Outdoors

There’s plenty to do to keep active, stay fit and enjoy the great outdoors in Hanover County, Virginia.

Golf

Soak up beautiful landscapes and stunning views while hitting the links in Hanover County. Local golf courses include:

Hanover Country Club (18 holes; par 71): Located 5 miles northwest of the Town of Ashland, nestled in the foothills alongside the South Anna River and Stagg Creek, Hanover Country Club treats golfers to challenging play and scenic landscapes.
The Hollows Golf Club (27 holes; par 70): Located in Historic Hanover County, The Hollows offers something for golfers of all skill levels with three unique nines to choose from.
Hunting Hawk Golf Club (18 holes; par 72): Located in Hanover County, beside the Chickahominy River, Hunting Hawk boasts a layout that complements the surrounding scenery and incorporates the gently rolling terrain, plentiful trees and wetland areas as features of the course.
The Federal Club (18 holes; par 72): The Federal Club is located in southwest Hanover County, near the South Anna River. The course was designed by Arnold Palmer. Players will appreciate the technical difficulty of the course as well as the stunning views.

Cycling

Virginia, with its natural beauty, national landmarks and terrain ranging from rural roads to family-friendly trails to tracks through woods and up mountains, is a favorite among bicyclists, and Hanover County is no exception. Riders can enjoy scenes dotted with historic homes and rolling countryside, and routes ranges from 10 miles to 100 miles.

Hanover is home to a strong, active cycling community. Richmond Area Bicycling Association (RABA) organizes rides through Historic Hanover, the Town of Ashland and other areas on a weekly basis as well as a monthly basis. RABA also puts together the Heart of Virginia Bike Festival.

Hanover is proud to be be participating in the Richmond’s Region’s 2015 UCI Road World Championships. This is cycling’s pinnacle event, attracting 1,000 of the world’s best cyclists – men, women and juniors – who are offered the rare opportunity to compete for their countries in the traditional road race and individual time trials. In addition, the world’s top professional teams will challenge each other in a team time trial. For the Elite Men’s Individual Time Trial – 33 miles (Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2015), racers begin their “Race of Truth” in Hanover County at Kings Dominion, Virginia’s premier amusement park, and move past Meadow Event Park, birthplace of thoroughbred racing legend Secretariat. Riders will pass the Hanover Courthouse, the third oldest courthouse still in use in the United States, en route to the City of Richmond via Chamberlayne Road and pass through Virginia Union University before finishing with the climb of Governor Street and dash down Broad Street.

The following resources offer additional information about bicycling in Hanover County and Virginia:

Running

Hanover offers runners, joggers, speed-walkers and everyone in between a variety of events to choose from. Local races and events are:

Patrick Henry Half Marathon
Ashland Railroad Run
Ashland Harvest 10K
Mechanicsville Miler
Reese Strong 5K
Ashland Pumpkin Run
Raiders Run 5K
MCEF Run to Serve 5K
Memorial Regional 5K Nurse Challenge
Ash Creek 5K

Check out Sports Backers and Richmond Road Runners to learn more about these and other events for running enthusiasts.

Water Activites

You don’t have to take in Hanover County just from land. Climb on board your boat or a friend’s, and experience Hanover from the water. Four rivers are located in Hanover County, which makes for a variety of different boating and fishing experiences from white water rafting to tidal fishing. The four rivers are Chickahominy River, North Anna River, Pamunkey River and the South Anna River. Small boat/canoe launch sites include:

Route 1/North Anna Ramp: Located at the Hanover County/Caroline County line on Route 1
Route 54/South Anna Ramp: Located off of West Patrick Henry Rd. (Rt. 54) on the South Anna River, approximately 1 mile west of Patrick Henry High School
Route 33/South Anna Ramp (Ground Squirrel Ramp): Located at the intersection of the South Anna River and Mountain Road (Route 33)
Route 301/Pamunkey Ramp (Littlepage Ramp): Located approximately 2 miles north of Hanover Courthouse on Route 301

Bass Pro Shops

Hanover County is also home to popular outdoor retailer Bass Pro Shops. Outdoor enthusiasts will love this 150,000-square-foot tribute to Virginia’s unique terrain and culture. The store houses over 3,500 artifacts, antiques, pictures, mounts and memorabilia, which are all native to the state.

Bass Pro Shops has something for everyone. Besides an extensive collection of hunting, fishing camping merchandise and other outdoor gear, the store boasts a full-service restaurant, a general store, an archery range, an arcade and a marine and boat center. This is clearly a destination the whole family will enjoy!