Right Beaches › Virginia › Montross
Fossil Beach
4.6★ · 267 Google ratings · Montross, Virginia
✓ Short walk✓ Good for kids
At a glance
Parking
Reported adequate
Access
8am to 4:30pm
Walk
80 ft · under a minute
Cost
Paid parking
Water
86°F
Children
Reported good for young kids
Length
175 yd of shoreline
Sand
70 ft from the water to the back
Map of Fossil Beach
Guide
Good to know
Reported good with little kids
Visitors often mention shallow or calm water. This is what reviewers report, not a safety assessment.Mentioned by 19 visitors · 2020–2026
Bring a sifter or colander
Kitchen strainers are too fine-meshed; the visitor center loans proper sifters, or you can buy one there.
Visit at low tide
High tide narrows the beach to nearly nothing in spots, while low tide exposes extensive flats for fossil hunting.
Little shade reported
Visitors mention there is not much shade here.Mentioned by 8 visitors · 2020–2026
Arrive early in the day
By afternoon, families with tents and children arrive, making the small beach crowded and loud.
Expect a 0.5 to 1.8 mile hike
The trail is downhill with tree roots and elevation changes; the return uphill takes 20-30 minutes and is not stroller-friendly.
Conditions
How it is right now
Air
77°F · clear
Water
86°F
Wind
4 mph from the S
Shelter
Offshore · wind blowing off the land
UV index
7 peak today
| Time | Tide | Height |
|---|---|---|
| 02:54 | Low tide | ↓ |
| 09:39 | High tide | ↑ |
| 14:33 | Low tide | ↓ |
| 22:00 | High tide | ↑ |
Last updated Aug 20, 5:09 AM.
Practical
Plan your visit
📍 State Rte 686, Montross, VA 22520
🌊 Water 80 ft away, under a minute walk
Nearby
Other beaches close by
1.3 miles away
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Questions
Common questions
How far is the walk to the water at Fossil Beach?
80 ft in a straight line from the listing to the mapped shoreline, under a minute. Soft sand and dune make the real walk longer than the straight line.
Does Fossil Beach have restrooms?
No restrooms are mapped within 600 m on OpenStreetMap. That means nobody has mapped any, which is not the same as there being none.
Measured from OpenStreetMap, public aerial imagery and live conditions data, and counted from visitor reviews. Every source, in full.
