Matthews Park and Courthouse Trails add new outdoor options in Goochland County

Matthews Park, at 5399 Matthews Rd., Goochland, VA 23063, is Goochland County’s newest park: a 36-acre community space in the western end of the county built around a playground, swings, and a picnic area. Courthouse Trails offers a different outing behind the Goochland County Courthouse Complex, with a 55-acre wooded trail parcel and a two-mile soft-surface route. One works as a quick family stop; the other fits a longer walk that can be folded into a trip to Courthouse Village.

Matthews Park: the easier stop for families

Matthews Park is the more straightforward choice when the goal is simple outdoor time without a long commitment. Its current amenities are basic: playground equipment, swings, and a picnic area. The walking trail that crosses the site is still under construction, so the park is already useful for casual play and breaks, even before the trail system is finished.

That makes Matthews Park especially useful for younger children and for anyone who wants an outing built around play rather than mileage. The site earned the Best New Facility Award in the Parks, Playgrounds, Greenways and Trails category at the 63rd Annual Conference of the Virginia Recreation and Park Society. Park facilities can be reserved for gatherings, and staff respond within three business days after a request is submitted.

Courthouse Trails: the woods walk in the county seat

Courthouse Trails is a different kind of outing altogether. It is a 55-acre parcel of densely wooded and hilly terrain behind the Goochland County Courthouse Complex, with a 2-mile soft-surface multi-use trail that includes scenic views, natural water features, and areas to enjoy the natural environment. The trailhead is adjacent to the Goochland County Annex Building, which is why this site works so well when you are already headed into the courthouse area for county business.

Compared with Matthews Park’s playground-first setup, Courthouse Trails asks for a little more effort and gives you a more immersive walk in return. Because the site is wooded and hilly, it is the better fit if you want cover, a longer route, and a trail that feels closer to a woods hike than a quick park loop. The Board of Supervisors adopted the Courthouse Village Small Area Plan on June 12, 2023, as an amendment to the Goochland County 2035 Comprehensive Plan, and the adopted plan looks out roughly 20 years to 2045.

What to expect if you are bringing kids, a dog, or an errand list

For kids, Matthews Park is the obvious first stop because the county has already built the experience around a playground, swings, and picnic space. Courthouse Trails can still work for a family walk, but the 2-mile soft-surface route and hilly terrain make it a better match for older children or for households that want a longer shared walk rather than a drop-in play session. If you are bringing a dog, Goochland’s leash rules are clear: dogs must be on a leash when on county property such as parks and recreational facilities. That applies at both sites, so neither one functions as an off-leash outing.

Why these two sites matter together

Goochland County Parks & Recreation facilities support outdoor recreation, community engagement, and appreciation of natural resources, and the Parks and Recreation Master Plan is a roadmap to guide decision-making and prioritize investments. The Courthouse Village plan links future growth to public spaces, greenways, sidewalks, trails, and a village core where residents and visitors can handle government business and still have places to dine and shop nearby.