Bethel Beach Natural Area Preserve
Mathews, VA
Bethel Beach Natural Area Preserve protects a long, undeveloped run of Chesapeake Bay sand in Mathews County, home to a globally rare beach tiger beetle and one of the few nesting sites left for several shorebird species. A gravel lot at the end of Route 609 is the only real infrastructure the preserve has, and that's the point.
A rare, undeveloped stretch of bay coastline that birders specifically travel for, though the total lack of facilities makes it a poor fit for a typical family beach day.
How we score beachesCome for the birding, not the swimming. This is a preserve first, with the widest, quietest stretch of natural beach on this part of the bay, but no facilities of any kind.
A gravel parking area sits at the end of Route 609, reached from Route 14 in the town of Mathews via Tabernacle Road.
A short walk from the gravel lot leads directly onto open sand, with no boardwalk, restrooms, or other facilities anywhere on site.
Spring and fall bring the best birding, when migratory shorebirds pass through the marsh alongside the beach, while summer swimming is unguarded and entirely at your own risk.
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