A grassy hill built from compacted garbage now gives families a place to climb, play, and picnic. That is a pretty impressive second life for a former landfill, especially one with a name that owns the joke.
At this Virginia park, clean soil covers the old waste, and recreation takes center stage. A large playground, walking trails, and a skate park give you several reasons to stay beyond the climb.
I like how the place makes an environmental idea easy to understand without turning your afternoon into homework. You can talk about reusing land, then let the kids get back to the slides.
The real draw is how much an ordinary park day can hold here. Your biggest planning challenge might be deciding which shoes, wheels, or picnic supplies deserve space in the car.
The Garbage-to-Green-Space Story Is Worth Knowing
Garbage usually ends its story out of sight, but Mount Trashmore Park gives that ending a remarkable rewrite. Virginia Beach turned a former landfill into public space where recreation now defines the landscape.
The main hill was formed by compacting solid waste and covering it with layers of clean soil. That construction explains the name without requiring you to picture a pile of loose trash beneath your picnic.
For children, the transformation offers a simple lesson about finding new uses for land that already served another purpose. You can explain the basic idea before heading toward the playground or climbing the hill together.
I like that the name keeps the park’s past visible rather than replacing it with something grand and forgettable. Mount Trashmore sounds playful, but the project behind it represents a serious change in how a site can serve a city.
Keep your visit focused on the public recreation areas and follow posted directions throughout the grounds. You don’t need a technical lesson to appreciate the result: a former disposal site now supports everyday outdoor fun.
That is the park’s strongest story. The slides and trails make it tangible.
A Sixty-Foot Hill Gives Your Walk a Little Ambition
Your legs may have opinions about the park’s most recognizable feature, even before you reach the top. The main hill rises about 60 feet and stretches roughly 800 feet long.
Those dimensions make it a clear destination within the park rather than a small bump beside a path. You can build your visit around the climb or treat it as one stop between other activities.
Take the established route, choose a comfortable pace, and leave room for anyone moving more slowly. A short climb can still feel demanding when you’re carrying picnic gear or keeping pace with excited children.
Bring water and wear shoes that stay secure on your feet, especially if your plans include the stairs. Save loose sandals for another outing if they make climbing awkward.
The park also includes a smaller man-made hill called Encore Hill, so the landscape has more than one rise. That detail adds another layer to a place whose name usually draws attention to the main mound.
You don’t have to turn the climb into a fitness test to enjoy it. Reaching the top at your own speed counts, and nobody needs a stopwatch to prove otherwise.
Kids Cove Can Become the Main Event
A playground this large deserves more than a quick promise of five minutes before lunch. Kids Cove covers nearly 26,000 square feet and gives families several kinds of play within one destination.
The accessible playground includes a large play structure, slides, elevated walkways, climbing elements, and a separate swing area. Rubber surfacing runs beneath the play spaces, while freestanding climbing equipment adds more choices beyond the main structure.
Start by walking through the area together and choosing a clear meeting point that everyone can recognize. That small step helps when children want to explore different equipment or adults need to divide supervision.
Stay close to younger children and match the equipment to their abilities rather than their enthusiasm alone. A confident announcement of capability isn’t always the same thing as a comfortable climb back down.
The swing selection includes a wheelchair swing, an important feature for families considering access before they arrive. Check posted instructions and any equipment restrictions so everyone can use the space appropriately.
At Mount Trashmore Park, the playground can easily anchor the whole outing. Leave enough room in your schedule for play instead of treating it as a brief stop.
Pick a Trail That Fits Today’s Energy
Not every park visit needs a summit, a score, or a child requesting one more slide. Walking routes give you a straightforward way to enjoy Mount Trashmore Park at your own pace.
The Perimeter Trail measures 1.9 miles, while the Lake Trail covers 1.4 miles around its designated route. The Mountain Trail measures 1.3 miles, offering another option when you want the hill to shape your outing.
Choose your route before starting, especially when young children or several generations are coming along. A distance that sounds small at home can feel different after playground time and a picnic.
Use the park’s signs to stay on your intended path rather than relying only on a phone map. Keep your group together at route changes and allow room for other people using the multi-use paths.
Comfortable shoes, water, and weather-appropriate clothing do more for this outing than an ambitious mileage goal. You can always shorten the plan if someone needs a break or conditions change during your visit.
I’d make the walk serve the afternoon, not the other way around. A satisfying loop leaves enough energy for whichever part of the park catches your interest next.
The Skate Park Brings a Different Kind of Momentum
Wheels get their own substantial corner of the park, and the equipment goes well beyond a single ramp. The skate park covers 24,000 square feet for skateboarders, inline skaters, and BMX riders.
Its features include grind rails, boxes, a spine, and a two-level half-pipe for different riding approaches. A competition-sized vert ramp adds a major feature, measuring 13.5 feet tall and 40 feet wide.
Helmets are required, while knee and elbow pads are strongly recommended for anyone using the skate area. Pack protective equipment before leaving home rather than expecting to solve that part after arrival.
New riders should study the flow and start with features that match their skills and confidence. There’s no prize for choosing the largest ramp before you’re ready to handle it.
Keep spectators clear of riding lines, and remind children that ramps aren’t general playground equipment. Giving riders space makes the area easier to use and helps everyone understand where they belong.
Even if skating isn’t your activity, the facility shows how broad the park’s recreation choices really are. One family member can plan a session while another prefers walking, provided everyone agrees on supervision and a meeting place.
Two Lakes Invite You to Slow the Pace
Water gives the park another focus when you’ve finished climbing or want a less active stretch of the visit. Mount Trashmore Park includes two lakes with different water conditions and distinct names.
Lake Trashmore is freshwater, while Lake Windsor contains brackish water and receives water from Thalia Creek. Brackish simply means a mix of fresh and salty water, which makes the distinction easy to explain to children.
You can fish from land at both lakes under the park’s fishing rules and Virginia regulations. Check license requirements, permitted methods, and size and catch limits before bringing rods for the afternoon.
Keep hooks, tackle, and lines away from walking routes, and supervise children closely near the shoreline. Fishing works best as a planned activity rather than an improvised experiment with borrowed equipment.
The lakes aren’t swimming areas, so keep your visit on shore and observe all posted water-use restrictions. A lakeside walk offers another way to enjoy the setting without needing to enter the water.
For a mixed-energy group, this part of the park can balance more demanding activities. Let the lake be a reason to pause, not another task to finish before heading home.
A Picnic Gives Everyone a Reason to Regroup
Lunch can be the point where separate adventures turn back into one family outing. The park has 11 picnic shelters, giving groups several options for gathering around a table.
Those shelters include three large, two medium, and six mini shelters, with tables and charcoal grills. Choose a size that suits your group instead of assuming every shelter offers the same amount of space.
Before planning a celebration, check the city’s reservation arrangements and the rules for your intended shelter. Don’t assume an empty table means a space will remain available for your entire gathering.
Bring food that travels well, enough drinking water, and a cooler when your menu needs one. Keep perishable items chilled until serving, especially when playtime stretches longer than expected.
Anyone using a grill should follow posted instructions and handle hot equipment carefully around children and other visitors. Pack the supplies you need, then leave the cooking area and tables ready for the next group.
Public restrooms and vending machines support an ordinary park day, while concessions are seasonal rather than something to count on. A packed meal keeps your plans simple and lets the park provide the entertainment around it.
Your Workout Can Skip the Indoor Routine
Exercise here doesn’t have to mean running laps while everyone else enjoys the playground. Outdoor fitness stations and sports facilities give you several ways to add movement to your visit.
Ten fitness stations sit along the perimeter trail, with exercises intended to support posture, balance, and strength. Some stations provide wheelchair access, adding options for people with different movement needs.
Read each station’s instructions and start gently rather than guessing how unfamiliar equipment should work. You can combine a few stops with walking instead of turning every station into a demanding circuit.
The park also has two volleyball courts, horseshoe pits, and a full-size basketball court for other activities. Bring the equipment your chosen game requires and check whether the space is available when you arrive.
A friendly game can work well for older children who have moved beyond spending the whole afternoon on slides. Agree on simple rules and rotate turns so the activity stays enjoyable for everyone taking part.
Virginia gives you plenty of reasons to take exercise outdoors, but weather still deserves a vote in your plans. Adjust your pace, carry water, and treat a shorter session as a sensible choice when conditions call for it.
Leave Room for the Garden and a Flexible Plan
The park’s smaller teaching moment comes through plants rather than the enormous hill. Its water-wise demonstration garden showcases xeriscaping, a landscaping approach designed to reduce the need for watering.
You don’t need gardening experience to understand the goal or appreciate why the approach matters. The garden offers another example of using resources thoughtfully within a park already known for reusing land.
Make it a short stop rather than promising children a long lesson after an active afternoon. Look for posted information and resist picking plants or stepping into beds to inspect them more closely.
You’ll find Mount Trashmore Park at 310 Edwin Dr, Virginia Beach, VA 23462, United States. Use that address when planning your route, since the park is a city destination rather than an oceanfront attraction.
Check the day’s posted opening hours before leaving, along with weather conditions and any scheduled event notices. An event can change access arrangements, so ordinary-day plans may need a little adjustment.
Keep your first visit flexible and choose a few priorities instead of trying to complete every activity. The former landfill has already accomplished a major transformation; your afternoon only needs to be enjoyable.
