Explore the best rated trails in Bristol, VA. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Mendota Trail and Virginia Creeper National Recreation Trail. With more than 20 trails covering 114 miles you’re bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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The Erwin Linear Trail (a.k.a. the Erwin Greenway) parallels I-26 along North Indian Creek and Nolichucky waterways for 4 miles. The trail is paved and mostly flat, coursing through the Cherokee...
The South Fork New River Greenway offers a winding, paved pathway through the town of Boone, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Brookshire Park is at the northern end of the trail...
The Beaver Creek Dam Trail gets its name from the circa-1905 Beaver Dam Railroad, which it follows through the southwestern Virginia town of Damascus. A highlight of the route is the trail's...
The Mendota Trail will one day stretch the entire length of the former Southern Railroad corridor between Mendota and Bristol, a total of 12.5 miles. At present there are two segments. The northern...
The Kingsport Greenbelt runs 8 miles along the Holston River and Reedy Creek through the city of Kingsport. It is touted as both a historic and fitness trail, passing by Civil War sites, historic...
Nestled into the recreational playground of northeastern Tennessee, a homespun pathway connects two charming towns in the Appalachian foothills. The Tweetsie Trail links Johnson City, home to East...
Boone Greenway is a hidden gem in the town of Boone, and each step traveled takes to across different settings, with nature, history and culture all on display. The trail traverses the town, winding,...
Opened in 2017, this asphalt trail follows the bends of the north fork of the Powell River from the River Bend Shopping Center in downtown Pennington Gap, to Leeman field. An arched bridge connects...
The Railroad Grade Road is a 10-mile road built on an old railroad grade that was once part of the Virginia-Carolina Railroad (Virginia Creeper). This part of the Virginia Creeper line was abandoned...
The Bull Creek Pedestrian and Bike Trail, which will one day run 3 miles, lies in the coal-mining country of western Virginia. Following the route of a former Norfolk Southern coal train, the first...
The Guest River Gorge Trail meanders along 300-million-year-old sandstone cliffs that plunge 400 feet to the pristine waters below. The deep gorge was created as the Guest River, now designated as a...
The Powell River Trail is a 2.4-mile out-and-back trail in Appalachia, southwestern Virginia. The trail sits on the former Louisville & Nashville Railroad bed, which was used to haul coal from...
The Laurel Creek Trail takes travelers into the Cherokee National Forest in Johnson County. There is no shortage of scenery in this wildlife rich-haven, where rushing waters slice through serene...
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The Wes Davis Greenway follows a portion of abandoned rail line that once ran from Bluff City, TN, to Mendota, VA. The greenway crosses Beaver Creek at two points. This linear park features the...
The Benham Rail Trail—also known as the Benham Walking Trail and Coal Miners Walking Trail—runs east to west across the small town of Benham on a former railroad corridor. The line, which was...
The Laurel Creek Trail takes travelers into the Cherokee National Forest in Johnson County. There is no shortage of scenery in this wildlife rich-haven, where rushing waters slice through serene...
The Virginia Creeper National Recreation Trail offers scenic wonders from dense forests, open fields and lush waterways to railroad relics and delightful small towns. Cyclists and equestrians love the...
The Erwin Linear Trail (a.k.a. the Erwin Greenway) parallels I-26 along North Indian Creek and Nolichucky waterways for 4 miles. The trail is paved and mostly flat, coursing through the Cherokee...
The short, relatively easy Phillips Creek Loop (also known as the Pine Mountain Trail) begins in a pleasant recreation area that is open May 15 to September 15 and provides paid parking, swimming,...
Boone Greenway is a hidden gem in the town of Boone, and each step traveled takes to across different settings, with nature, history and culture all on display. The trail traverses the town, winding,...
The Wes Davis Greenway follows a portion of abandoned rail line that once ran from Bluff City, TN, to Mendota, VA. The greenway crosses Beaver Creek at two points. This linear park features the...
Nestled into the recreational playground of northeastern Tennessee, a homespun pathway connects two charming towns in the Appalachian foothills. The Tweetsie Trail links Johnson City, home to East...
The Guest River Gorge Trail meanders along 300-million-year-old sandstone cliffs that plunge 400 feet to the pristine waters below. The deep gorge was created as the Guest River, now designated as a...
The Bull Creek Pedestrian and Bike Trail, which will one day run 3 miles, lies in the coal-mining country of western Virginia. Following the route of a former Norfolk Southern coal train, the first...
The Railroad Grade Road is a 10-mile road built on an old railroad grade that was once part of the Virginia-Carolina Railroad (Virginia Creeper). This part of the Virginia Creeper line was abandoned...
Virginia's Salt Trail runs for more than 8 miles between the small community of Saltville and the larger borough of Glade Spring. The trail is popular with equestrians and can get muddy and eroded in...
If you're looking for an easy trip, the Little Stony National Recreation Trail in Jefferson National Forest is the perfect alternative to the nearby Devils Fork Loop Trail. Devils Fork Loop is...
The Mendota Trail will one day stretch the entire length of the former Southern Railroad corridor between Mendota and Bristol, a total of 12.5 miles. At present there are two segments. The northern...
The Powell River Trail is a 2.4-mile out-and-back trail in Appalachia, southwestern Virginia. The trail sits on the former Louisville & Nashville Railroad bed, which was used to haul coal from...
The Kingsport Greenbelt runs 8 miles along the Holston River and Reedy Creek through the city of Kingsport. It is touted as both a historic and fitness trail, passing by Civil War sites, historic...
The Beaver Creek Dam Trail gets its name from the circa-1905 Beaver Dam Railroad, which it follows through the southwestern Virginia town of Damascus. A highlight of the route is the trail's...
The Benham Rail Trail—also known as the Benham Walking Trail and Coal Miners Walking Trail—runs east to west across the small town of Benham on a former railroad corridor. The line, which was...
The South Fork New River Greenway offers a winding, paved pathway through the town of Boone, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Brookshire Park is at the northern end of the trail...
Opened in 2017, this asphalt trail follows the bends of the north fork of the Powell River from the River Bend Shopping Center in downtown Pennington Gap, to Leeman field. An arched bridge connects...
Cautionary Note: This trail is extremely challenging, with as many as 18 stream crossings (at the height of the winter thaw), a 1,200-foot elevation change and many opportunities to lose the trail....
The Laurel Creek Trail takes travelers into the Cherokee National Forest in Johnson County. There is no shortage of scenery in this wildlife rich-haven, where rushing waters slice through serene...
The Virginia Creeper National Recreation Trail offers scenic wonders from dense forests, open fields and lush waterways to railroad relics and delightful small towns. Cyclists and equestrians love the...
The short, relatively easy Phillips Creek Loop (also known as the Pine Mountain Trail) begins in a pleasant recreation area that is open May 15 to September 15 and provides paid parking, swimming,...
The Railroad Grade Road is a 10-mile road built on an old railroad grade that was once part of the Virginia-Carolina Railroad (Virginia Creeper). This part of the Virginia Creeper line was abandoned...
The Bull Creek Pedestrian and Bike Trail, which will one day run 3 miles, lies in the coal-mining country of western Virginia. Following the route of a former Norfolk Southern coal train, the first...
The Beaver Creek Dam Trail gets its name from the circa-1905 Beaver Dam Railroad, which it follows through the southwestern Virginia town of Damascus. A highlight of the route is the trail's...
The Powell River Trail is a 2.4-mile out-and-back trail in Appalachia, southwestern Virginia. The trail sits on the former Louisville & Nashville Railroad bed, which was used to haul coal from...
The Guest River Gorge Trail meanders along 300-million-year-old sandstone cliffs that plunge 400 feet to the pristine waters below. The deep gorge was created as the Guest River, now designated as a...
Opened in 2017, this asphalt trail follows the bends of the north fork of the Powell River from the River Bend Shopping Center in downtown Pennington Gap, to Leeman field. An arched bridge connects...
If you're looking for an easy trip, the Little Stony National Recreation Trail in Jefferson National Forest is the perfect alternative to the nearby Devils Fork Loop Trail. Devils Fork Loop is...
Cautionary Note: This trail is extremely challenging, with as many as 18 stream crossings (at the height of the winter thaw), a 1,200-foot elevation change and many opportunities to lose the trail....
The South Fork New River Greenway offers a winding, paved pathway through the town of Boone, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Brookshire Park is at the northern end of the trail...
The Erwin Linear Trail (a.k.a. the Erwin Greenway) parallels I-26 along North Indian Creek and Nolichucky waterways for 4 miles. The trail is paved and mostly flat, coursing through the Cherokee...
The Mendota Trail will one day stretch the entire length of the former Southern Railroad corridor between Mendota and Bristol, a total of 12.5 miles. At present there are two segments. The northern...
The Wes Davis Greenway follows a portion of abandoned rail line that once ran from Bluff City, TN, to Mendota, VA. The greenway crosses Beaver Creek at two points. This linear park features the...
Boone Greenway is a hidden gem in the town of Boone, and each step traveled takes to across different settings, with nature, history and culture all on display. The trail traverses the town, winding,...
The Benham Rail Trail—also known as the Benham Walking Trail and Coal Miners Walking Trail—runs east to west across the small town of Benham on a former railroad corridor. The line, which was...
The Kingsport Greenbelt runs 8 miles along the Holston River and Reedy Creek through the city of Kingsport. It is touted as both a historic and fitness trail, passing by Civil War sites, historic...
Virginia's Salt Trail runs for more than 8 miles between the small community of Saltville and the larger borough of Glade Spring. The trail is popular with equestrians and can get muddy and eroded in...
Nestled into the recreational playground of northeastern Tennessee, a homespun pathway connects two charming towns in the Appalachian foothills. The Tweetsie Trail links Johnson City, home to East...
This is an excellent trail for easy walking or riding. Only negative are the irresponsible pet owners who don't pick up their dog waste.
This has the potential to be a good place to ride, follows along the New River. However, it is a one lane road, and there are a lot of cars. Many cars are going fast and do not slow down. Definitely no place for kids to be riding. Be sure to get permission to park, we got permission to park and still got questioned. Virginia Creeper from Damascus is a much nicer ride, and no cars. We won’t go back to Todd or Railroad Grade Rd.
We set out on our gravel bikes from Abington and rode to Whitetop and back. We are avid road cyclists and I’ve got to admit that the stretch from Damascus to Whitetop was no joke. It was a slow, steady grind to Whitetop. We should have brought more fluid. Each of us brought two bottles and we burned through those quickly. We were able to stop for Gatorade and cold water on the way back at the Bike Exchange in Damascus. There was nothing open in Whitetop on the day we rode.
Wonderful,easy paved ride. Great for ebikes. Pavement is somewhat uneven in some spots, but still enjoyable. Encountered some vehicles, everyone was nice & considerate. Awesome food at Riverview restaurant, worth the stop
The bridge work is done (June 2021). Whole length of trail is currently passable and in great shape.
Great little trail. In excellent condition and with beautiful scenery. Very easy parking and there is a store across the street. It's a bit short but if you go one way and back that's eight miles and it's pleasant enough you could even turn it into 16 miles without getting bored.
A little on the rough side due to the larger gravel chunks, as well as pretty hilly! Not the smoothest ride but decent!
I LOVE this trail!! It’s right next to my house and I am on it every day.(at least once a day) My family and I use this trail more than we use our vehicles!¿
Went on a Sunday morning, very minimal traffic. Great view next to river. Flat, cool breeze and excellent views. Saturday during high season may be a bit more traffic with river tubing. All in all excellent and I will be doing it again this week.
I left from the Johnson City end and the first 4 miles were really beautiful; the 5th mile began to go through more development and then by the 6th mile, you are riding along a busy highway with lots of shops and “driveway” / road crossings that are busier than the crossings in the first 4 miles. Next time I would only go to the Sycamore Shoals State Park entrance and then turn around....I prefer woods and open scenery to buildings and strip malls
We took the dogs and kids w/ one in a stroller. It was perfect. The 3 year old tuckered out right before the end but it was beautiful, fun to explore and good for the soul! Definitely not a real hike just a walk but till the kids get older it was great!
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