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Bells Mill Park
4.3 ★★★★☆ 302 Google reviews · Running trail in Chesapeake, Virginia · Dawn to dusk
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Mixed
- Loop distance
- 2.5 mi
- Shape
- Loop
- Shade
- Tree cover
- Access
- Dawn to dusk
Confirmed from Bells Mill Park's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
A former landfill, this park now offers wetlands & meadows with a 2.5-mile trail & picnic areas.
What runners say about Bells Mill Park
“There is a beautiful little lake here that you can get to from the Great Bridge boat launch area.”
“Pretty good place to run or have a nice quiet secluded walk/lunch but still remain in the heart of great bridge! I go to run often.”
“There's little to no canopy or shade here, so bring sun protection.”
“Pretty good place to run or have a nice quiet secluded walk/lunch but still remain in the heart of great bridge!”
I enjoyed walking here. The path to the right takes you past a small pond and into an open field area with has a path that weaves up and down small hills, and goes along the tree line. The path on the left is also nice and goes along the tree line.
This is a city park open to the public from sunrise to sunset. The whole family can enjoy a romp around the fields here, including pets. It's a very simple park and a great way to connect to nature. There were plenty of birds and squirrels, and i saw a baby rabbit.
Pretty good place to run or have a nice quiet secluded walk/lunch but still remain in the heart of great bridge! I go to run often. There is a XC path that snakes and meanders through the park, some variance in elevation but wide open.
Great place to run, ground is really soft. Great trail beautiful. Wear the right shoe. As I was leaving I saw a deer. As we were driving out met 3 friendly horses?! Couldn’t really tell. Lol I’ll let my picture tell the story. ❤️👌
Trail conditions & character
“There is a beautiful little lake here that you can get to from the Great Bridge boat launch area.”
“There's little to no canopy or shade here, so bring sun protection.”
“Mostly a sunny trail, did fine with a jogging stroller but there were some rocky parts that were more challenging for walking strollers.”
“No trail maps so i just stayed to the right at each intersection completing a big loop on the one side then returned and completed a big loop on the other side.”
“The path to the right takes you past a small pond and into an open field area with has a path that weaves up and down small hills, and goes along the tree line.”
“There's a medium-sized parking lot with a port a potty and fitness workout area.”
“Pretty good place to run or have a nice quiet secluded walk/lunch but still remain in the heart of great bridge!”
“Mostly a sunny trail, did fine with a jogging stroller but there were some rocky parts that were more challenging for walking strollers.”
Plan your run at Bells Mill Park
The practical stuff
- AccessDawn to dusk — the gates close, so do not plan a run that finishes after dark
- SurfaceMixed — more than one surface along the route, so check the segment you plan to run
- Loop distance2.5 mi back to where you parked
- ShadeRunners describe real tree cover here — it makes a summer afternoon workable
- At the trailheadparking, restrooms — reported by runners
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
- Stroller / wheelchairReported as smooth and step-free enough for a running stroller or a chair.
- Websitecityofchesapeake.net
- Phone(757) 382-6411
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Hours
| Monday | 7 AM–8 PM |
| Tuesday | 7 AM–8 PM |
| Wednesday | 7 AM–8 PM |
| Thursday | 7 AM–8 PM |
| Friday | 7 AM–8 PM |
| Saturday | 7 AM–8 PM |
| Sunday | 7 AM–8 PM |
Running trails near Chesapeake
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
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Chesapeake City Park
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Deep Creek Park
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