State Arboretum-Blandy Experimental Farm
Calling all Nature Lovers!
Enjoy self-guided walking trails on the beautiful 172-acres that is open to the public every day of the year. Blandy’s tree collection includes more than 1,000 species and varieties of woody plants. Particularly noteworthy are its conifers and its collections of pines, oaks, and boxwoods. Be sure to visit the 300 tree Gingko Grove in the Fall to see their splendid, vibrant yellow color noted as one of the largest in North America.
Try the storywalk, geocaching or dial-a-tree as you wander the property for some engaging, educational fun. Blandy Experiemental Farm is like a scavenger hunt with so many things to discover – a bamboo forest, an amphitheater, a wetlands overlook, the historic Quarters, a bee habitat and a new test plot of American Chestnut trees. We recommend following some of these special tours the Gardens, the Native Plant Trail, the Conifer Walk, the Herb Garden, the Ginkgo Grove, and the Pollinator Garden.
- Open Dawn to Dusk, 365 days a year.
- Entrance is free of charge. MAP HERE
- Pets are welcome on a leash. Pet waste stations are provided near parking areas.
- Restrooms are located in the Quarters and Petwood Pavilion.
- Bicyclists are welcome on the Loop Drive.
- The State Arboretum is Handicapped Accessable by using the Wilkins Lane Driving Tour MAP of Blandy Experimental Farm
Audio Self-Guided Tours – Find 11 spots along the trail, look for the headphones signs pictured above across grounds that highlight Blandy’s history, collections, gardens, wildlife, and more. Walk from stop to stop and listen to the clips in order, or choose to visit selected stops. To listen, visit: https://soundcloud.com/uniguide/sets/bef
Guided Tours – Tour groups and school groups of 10+ people are available all year round by appointment. Topics discussed include ecology, gardening, natual history and living lightly on the land.
Geocaching Adventure Lab – A self-guided series of 10 geocaching locations where you’ll have to find a nearby codeword which will unlock directions to the next location. It will take you on a loop tour of the arboretum that’s about 3 miles in length. Bring good walking shoes – you’ll be exploring grassy areas and dirt trails!
Dial-A-Tree – Scan the QR codes on the trees with your phone, listen and learn about the cultural history and ecology of these trees.
Storywalk – Read a good book a page at a time while you explore the natural world! The spring/summer StoryWalk® book is Bugs for Lunch/Insectos Para El Almuerzo by Margery Facklam that tells the story of animals that snack on insects while exploring Blandy’s Native Plant Trail.
Birding at Blandy – Fields, forests, and ephemeral wetlands at Blandy provide habitat for a diversity of nesting and migrating birds. Please visit the eBird page to view and submit reccent observations, to see an illustrated checklist of birds reported at Blandy, and to view observations reported during a specified timeframe.
Programs, Workshops & Walks – Walk and Talks on botany, bird migration, flowering trees, climate change, firefly fun, wreath-making, full moon walk, biodiversity, gardening, monthly “Field Notes,” wildflowers and other ecology worthy knowledge. Registration/Fees.
Summer Camps – Sign up your child for a fun and educational summer camp: Summer with a Scientist, EcoExporers and Wild Things offer experiences that will inspire your younster’s sense of delight in learning about the ecosystems of nature.
Picnic Areas – Enjoy a picnic after you take a break from wandering the grounds. Picnic tables in a shaded grove are located next to the left of the parking area at the main entrance by the Quarters. Peetwood Pavilion is also available as a covered, but open air option.
Equestrian Trails – bring your horses and ride the 7.5 mile Bridle Trails that traverse farm fields, mature woodlots, and skirts a small wetland area. Entrance is by Red Gate Road/Rt. 624 to Nelson Road/Rt. 626 to Berrys Ferry Road/ Rt. 628 to parking in the Paddock Area especially designated for on and off loading and trailer parking. Waivers and hard hats are required.
Plein Air in September
Holiday Workshops – wreath making
Blandy’s History: The State Arboretum of Virginia is part of the University of Virginia’s Blandy Experimental Farm, which occupies over 700 acres of woodlands, meadows, gardens, and seasonal wetlands in the northern Shenandoah Valley.
The land was deeded to the University of Virginia in 1926, upon the death of owner Graham F. Blandy. The property was originally part of the Tuleyries estate to the west. The Arboretum is named for its first director, Orland E. White, and was designated the State Arboretum of Virginia in 1986 by the Virginia General Assembly. Blandy Experimental Farm serves as a research field station for the University of Virginia’s Department of Environmental Sciences. Blandy Experimental Farm and the State Arboretum of Virginia have a combined mission of research, environmental education, and outreach.
Help Support Blandy in these ways: Donate, Volunteer, Memorial/Honorary Trees, Sponsor a Ginkgo.
