Heritage Park Family Photos in Blacksburg, Virginia: The Complete Guide

If you’re looking for one of the best locations for family photos in Blacksburg, Heritage Community Park and Natural Area should be near the top of your list. With open meadows, Blue Ridge Mountain views, rustic barns, and beautiful sunset light, it offers a lot of variety in one location.

I shoot probably 80 percent of my family photo sessions in Blacksburg here, and it never disappoints. If you haven’t done family photos here before, this is almost certainly where I’d start.

After photographing families and high school seniors here for years, I’ve learned where the best light is, when to head for the meadow, and a few things you should know before you arrive.

Heritage Park Family Photos: Quick Facts

Best time: Late afternoon through sunset
Best season: Beautiful year-round; late October for peak fall color
Parking: Free parking at the Glade Road entrance
Walking: About 150 yards to the main photo areas
Bathrooms: None in the park; facilities are available across Glade Road
Dogs: Allowed
Best features: Open meadows, mountain views, rustic barns, and sunset light

Why Heritage Park Is Great for Family Photos

Open meadows and Blue Ridge Mountain views

The open meadows, with sun-drenched sunsets and the signature Blue Ridge Mountains in the background, are the big attraction.

The open fields give you a Sound of Music, idyllic backdrop that I’ve not found at another public location around Blacksburg. It’s a remarkably pretty setting, especially late in the day.

The fields are different almost every time

The fields are still used for haying, so the location changes throughout the year.

Sometimes you’ll find big rolls of hay that make fun backdrops and that kids can play around. Other times, there’s a variety of colorful wildflowers that make for great sitting or lying-down shots.

I’ve photographed here many times, and it never looks exactly the same.

What Is the Best Season for Photos at Heritage Park?

Honestly, all of them.

Heritage Park is beautiful throughout the year. I shoot many high school seniors here during the spring, summer and fall, and all three seasons work equally well for family photos.

If you’re specifically looking for that fall harvest feel and autumn foliage, late October is usually the sweet spot. But check the fall foliage reports for the Blacksburg area as your session gets closer because, as we all know, peak foliage is a moving target!

The changing fields are part of what makes Heritage Park so interesting. Depending on when you visit, you might get tall grasses, wildflowers, freshly cut fields, hay bales or fall color.

When Is the Best Time of Day for Family Photos at Heritage Park?

Sunset is where Heritage Park really shines.

The sun sets behind the mountain from the main open meadow, which gives you the option of beautiful backlighting, sun-drenched images and sun flares if that’s what you’re after.

One important thing to know is that the photographic sunset at Heritage Park happens before the published sunset time. The surrounding mountains are higher than the horizon and block the sun earlier.

The main field can also be too harsh when the sun is still high, so I usually start elsewhere and work my way toward the meadow as the sun gets lower.

My family sessions are typically about 1.5 hours. I start at Heritage Park, work through the different locations as the light changes and, after the sun disappears behind the mountains, will often take everyone across the road to Rising Silo for a few final shots.

The Barns and Other Photo Locations at Heritage Park

Before you reach the main meadow, there’s a gathering of small, shabby-chic barns. The main standing barn has potential for photos in and around the doorway.

I often use this area while waiting for the sun to drop because the light in the main field can still be too harsh earlier in the session.

There are also paths around the farm that offer shade and another nice variation while waiting for sunset. Another meadow offers shade in some areas, and there’s also a little “playground” of sorts just up the hill from the barns.

All of this means we can get quite a bit of variety without having to drive from one location to another.

Is Heritage Park Good for Family Photos With Young Kids?

Absolutely. In fact, the open space is especially good for young kids because, as we all know, they don’t love being still for very long.

I let them roam free and enjoy the space. This is when I get some great individual shots of them blowing dandelions, exploring or simply running free.

The worst thing you can do with a wiggle-worm kid is spend too long posing them and forcing them to smile.

The good news is that I shoot fast-paced, and much of what we do actually involves moving and running around. I love a good lifestyle shoot and capturing the interactions that happen naturally.

But we all know we need a few good group shots too!

You can see examples of both styles in my Blacksburg family photography portfolio.

Can You Bring Dogs to Heritage Park?

Yes! Dogs are allowed at Heritage Park, and I often photograph families and individuals with their dogs.

The open fields also give us plenty of room to work with them. If your dog is part of the family, there’s no reason to leave them out of the family photos.

Does Heritage Park Get Crowded With Photographers?

During popular times, especially fall evenings, you may see as many as five photographers and their clients using the fields at the same time.

But Heritage Park is so large and wide open that this has never been a problem for me. Other groups are usually few and far between once everyone spreads out.

We say hi to the other groups, give one another space and all have a great time!

Where Should You Park for Heritage Park Family Photos?

This one is important.

Google may give you the Heritage Park address as 2300 Glade Road, Blacksburg, VA 24060, but that is not where I send my clients because it doesn’t take you directly to the grassy parking lot and park entrance that I use.

Instead, I give clients the address for Rising Silo Brewery, which is directly across the road from the Heritage Park parking area:

2351 Glade Road
Blacksburg, VA 24060

Look across the road from Rising Silo for the grassy Heritage Park parking lot.

Parking is free. It can fill up a bit during peak foliage times, but I’ve never had an issue getting a spot.

How Far Do You Have to Walk at Heritage Park?

There is a short walk from the parking lot to the barns and meadows. It’s partially grass, hard-packed dirt and some gravel.

I would not recommend high heels for this location. The walk out and the meadow itself are not particularly conducive to them.

If there are elderly people or anyone with mobility issues in your group, make sure they can handle the walk. It’s a grassy path, not a rugged mountain trail, but it’s probably about a 150-yard walk to the main photography areas, followed by some additional walking during the session.

I’ve never had a problem with anyone being unable to do it, but it’s something worth knowing ahead of time.

Are There Bathrooms at Heritage Park?

There are no bathrooms at Heritage Park. It’s open farmland with some wooded areas, with privacy if you are so inclined!

I’ve never had an issue with anyone needing a bathroom during a session, but there are bathrooms across the road at Rising Silo. It’s a good idea to make a stop there before arriving at Heritage Park, particularly if you have young kids.

Rising Silo Brewery and Glade Road Growing

Heritage Park is only a short drive from downtown Blacksburg, about three miles, and is located directly across the road from Rising Silo Brewery and Glade Road Growing.

I like to end some Heritage Park sessions with a quick trip across the road to Rising Silo and Glade Road Growing. I’ll take one group photo and a few individual shots here.

I keep it really fast because I’m respectful that this is a business and not a free-for-all photography location. My shooting style is pretty fast anyway, so if you blink, other people might miss that we were even there!

And we often pay it back by buying some food and beverages and introducing people to the location.

Can You Take Family Photos With the Old Yellow Truck?

There’s also a great old yellow truck at Glade Road Growing that I sometimes use in my family sessions.

This is private property, and I have an arrangement with Glade Road Growing where I pay a fee to use the truck. The money goes toward helping fund farm shares of food for people who need some monetary assistance.

If you’re a photographer interested in using this spot, realize that it is private property and you need to make arrangements before photographing people with or on the truck.

I initially thought the truck was part of Rising Silo Brewery, but it’s not. It belongs to Glade Road Growing.

Pro Tips for a Family Photo Session at Heritage Park

Make an evening of it. End your session with a beer from Rising Silo and make your way around Glade Road Growing’s locally grown farm market. If you’re not from here, it’s a great place to meet a few locals, and in my opinion it has one of the best sunset settings of any of the outdoor breweries around Blacksburg.

There’s food at Rising Silo, although I wouldn’t consider it a full dinner destination. I think of it more as a couple of post-shoot beers and a pretzel snack. There’s also wood-fired pizza!

And there are great bark mulch piles for kids to play on. Sometimes the simple things win.

Skip the high heels. You’ll be walking on grass, dirt and gravel and then walking through the meadows themselves. Wear something that works with the terrain.

Bring a blanket. The fields aren’t all mowed down to soft grass, and even after mowing they can be particularly pokey. Your photographer should bring a blanket if sitting or lying-down photos are part of the plan.

Consider bug spray. At certain times of year, there can be a hatch of tiny flying “no-see-ums.” They aren’t particularly bad, but you might want bug spray just in case. Mostly they’re a nuisance to the photographer because these little guys can become very noticeable when they’re backlit by the setting sun.

A Tip for Photographers Shooting at Heritage Park

If you’re a photographer shooting into the setting sun, consider bringing a 5-in-1 reflector so you can bounce some light back onto your subject.

I find this particularly useful for individual portraits. It’s less practical for larger family groups because the reflector usually isn’t big enough to light everyone evenly, although a larger reflector can work with smaller groups.

Lots of times I’ve enlisted a parent to hold the reflector for me. It’s a bit hard to do solo!

Ready for Family Photos at Heritage Park?

If Heritage Park sounds like the perfect place for family photos for you, which it is, you can see more of my work in my Blacksburg family photography portfolio.

I’d love to photograph your session!