False Cape State Park

False Cape State Park
IUCN Category V (Protected Landscape/Seascape)
False Cape State Park is bounded on the west by Back Bay of the Currituck Sound
Location	Virginia, United States
Nearest city	Virginia Beach, VA
Coordinates	36°35′16″N 75°53′3″W
Area	4,321 acres (17.49 km2)
Governing body	Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation

False Cape State Park is a state park in Virginia Beach, Virginia. As part of Virginia's Outer Banks, it lies on a mile-wide barrier spit between the Back Bay of the Currituck Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. The park adjoins the state border with North Carolina and lies shortly north of Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge.

At the south end of the park is a monument with "Va." on one side and "N Ca" on the other. Although it reads "A.D. 1728" on the top, it was probably^{[citation needed]} erected in 1887 when the boundary was surveyed.

Park access is through Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge, and is limited to hiking, bicycling or boating. The park also offers tram and beach crawler (known as the Terra Gator) transportation for day visitors during certain seasons. The park features primitive camping and an extensive environmental education program

The area was named for its resemblance to Cape Henry when seen from the ocean.^{[citation needed]} This false impression lured ships and boats looking for the real Cape Henry (about 20 miles (30 km) to the north at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay) into the shallow waters, where they could more readily run aground.

The community of Wash Woods, now abandoned, was developed by survivors of such a shipwreck in the 16th or early 17th century. The village’s church and other structures were built using cypress wood that washed ashore from a wreck. In the early 20th century, False Cape was a haven for a number of hunt clubs taking advantage of the area's abundant waterfowl. The park's Wash Woods Environmental Education Center is a converted hunt clubhouse.^{[citation needed]}

In 2004, The Virginian-Pilot reported poor conditions at a trash dump area in the park which were subsequently resolved by a cleanup project park employees, volunteers and private firms.

Undeveloped portions of the park were rededicated as the False Cape Natural Area Preserve in 2002.

See also

• Wash Woods
• Virginia Beach, Virginia
• Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge
• Lost counties, cities and towns of Virginia

External links

• False Cape State Park
• False Cape State Park in World Database on Protected Areas
• Waterland Farm website with photos of remains of Wash Woods
• Museumsusa.org, False Cape State Park webpage
• VirginiaBeach.com