Duck Pond — Attraction in Blacksburg

Lying at the confluence of three spring-fed streams that originate in Blacksburg and flow into Stroubles Creek, the Duck Pond- in concert with the Drillfield and the Alumni Mall- serves to unify the central campus of Virginia Tech. The park's upper and lower ponds mark the dividing point between the Upper Stroubles Creek watershed to the east and the Lower Stroubles Creek watershed to the west. The upper pond, constructed in 1880-81, served as an ice pond for the Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College until 1898 when the campus’s first refrigeration plant was installed. The lower pond was first proposed in 1913 by civil engineering student Bernard H. Fowle for his undergraduate thesis. Construction of the lower pond was completed in 1937 as part of a project to enlarge the nearby Drill Field.

Referred to as the Duck Pond by university students, the park provides opportunities for both passive and active recreation. A paved path traverses the park and connects it to the larger campus trail system. The park’s landscape features include a waterside gazebo, benches, and picnic areas. Informal plantings, which include a small section of hardwood forest, mixed flowering and evergreen shrubs, and open lawns, support a diversity of wildlife. The plantings merge with a wooded slope to the south linking the park to the nearby woodland amphitheater and “The Grove,” Virginia Tech's President’s home. Adjacent to the upper pond is Solitude, a circa1840 Greek Revival frame house, the oldest structure on the Virginia...

This Duck Pond is a wonderful, peaceful place to visit near the university. It's full of ducks and geese, making it perfect for nature lovers and kids who enjoy watching wildlife. On weekdays, parking can be tricky since you need a pass or paid parking, which is hard to find. But on weekends, there are no parking restrictions, and you can park nearby.

The area is very green with lots of benches to sit on and peacefully enjoy the view. Just be careful when walking on the grass because there's often duck poop, which is a small price to pay for being so close to nature. If you want to feed the ducks, remember to bring seeds instead of bread, as it's healthier for them.

Despite these minor issues, it's a great spot to relax, have a picnic, and enjoy some...

My favorite place in Virginia Tech! It’s such a pretty place all year round, but especially the spring when trees start to flower. It’s aptly named with lots of ducks and geese living in the pond. The ducks are used to humans and you can even feed them (not sure if it’s permitted but lots of people do it anyways).

There’s fish in the ponds and you can go fishing there. There’s also a gazebo and wooden balcony that looks over the pond edge. When it’s sunny, lots of people like to come here to relax in the...