As the weather starts to warm and the days get longer, new possibilities open up in the beautiful nature that surrounds Charlottesville. There are so many outdoor activities it can be hard to choose. To help you decide where your next sunny day adventure will take you, here’s a list of some CHS student’s top outdoor activities in the area.

As the weather warms local residents love to venture to nearby rivers and ponds to fish. The Rivanna River, Sugar Hollow, and Beaver Creek are all good places to fish according to local fisherman and CHS student Sohl Park. “The Rivanna River has some excellent catfish holes in its bends during the night,” says Sohl. Beaver Creek is also a great spot to do some still water fishing.

Another activity favored by many is hiking on many of the beautiful trails like the Rivanna Trail and trails in Shenandoah National Park and Ivy Natural Area to name a few. There are many other exciting hiking trails to incredible views like Humpback Rocks and Old Rag. CHS Student Noah Boswinkel has hiked both of these and says “they are both steep hikes, but Humpback is definitely the milder of the two. The journey is worth it for the fantastic views you reach.” Shenandoah has 139 trails visitors can choose from but it will cost you money to enter the park.

A more adventurous activity is mountain biking. There are some great locations in the Blue Ridge Mountains and at Peddy Creek Park. Safety equipment like a helmet, elbow pads, knees pads, and gloves should be worn as crashes do happen. CHS senior Caden Tucker tells me mountain biking is an occasional hobby of his and that he “loves the thrill of riding down the hills”. He adds that “beginners should start on easier trails as it can be difficult to ride over a hard trail at first”.

These are just a few of many outstanding natural areas and activities that this area has to offer. There are endless trails to be explored and beautiful destinations to venture to.