Wayside Park

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Running along the beautiful waters of the Sycamore Creek, Wayside Park sits on more than 50 acres with a destination playground, a beautiful LOVE sign, pickleball courts, an amphitheater, a rentable pavilion, and much more for families to enjoy.

Visit us at 1678 Main Street, Hurt, VA 24563.

Wayside Park Bridge Construction:

Construction will begin on May 29, 2023 and be completed by October 20, 2023. During this time, we will not be renting out the Wayside Park Pavilion or Sycamore Stage, which are located across the bridge. The main side of the park will remain open to the public as usual. We do ask you to proceed with caution during this time. Please avoid touching or getting around any construction equipment or the construction area. Please avoid the areas of the creek near the construction site during the construction of the bridge.

A Visual Tour of Wayside Park

Updated on 08/10/2022 9:44 AM

Wayside Park Amenities:

Thanks to contributions from local organizations and Pittsylvania County, Wayside Park has been transformed into a destination park. We offer the following amenities.

Handicap accessible playground
Historical swinging bridge
Public restrooms
Walking trails
Amphitheater
Pickleball courts
Pavilion
Stage
Picnic tables
Zipline

You can view a high resolution PDF of the Wayside Park map and story.

Wayside Park Rentals

We also offer affordable rentals at Wayside Park as well! Below are the rates for four hour time slots at Wayside.

Shelters: $50
Wayside Park Pavilion: $100
Sycamore Stage: $100
Pavilion and Sycamore Stage: $200

Please call our office at 434-432-7736 to discuss availability. You will be required to complete a parks and shelters rental application.

Wayside Park History

Pittsylvania Wayside Park was first created during the Great Depression as a picnic stop for families that were traveling. The Civilian Conservation Corps, which was established by President Franklin Roosevelt as a way to improve infrastructure and provide work for the unemployed during the Great Depression, built seven Wayside Parks in Virginia, including the park in Hurt.

For people traveling along what is now U.S. 29 business, the park served as a real attraction, especially since there were not as many gas stations and restaurants. Tens of thousands of people visited the park over the years. For locals, many of whom grew up going on field trips to the park and swimming in the Sycamore Creek, the park holds special meaning.

Over the years, the park gradually deteriorated since no organizations maintained it. In recent years, the Pittsylvania County Parks and Recreation Department has completely revitalized the park, enhancing and restoring some of its most distinct features while adding new ones that still reflect the park's history and character. For instance, the new playground has many train-themed elements to match the train trestle that sits right across the street.