Mattaponi Wildlife Management Area, Wildlife management area in Caroline County, Virginia, United States.

Mattaponi Wildlife Management Area covers 2,542 acres in Virginia's upper coastal plain, 1.3 miles west of Bowling Green in Caroline County. It borders five miles of the upper Mattaponi River and 1.5 miles of the South River, whose confluence lies at the southern end. The land holds upland forests, several kinds of wetlands and open water, including two rare oxbow lakes in bottomlands where the Mattaponi once flowed.

Before state ownership, the land was used for timber production and rock quarrying. The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries acquired it in 2010 for $7.6 million, with funding from The Nature Conservancy, The Trust for Public Land, Ducks Unlimited and $1.4 million from the U.S. Department of Defense. It opened to the public on March 30, 2011.

The area serves as a gathering place for people who hunt and observe nature, with seasons marking different activities throughout the year. It reflects how local communities connect with wildlife and river lands as part of their outdoor traditions.

Visitors should check requirements ahead of time, as permits are needed for activities like fishing, camping, and hiking in certain areas. It helps to understand the rules and learn which sections are open during different times of year.

The property contains two rare oxbow lakes in its bottomlands, which are remnants of old curves in the Mattaponi River. These crescent-shaped bodies of water create special conditions for aquatic plants and fish species adapted to slower waters.