Chessie's Big Backyard — Attraction in Groveton

A great place to cool off with your family!

The splash pad was so fun and I had a great time leading my 1.5 year old through the different water areas on the pad - definitely be ready to get wet if you're staying near your child!

Only 247 people are allowed in at a time (the back of the line was at 225 people when we arrived at 10:45 a.m. on a holiday Monday 7/5). Once it gets to max capacity it is pretty packed inside, and there aren't very many chairs or seating areas. But if you're okay setting your things on the ground and walking around- it's great! However, it's a pretty small area and gets very crowded loud if that bothers you. There are clean bathrooms with baby changing tables inside the splash pad area. Definitely worth it for FREE admission and parking!

Tips:

Arrive with plenty of time to get in line, probably an hour before on weekends if you want to get a good spot with a chair / shade.

Bring water shoes for yourself and your kids - they are required to use the splash pad!

Pack a picnic lunch to eat outside the splash pad after you're finished.

Make sure you bring everything you need inside the splash pad. Once it's at full capacity and you forget something, you'll have to stand in line to get back in.

Adults / parents - wear your bathing suit! You will definitely get wet and you are able to change before leaving the splash pad.

Be ready to share the space, be courteous, and have a great time!

The playground area has a lot of different parts, mostly for older kids 3+, but it's still fun to lead your younger kids and help them on the more difficult parts.

The nature trail is fun and safe. I haven't been on the whole trail yet, but the beginning towards the top is fun to walk through and my son loved the echo in the pavilion part. I'm looking forward to completing it this summer.

Overall, I'm so thankful that this is available to the public. It's nice to have a place to take your children to, especially the splash pad to cool off in the summer. Will definitely go back soon and plan to...

Have to give this place 5 stars. Our kids LOVED Chessie's Big Backyard. I was kinda surprised entry was free. We took our babies for the first time on 12/10/2020. Let them run around and play for a couple of hours for some free range time with other kids. We got there around 2pm ish and there were several kids playing and having a blast. Around 4pm we peeled the kids away from the playground and took them for a walk on the trail. There is a cool tree fort-like area of the trail and then several musical instruments to play along the trail. I think I spent a good 20 minutes on one of the very cool, large xylophone's myself 🤣. Kids loved that as well. There are restrooms just next to the playground that are well kept. Several picnic tables and pavilions, A merry-go-round and even a mid sized water park (that was closed in December). There is one dangerous area I want to mention. If you are facing the playground with your back to the restrooms, on your left hand side of the playground, there is a plastic (rock) wall the kids can climb on top of. This wall is pretty high and very slick. I stood behind my daughter while she scaled it to the top just to let her feel the sense of accomplishment and then pulled her right down from it. It would not be any less of a park without this obstacle there. If it were lower and or some grip tape was added to it. I don't think it would be an issue. A fall from that height could be a very bad thing. Overall a great time. We will return in the summer months to hit the water park. Well done Chessie's and...

Very fun place for kids...and grownups! The nature walk is wonderful and doable for most abilities-entirely paved or wooden bridge. It's not too long, short enough that my 2 year old easily walk/ran the whole path. It's a paved walk through the woods with stops of musical instruments. I've been here many times during the year and the bathrooms always seem to be open and accessible, which is great, especially with little potty training ones. They are cold in the winter, so be prepared.

The carousel is a lot of fun in the summer months, it runs about every 15 minutes. The splash pad is amazing. Make sure you have water shoes that cover heel and toes, we got through just fine with the off-brand natives and flip flops with a back strap. They will check the kids shoes at the entrance; we definitely saw people turned away for insufficient footwear. If it's art capacity, you will stand in line, but people seem to be constantly going in and out. There are family bathroom/changing rooms on the splash pad...