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Experience the Dragon – the Most Pristine Body of Water in Virginia

Looking to escape the chaos of daily life and feel truly close to nature?  The Dragon Run wetlands and wilderness is one of the Chesapeake Bay’s hidden treasures; the Smithsonian ranked it the second most important site in the Bay watershed.  More than 200 acres of untouched swamplands are only accessible through kayak tours led by the Friends of the Dragon Run, a local nonprofit dedicated to protecting the natural resource the organization purchased in 1985.  Only accessible from a handful of points, “the Dragon,” as it’s called, winds through Middlesex and neighboring counties to the Piankatank River. 

The half day “paddle,” or kayaking tour, gives close up access to truly breathtaking views and natural beauty.  And you don’t need to be an expert kayaker to participate -- Gari and I don’t have much kayaking experience, but that didn’t matter.  Nor do you need to bring any gear -- the group provides kayaks, life jackets and everything else you need on site. 

We met our group at the Friends’ camp on the edge of the run around 8:30, got a quick safety briefing and orientation, and then were pushed into the water by 9:00.  Our tour guide pointed out Dragon Run’s fascinating flora and fauna as we cruised almost effortlessly down the channel (well, except when Gari got stuck in various patches of grasses).  Beavers flourish in the Dragon, and the organization carefully builds gates to protect the beaver dams while letting kayaks through.  Other volunteers rescued us as when we occasionally got stuck on a submerged log or a grassy sandbar.  Lots of shade from the canopy of cypress trees kept us cool despite the summer heat, and surprisingly few insects bothered us while we were on the water.  Three hours later, when we made it back to camp, we were a little tired but inspired enough by the trip to want to book the next season! 

Amazing trees, flowers and plants line the banks and fill the backwoods along Dragon Run, including one towering cypress believed to be over 800 years old!  We saw beaver lodges, eagles’ nests, turtle hideaways, and, of course, lots of dragonflies.  I really liked all the gnarly cypress knees and leafy water lilies; Gari, who is completing a Master Naturalist course, paid the most attention to the warblers and other birds that sang for us along the way.  We both enjoyed learning about the history of Dragon Run, which was marked on maps dating back to the 1500s!  We learned, too, that the swamplands were a refuge for Native Americans in the 1600s Bacon Rebellion, and for local Confederates during the Civil War.

Every spring, summer and fall the Friends of Dragon Run organize group paddles.  They’re scheduled in advance and often fill up within an hour or two as kayakers from around the state seek a coveted slot in exchange for a small donation.  We love supporting this important organization and occasionally have spaces available for guests of the Inn, so keep an eye on our social media for openings, and reach out to us for advice on how you can plan a weekend stay and kayak trip.  The summer paddles, scheduled between July 19th and 30th, open for reservations on June 15th.  Fall paddle reservations open on September 1st and take place between October 16th and November 5th.  For more information about Dragon Run or to book a paddle, visit https://www.dragonrun.org/ or read https://www.localscoopmagazine.com/life/exploring-the-dragon/.