Winchester has more than 270 acres of parks, led by Jim Barnett Park, and the 6.06-mile Green Circle Trail. Parks open dawn to dusk. Parks office: 540-662-4946.

Last checked Oct. 18, 2026. Facts on this page come from Winchester Parks and Recreation, including its Jim Barnett Park, neighborhood parks and trails and natural areas pages.

Winchester has more than 270 acres of park land, and more than 100 of those acres are in neighborhood parks, according to Winchester Parks and Recreation. Parks and green spaces are open dawn to dusk unless a facility posts other hours or you have a permit.

Who to call

  • Winchester Parks and Recreation: 540-662-4946, wincparks@winchesterva.gov. Report downed trees or washed-out bridges on park trails here.
  • Rec Center: War Memorial Building, 1001 E. Cork St., in Jim Barnett Park
  • Programs and memberships: register online
  • Closures today: facility status

Jim Barnett Park

The city’s main park campus, at 1001 E. Cork St., is named for Jim Barnett, director of Winchester Parks and Recreation for more than 30 years. It has:

  • A one-mile Kiwanis par course fitness trail with 18 exercise stations, plus a paved walking trail with benches and a story walk
  • Playgrounds and picnic pavilions with charcoal grills
  • A fishing lake, horseshoe courts, athletic fields, pickleball and basketball courts, disc golf, a BMX track and a dog park
  • An outdoor pool and the Rec Center in the War Memorial Building, with a gym and indoor fitness equipment
  • An arboretum of about 100 trees of some 40 species, between Pleasant Valley Road and Maple Drive, and a sensory trail near it, installed by the Winchester Host Lions Club in 2021
  • The POW/MIA Memorial, dedicated in November 2005, and the Korean War Memorial along Maple Drive near the Cork Street entrance, and a Veterans’ Wall of Honor inside the Rec Center

The city is renovating the park’s Dancing Fountain splash pad and working on Abrams Creek in the park; see the city projects page. Pool hours are on the swim schedules page.

Trails and natural areas

  • Green Circle Trail. A biking and walking loop of 6.06 miles from Millwood Avenue and East Jubal Early Drive and back. It connects Glen Burnie Historic House and the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, Jim Barnett Park, Shenandoah University, Old Town and the Abrams Creek Wetlands Preserve, following streams where it can. Parts are still under construction. Trail map (PDF).
  • Abrams Creek Wetlands Preserve. A 25-acre calcareous muck fen with more than 300 plant species and 180 kinds of birds. Take the self-guided audio tour on your phone.
  • Shawnee Springs Trail and Preserve. A 0.26-mile trail in the 14-acre Shawnee Preserve, between downtown and Jim Barnett Park.

Trail rules from the city: cyclists yield to everyone else and announce themselves when passing; walkers keep right and pass on the left; follow posted leash rules and pick up after your dog. Bikes must be walked, and skates and skateboards are banned, on the Loudoun Street Mall.

Neighborhood parks and green spaces

The city lists these neighborhood parks, greens and gardens:

  • Frederick Douglass Park
  • Friendship Park
  • Harvest Ridge Park
  • NESW Park
  • Park Place Park
  • Patsy Cline Memorial Park
  • Poles Park
  • Ruth Jackson Memorial Park
  • Timbrook Park
  • Weaver Park
  • Whittier Park
  • Cedarmeade Green, Overlook Green and Rolling Hills Green
  • The Community Garden

Frederick Douglass, Weaver and Whittier parks also have the city’s glass recycling bins; see the trash and recycling guide.

Renting a pavilion or field

Pavilions and other park facilities are booked through the city’s facility rentals page.

What this means for you

  • Jim Barnett Park is the place for the pool, the lake, the fields and big events like the July 3 fireworks; see our fireworks guide.
  • Walk or bike the Green Circle; check the map first, since some links are unfinished.
  • Parks close at dusk.

More: things to do this month and getting around.

Frequently asked questions

What is the biggest park in Winchester, Virginia?

Jim Barnett Park, the city’s main park campus at 1001 E. Cork St. It has ball fields, a fishing lake, an outdoor pool, a BMX track, pickleball courts, disc golf, playgrounds, picnic pavilions and the Rec Center in the War Memorial Building.

How long is the Green Circle Trail in Winchester?

The full loop is 6.06 miles, starting and ending at Millwood Avenue and East Jubal Early Drive. It links Glen Burnie and the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, Jim Barnett Park, Shenandoah University, Old Town and the Abrams Creek Wetlands Preserve. Parts are still under construction.

What time do Winchester parks close?

City parks and green spaces are open dawn to dusk unless a facility posts its own hours or you have a permit.

Can I ride a bike on the Loudoun Street Mall?

No. City code requires cyclists to walk their bikes on the Loudoun Street Mall, and skates and skateboards are not allowed there.