Virginia Capital Trail

The sprawling Virginia Capital Trail snakes along the James River through the scenic Route 5 corridor. When complete, the trail will stretch more than 50 miles to connect the historical attractions at Jamestown and Williamsburg to the state's capital in Richmond. Currently, four sections are open: 2.8 miles in Greensprings, 5 miles along the Chickahominy Riverfront, 7.5 miles in Charles City County and a half-mile in downtown Richmond. The Greensprings segment begins near the Jamestown Settlement, which provides a unique glimpse of early American history and culture, and continues northwest to Highway 5. Along the way, it passes Revolutionary War battlegrounds and a 40-acre wooded wetland and wildlife area. The Chickahominy Riverfront segment begins at the intersection of Greensprings Road (Route 614) and Highway 5 and travels to the Chickahominy Riverfront Park, where trail-goers will enjoy majestic views of the James and Chickahominy Rivers. The Charles City County segment begins near the county's historic courthouse built in 1730 and continues past many colonial plantation homes, including the Berkeley Plantation, the ancestral home of US Presidents William Henry Harrison and Benjamin Harrison. The Richmond Riverfront segment parallels Dock Street through Shockoe Bottom, one of the city's oldest neighborhoods, from the Canal Walk to Great Shiplock Park, which commemorates the canal lock built here in the 1850s.

Parking for the Greensprings section is available at the Jamestown Settlement; the trailhead is across Rt. 31. Parking for the Chickahominy Riverfront section is available at the Chickahominy Riverfront Park or Jamestown High School. Parking for the Charles City Courthouse section is available at the Charles City Courthouse Visitors Center, just off of Rt. 5. Parking for the Richmond Riverfront section is available at Great Shiplock Park along Dock Street.