Facilities

About the Nature Center

Rockwood Nature Center is the only county-operated nature center in Chesterfield. The log cabin-style building is home to an array of native reptiles and amphibians as well as a honeybee hive and visual informative displays and sits in front of over five miles of paved and unpaved trails. Ask questions and learn about some of our native species and check out the small pond and gardens around the center. Email us with questions.

Nature Programs

Programs change from season to season and can be a hike, animal interaction, lecture, craft, exercise, camps and more! Pre-Kindergarten programs are offered year-round and focus on development and nature for ages 1-5. Senior programs can range from hikes on the trails to craft classes.

Groups of 10 or more

We kindly request that groups of 10 or more provide at least one day's notice of any plans to visit the Nature Center. We want to be able to accommodate you in our space and with staff attention.

School Field Trips and Scouts Programs

Interested in learning about nature? We will bring the nature center to you! As a county Parks and Recreation program, we are committed to meeting your needs as best we can. Let us custom-design a program for you if it is not one we currently offer!

Archery

The Nature Center is home to an instructional archery range and national award-winning archery development program. The instructional range is beside Rockwood Nature Center. Do not follow signs to the public range at Rockwood Park; follow signs for the Nature Center. A public archery range is available at Rockwood Park behind Shelter Number 4. This range is first-come, first-served and archers must bring their own equipment. The instructional range at Rockwood Nature Center is for program use only and is not open to the public for general use.

Archery Classes

Archers must be 9 years old for intro classes and Star Shooters Youth Archery Club. All archery equipment is provided for Intro classes, Beyond the Basic classes, Star Shooters Club and Adult Social Shoot. Archers must provide their own equipment for JOAD and Adult Practice. Archers using the Rockwood Park public range will also need their own equipment. We do not rent out equipment for the public range.

Children need to take either the Star Shooters New Archer Intro or take one of our Intro to Archery classes as a prerequisite for Intro for Star Shooters. Archery classes provided by summer camps do not count unless they were in Camp Red Tail Hawk and took archery with a trained Chesterfield County archery instructor. Other summer camps do not teach the same content that we teach during our intro class.

To enroll in Junior Olympic Archery Development (JOAD), archers must have previously taken 2 sessions of Star Shooters and bring their own bow, arrows and hip quiver.

We offer Adult Intro to Archery, 50 Plus Intro to Archery, Beyond the Basics, Adult Practice and Adult Social Shoot.

We also offer birthday parties or private group lessons. Please contact Ashley Weatherford, Archery Program Coordinator, for more information. We do not offer private individual lessons.

Please contact Ashley Weatherford for class cancellations. Department policy requires that requests for refunds must be made in writing 3 days prior to the start of the program.

Birthdays and Room Rentals

Themed birthday parties and use of our classroom. Room Rentals vary in price based on hourly use. Call 804-717-6860 to learn more about room rentals and birthday parties.

Injured or Orphaned Wildlife

The Rockwood Nature Center does not accept, transport or rehabilitate injured or orphaned wildlife. Please contact the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources if you encounter wildlife that needs help.