Belle Isle has seven miles of shoreline on the Northern Neck's Rappahannock River and provides access to Mulberry and Deep creeks. The park lets visitors explore a wide variety of tidal wetlands interspersed with farmland and upland forests. It has a campground, three picnic shelters, hiking, biking and bridle trails, and motor boat and car-top launches. Belle Isle also offers overnight lodging at Bel Air and the Bel Air Guest House. Bicycle, canoe, kayak and motorboat rentals are available. Guests also enjoy the park's universal access playground, boardwalk and fishing pier, and educational programs. The Bel Air historic area is ideal for weddings.
The diverse habitats found in the park provide homes to many predator birds, such as blue herons, osprey, hawks and bald eagles. White-tailed deer, turkeys, groundhogs, rabbits, squirrels, moles, reptiles and amphibians are also common. There are eight distinct types of wetlands within the park. These diverse ecosystems make Belle Isle an excellent outdoor laboratory for environmental education.
Camping
The park offers full-service and primitive camping. The full-service camping season is from the first Friday in March to the first Monday in December. Primitive camping is year-round. There are no designated swimming areas at this park.
Full-service Campground
All sites have electric pedestals, which accept plugs for 20, 30 and 50-amp current.
About half the sites may be specifically reserved. Check-in is 4 p.m.; check-out is 1 p.m. If you arrive earlier than 4 p.m., the park will accommodate as soon as possible. You are welcome to enjoy the park until then.
Campsites have fire ring grills, one picnic table and lantern hangers.
Full-service bathhouse with hot showers and wash sink for dishes.
Laundry facilities are at the campground bathhouse.
All equipment must be set up within borders. Tent pads are 15’ x 24’.
Two vehicles per campsite; extra vehicles must park in parking lot and pay the parking fee. Guests visiting campers must pay the standard daily parking fee and park in the proper parking lot. Also, visitors must pay for any day use services and leave the park by 10 p.m.
Boat trailer parking and additional parking are just inside the campground entrance.
A dump station is free for those camping in the park; non-overnight guests must pay to use the dump station and use the station by the motor boat launch.
Boat launch is free for overnight guests.
Camp store: Camping and picnic supplies and gift items are available.
Firewood is for sale at the camp store. Do not bring firewood.
Quiet hours are from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
State law allows the consumption of alcoholic beverages only in private areas (inside your cabin or camping unit) or in areas designated on permits issued by the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.
Site type: E/W - Electric and water hookups, various equipment (tents, pop-ups and RVs up to 45 feet). Tent pads 15’ x 24’. Bathhouse available. All equipment must be within borders of the campsite.
No. of each site type: E/W, 28
Brewer’s Point Hike-in or Boat-in Primitive Campground
This campground offers year-round primitive hike-in or boat-in tent camping. Motor vehicle access to these sites is not permitted for any reason. Campers must arrive by boat or hike in (1.5 miles from the closest parking area).
Four sites, six people maximum per site.
Living area is shared by all four sites and consists of one fire ring/grill, two picnic tables, two benches. Sites are close together.
There is a portable toilet but no showers.
There is no electricity or potable water. Campers must bring water for drinking and cooking.
All camping equipment must be set up within the wooden borders.
Check-in is 4 p.m., check-out is 1 p.m.
The park has a few canoes that may be rented overnight to access the campground. Weather conditions determine when these canoes are available for rent. Reserve one in advance by calling the park.
Recreation
TRAILS
The park offers almost 10 miles of trails, most of which are gravel and multi-use. There are several short secondary trails around open fields. These areas are ideal places to observe songbirds, small mammals and butterflies. Osprey are plentiful along the walks in the spring and summer, and bald eagles may be seen in these areas in fall and winter months. There is also a short universally accessible boardwalk that wraps around Mulberry Creek near the car-top launch, and the fishing pier is a good place to observe waterfowl.
SWIMMING
There are no designated swimming areas.
FISHING, BOATING
Fishing: Pier fishing at cartop boat launch and saltwater bank fishing. A valid Virginia saltwater fishing license required.
Boating: The park offers guided canoe trips during the summer season. A ramp is available for the motor boats, and there's an ADA-accessible car-top launch area for canoes, kayaks and windsails. Boaters are encouraged to visit by way of water. The motor boat area offers a picnic shelter, grills and restrooms. Docking is permitted during daylight hours. Controlling water depth at the mouth of Deep Creek is two feet mean low water. Purchase an annual boat launch passport by calling 1-800-933-PARK.
Equipment rentals at the camp store offer opportunities to explore the park’s 7 miles of shoreline on the Rappahannock River, Deep and Mulberry Creeks, in addition to eight types of wetland and coastal agricultural fields. Canoes, kayaks and paddleboards are available seasonally except when poor weather prevents safe use, such as when combined water and air temperatures aren't at least 120 degrees.
Equipment
Canoes and kayaks - $10 an hour, $30 for four hours
Paddleboards - $15 an hour, $45 for four hours
Bikes - $5 an hour, $15 for four hours
If you don't arrive within 30 minutes of the reservation time, reserved items become first-come, first-served and may be rented to others.
HORSES
Bridle paths are available. State law requires that visitors carry a copy of a negative Coggins report with each horse brought to the park.
