Dinwiddie County: History, Motorsports and Nature

Dinwiddie County offers a variety of reasons to visit: Five Forks and a historic courthouse offer a glimpse into the past, while motorsports, forest trails and water activities provide other points of interest. For planning your trip, specific details such as the five stops on the driving tour and a 1.5-mile canal trail are useful, as are the visiting conditions for individual attractions.

Five Forks and the County’s History

The Five Forks Battlefield Unit offers a driving tour with five stops; information panels are located along the route. The unit also has eight miles of forest trails. Check visitor conditions before your visit. The Battle of Five Forks triggered the collapse of Petersburg and Richmond—a historical connection that puts the site in context beyond its individual stops.

The National Museum of the Civil War Soldier features interactive computers, videos and life-size dioramas. The exhibits also include more than 1,000 original objects and the multisensory battlefield simulation “Trial By Fire.” You’ll encounter a range of ways to explore the history, from original artifacts to a simulation.

The Historic Dinwiddie Courthouse was built in 1851 and served as the headquarters of Union General Philip H. Sheridan during the Battle of Dinwiddie Courthouse. The Dinwiddie County Historical Society is located in the Dinwiddie County Historic Courthouse; visits are available by appointment.

Motorsports, Trails and Water Activities

At Virginia Motorsports Park, offerings range from drag racing and mud bogs to motocross, ATV training, driving schools, autocross and cross-country motocross. Offerings may vary, so check in advance to see what’s available during your visit. The quarter-mile drag strip is lined with 23,000 seats. These two details describe different aspects of the venue: the length of the track and the number of seats along it.

Ferndale Park, also known as Appomattox Riverside Park, is located in Dinwiddie County. It has a 1.5-mile canal trail and a section of the Appomattox River Trail. Other activities include birdwatching, canoeing, fishing and whitewater rafting. This brings together a trail with a specific length and a wider range of nature and water activities.

Lake Chesdin has two public concrete boat ramps managed by the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. A 2024 county itinerary also mentions swimming, boating, kayaking and fishing at the lake. Check ramp conditions and the local operating conditions of specific facilities before using them.

Seasonal Offerings

At Riverside Vines, seasonal small plates and entrees complement the wine offerings. The Tasting Room is closed for daily sales this season; visits are still possible as part of scheduled events or private celebrations. Red Barn Farm offers Sprout Camp and Animal Explorers Camp in the summer. Seasonal dates therefore play a role in both offerings, but they determine different types of visits.

Discover more destinations: Dinwiddie, Fauquier County, Suffolk City, Carroll County, Chesterfield, Botetourt, Augusta County, Northumberland County.

For the broader travel overview: Virginia.