Mount Trashmore Park facts for kids
Mount Trashmore Park is a special city park in Virginia Beach, Virginia. It opened in 1974. This park is unique because it was built on an old landfill. This means it was once a place where trash was buried. Now, it's a beautiful green space for everyone to enjoy.
The park covers about 165 acres (0.67 km2). It has hills that are over 60 feet (18 m) high and 800 feet (240 m) long. You can find picnic areas, playgrounds, and volleyball courts here. There are also vending machines and restrooms.
Mount Trashmore Park has several walking trails. The Perimeter Trail is 1.95 miles (3.14 km) long. The Lake Trail is 1.45 miles (2.33 km), and the Mountain Trail is 1.30 miles (2.09 km). You can combine the Lake and Hill trails for a 2.75 miles (4.43 km) walk. The park also has two lakes where you can go fishing.
Since it opened in the 1970s, Mount Trashmore has been Virginia Beach's most popular park. Over one million people visit it every year. The park is open daily from 7:30 a.m. until sunset. Sometimes, on warm days, you might still notice a slight smell from its past.
Kids' Cove: A Fun Playground
Kids' Cove is a special playground at Mount Trashmore Park. It opened in 1993. Children helped design this playground with their own ideas. It is also accessible for kids with disabilities. Volunteers built the original Kids' Cove. The Virginia Beach Jr. Woman's Club helped organize the project.
A new, bigger Kids' Cove opened in December 2010. This new playground cost $1.4 million. It is almost twice the size of the first one.
Skate Park: For Skaters and Pros
The Mount Trashmore Skate Park is in the park's northeast corner. Many famous skateboarders, like Tony Hawk, have visited here. This large skate park is 24,000-square-foot (2,200 m2). It opened in August 2003.
The skate park has a big street course. It also features a 7-foot-deep (2.1 m) bowl. There is a huge competition-sized vert ramp. This ramp is over 13 feet (4.0 m) tall and 40 feet (12 m) wide. In August 2006, a fire damaged part of the skate park. It was completely rebuilt by March 2007.
