"This facility will replace the launch at Dutch Gap." That sentence is on Chesterfield County's project page for the Falling Creek Boat Launch. The page was last updated July 15, 2026, and it puts the new ramp's projected opening in summer 2028.
The county has posted a second notice for the same corner of Chester. Kokosing Construction holds the contract to build the Dutch Gap Parkway. It is a new two-lane road from Henricus Park to Corporate Village Parkway, with a bridge over the oxbow of the James River. The county says construction starts in October 2026 and should finish in May 2029.
So the stretch of riverfront at the end of Henricus Park Road is entering about three years of change, starting this month. The county's fall calendar for Henricus Historical Park and Dutch Gap Conservation Area is full anyway. It runs from mid-October to early December, and most of it is free or close to free. If you live in Chester and have meant to spend more time out there, this is a good fall to do it.
What changes, and on what schedule
The changes come from several projects, and they don't all hit at once.
- October 2026. Parkway road and bridge construction begins. The county lists the traffic impact as "No detour required. There will be minimal impacts to existing roadways."
- Summer 2028. The new James River ramp and parking at Falling Creek are projected to open. Plans were submitted for permitting as of the July update.
- May 2029. The parkway is expected to be finished.
- Ongoing. Dominion Energy is removing coal ash from the Chesterfield Power Station site next door. A 2019 state law requires about 15 million cubic yards to be removed from the station's two ash ponds within 15 years.
All of this is connected. The county says Dominion is paying for the Falling Creek launch as part of its Dutch Gap fly ash cleanup. Dominion's project page lists other access work in the same package: a new boat landing, a Coyote Drive access and pedestrian bridge, Henricus stairway and trail improvements, and bridge access to Henricus. Dominion's published plan also says access to nearby historical and recreational areas will continue until the county's new facilities are built.
None of the sources we reviewed show a current closure at Dutch Gap or Henricus tied to this work. Both are open, both have programs on the calendar, and the main changes come later.
The lagoon, on the water and along its edge
Dutch Gap Conservation Area is free. The county lists a canoe and kayak boat slide, fishing, trails, restrooms and a James River boat landing there. The main hiking route is the Dutch Gap Trail, a 4.5-mile loop open to hikers, bikers, walkers, runners and horseback riders. The facility page lists 5.8 miles of walking trails in all.
On the water, the 2.5-mile Lagoon Water Trail is flat-water paddling past wetlands, islands, a heron rookery and sunken barges. The county's materials also list bald cypress, beavers, muskrats and bald eagles, along with two roadside observation platforms, bird blinds and five fishing docks.
Two fall programs put guides on that ground.
Reptile and Amphibian Field Survey, Sunday, Oct. 18, 9 to 11:30 a.m., $5. This is a guided survey covering 1 to 3 miles on foot, for ages 8 and up. Participants need closed-toe shoes.
Halloween Paddle, Saturday, Oct. 31, 5 to 8 p.m., $18. An evening paddle on the lagoon with stories, about two hours on the water, for ages 8 and up. It falls on Halloween night, so families with trick-or-treaters will have to pick one.
If you want to paddle without a program, the county also offers private three-hour guided lagoon tours by appointment. Each tour includes about two hours of paddling, and boats, paddles, flotation devices and nature guides are provided.
One more outing starts here. The Bushwhacking Expedition at Brown & Williamson on Friday, Nov. 13, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., costs $10. It meets in the Henricus parking lot, then covers about 3.5 miles off-trail at Brown & Williamson.
Henricus has four free weekends
The second half of the calendar is at Henricus Historical Park, 251 Henricus Park Road. Every event below is free to attend.
- Historic Tricks, Treats, and Tales, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2 to 4 p.m. Trick-or-treating in costume and historical ghost stories. Candy is handed out while supplies last. For families who want a Halloween outing and can't make the Oct. 31 paddle, this is the daytime choice a week earlier.
- Hops in the Park, Saturday, Nov. 7. The Henricus Foundation's event page lists Virginia craft beer, local cider and wine, brewing demonstrations, a crafts market, live music and food trucks. Admission is free, and you pay for food, drinks and market goods. The Foundation lists two different time windows. The event page says 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the general events page says noon to 6 p.m. If you're planning around the earlier hour, check before you go.
- Thanksgiving Food and Drink Traditions of Early Virginia, Saturday, Nov. 28, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Open-fire cooking, bread baking and demonstrations of early Virginia food traditions, on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
- Winter Bird Count Primer, Saturday, Dec. 5, 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. A two-hour walk looking for waterfowl and winter songbirds. Bring binoculars and a bird book.
The bird walk ties the season together. In October, the field survey looks for reptiles and amphibians. By December, the same water is the place to look for wintering ducks and songbirds. If you go to both, you'll see the conservation area at two very different times of year.
Getting there while the trucks are running
The one thing that could slow a fall visit is the road in. Virginia's Department of Wildlife Resources has a notice for Dutch Gap ramp users. It says Chesterfield County has operational control of the ramp and that truck traffic from fly ash removal at the Dominion site next door may cause significant traffic delays. The notice is undated, so it's a standing advisory and doesn't describe any particular day.
Dominion's project page names the roads involved. Hauling affects Coxendale Road and Henricus Park Road, and the page lists five affected public-road intersections. Trucks are not allowed on Coxendale Road west of Old Stage Road toward I-95.
In practice, give yourself extra time for timed programs like the 9 a.m. field survey, the 5 p.m. paddle launch or the 8:30 a.m. bird walk. With parkway construction starting in October, it's worth checking with Chesterfield Parks and Recreation before an early start or a boat launch. The county's facility pages describe what's there. They don't post daily trail or ramp conditions.
Before or after, closer to Route 10
A Saturday morning out at the river pairs well with the Chester Village Farmers Market at 11700 Chester Village Drive. It runs Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. through Dec. 19, 2026, so it's open on the mornings of Hops in the Park, the Thanksgiving demonstrations and the bird primer. On Saturday, Oct. 10, the market hosts Kids Markets during the same hours.
That same week, Chesterfield Parks and Recreation holds an Outdoors in October Series evening on Friday, Oct. 9. It runs 5 to 6:30 p.m. at R. Garland Dodd Park, Field #1, 201 Enon Church Road, with donuts, warm cider, games and a Monster Mash lesson.
For dinner after the Halloween paddle or a long day at Hops in the Park, Slay Burgers opened its second location at Bermuda Square in Chester with a grand opening on July 28.
Here's the full stretch in order: the Kids Markets Saturday on Oct. 10, the reptile survey on Oct. 18, ghost stories at Henricus on Oct. 24, the lagoon paddle on Oct. 31, Hops in the Park on Nov. 7, the Brown & Williamson hike on Nov. 13, open-fire cooking on Nov. 28 and the bird walk on Dec. 5. The county projects that the Falling Creek ramp, which will replace the Dutch Gap launch, opens in summer 2028.
New roads and a relocated boat ramp can change how a corner of Chester feels and how people value the homes near it. If you own near Henricus Park Road or Coxendale Road, or rent out a property nearby, and want to talk through what the parkway timeline could mean for you, Bradley Real Estate is glad to sit down with you. Schedule a consultation, and we'll go over it with you plainly and patiently.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
