 20 different parks. We are still in the process of getting to all of them since there is just so much area to wander through!

Turner Street Northeast, Blacksburg

So far they are so diverse that my adventure buddy and I have devised a park rating system along with any basic adventure you could think of so you find the best park suited for what you need. Whether it be for picnic, awesome playground equipment or shade, we will break it down for you…

I will post the address/hours of all the parks listed on the Blacksburg Website but all other information/photos have been taken by us. The pages that only have an address have yet to be explored by us.

Things we have taken note of:

-Address

-Hours (if available)

-Swings (super important in my opinion)

-Parking

-Tables

-Street accessibility

-Overall Rating

 

Source: Blacksburg City Website- http://www.blacksburg.va.us/Index.aspx?page=78