Facilities

About Upper County Park

This 56-acre park is located in the northern portion of James City County. The park amenities include 2 playgrounds, 3 shelters, outdoor pool, walking and mountain bike trails, basketball courts, sand volleyball court, primitive camping and lots of open space.

Swimming Pool

Visit our Pool Hours & Fees page for more information about pool hours and purchasing pool passes.

Shelters & Primitive Camping

Visit our Park Fees page for more information about reserving shelter space. 

Amenities

• 25 meter outdoor pool
• Walking trails
• Mountain bike trails
• Primitive camping
• Basketball courts
• Horseshoe pits
• Picnic shelters
• Playgrounds
• Sand volleyball
• Toddler pool

Related Documents

• Annual Instructional Class Park Use Permit (PDF)
• Primitive Camping Guidelines (PDF)
• Primitive Camping Map (PDF)
• Public Facilities Rules & Regulations (PDF)
• Shelter Reservation Form (PDF)
• Special Park Use Application (PDF)
• Upper County Park Trail Map (PDF)
• Upper County Park Primitive Group Camping Request Form (PDF)

Dog Rules

Upper County Park is a dog-friendly park. Dogs must be under complete and immediate control of owners at all times and must be on a leash no longer than 8 feet. Owners are responsible for removing dog waste. Litter bags are available and guests should use only what they need while using the trail.  

Tents, Inflatables, Generators and Other

Single, free standing tents, up to 16’x16’, are permitted in open space within the park, but not permitted within 100’ of picnic shelters, the playgrounds, sports courts, parking lot or pedestrian trails. Tents must be anchored per manufacturer’s recommendations, with tie downs marked in a noticeable manner and may not be combined with other tents. Use of tents larger than 16’x16’, inflatables, generators, petting zoos or any amusement attraction, towable smoker/grill or fryers, or other large equipment will require a Special Park Use Permit and additional fees, and approval will be based on date, size, scope of the event and any conflicts the event may have on public usage of the park.

Primitive Camping

A portion of Upper County Park’s wooded area is available for youth groups, high school age and younger, whom are associated with nonprofit organizations such as boy scouts, girl scouts, 4-H clubs and church groups interested in tent camping. The camping area is designated as a primitive camping area which means there’s no water, electricity, restroom building (porta johns are provided), showers, picnic tables, grills, fire rings or trash cans in the camping area. The maximum group size is 75 campers and reservations must be made at least 14 days in advance. Fees are $50/night/group for James City County and Williamsburg residents and $75/night/group for nonresidents. Primitive camping is offered September through mid-May, allowing for a better primitive experience.

Trail Etiquette & Safety Tips

Observe all posted rules and regulations. Refer to the Public Facilities Rules and Regulations (PDF) for additional rules not listed below. 

• Children under the age of 12 must be supervised at all times by a parent, or a guardian at least 16 years old. 
• Pets must be secured by a collar and a chain, cord or leash no longer than 8 feet in length, and the pet must be under the owner’s complete and immediate control at all times. Loose dogs can be hazardous to other users. 
• Hike/ride with a partner. 
• Stay alert, be aware of your surroundings and know which trail you’re using. If you wear earphones, inserting only one earpiece is suggested so that you’ll be able to hear if another user is on the trail behind you. 
• Stay on the trail. Going off of the trail can damage the environment, threaten wildlife and accelerate erosion. Be considerate of adjacent property owners and do not use their property for trail access without permission. 
• Stay to the right and alert others by saying “on your left” when passing. 
• It is helpful to carry a cell phone and a whistle and/or other noise maker, and identification such as name, phone number, pertinent medical information—all are very important in case of an emergency. 
• Please refrain from using trails after major storm events until staff has time to ensure they are safe. 
• Leave no trace behind! Help keep the trail clean by depositing waste in recycling and trash receptacles.