Explore the best rated trails in Lakeside, VA, whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Mary Washington Hospital Trail and Rappahannock River Heritage Trail . With more than 12 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.
As others have said - this trail is very bumpy. Much of the trail still has railroad ties going across it. I did on a touring bike and even deflated the tires partway into the trail. I still called it after 8 miles. Just not much fun. Hope they will improve it a bit sometime because I lived the countryside and overhanging tree branches etc. Really beautiful. Good walking trail or mountain bikes.
Wonderful paved trail where I bike and lead rides for our local trail club. Great for all level of bicyclists as its mostly flat on the Jamestown end. Led a group of 10 recently for 36 miles and had lunch at the Jamestown Settlement. It is shaded in the summer. It is one of my favorite paved trail to ride. It is also part of the Trans American Trail for going cross the country.
Sandy
Four of us ONLY rode this trail between rte 605 (Western End Trailhead Parking) eastbound to rte 609 (crossing/Trailhead Parking) and return. Found many exposed tree roots, hazardous rusting railroad tracks, perpendicular decaying railroad ties and loose gravel resulting in a very bumpy and stressful ride. (With proper funding, this trail has enormous potential). Considering this Rails to Trail’s current condition, I would not use a road bike or trike and would be very cautious with a hybrid . I’d highly suggest a mountain bike with front fork suspension on Dahlgren Trail, considering it’s current condition! It’s has the potential to be an awesome 15+ mile Rail Trail!
I started midway and headed east. The detour puts you out behind the church (2 miles before the Sheets endpoint) and then you're on your own. I went to the main road then took a right back towards where the trail was and never found it. I thought the Karoo was confused because of the detour. If I could zoom out on the karoo I'd have seen the route turns at the gate behind the church. Just check the map for this detail before embarking. the bumps aren't as bad as I was lead to believe, actually below standard bumpiness. The gravel is pea gravel, a bit thick in stretches so it slows you a bit. 2 deer 2 blue herons, 1 box turtle in 18 miles round trip.
Trail is gravel the whole way. No 2 lane dirt road. There are no service areas at all. Great bike shop that helped me with my flat. The bridge is scenic. The rest is not. Pretty flat and no significant hills. Stayed at an old hotel that had a rooftop bar. Farmington is a cool town.
No bikes or horses allowed, roots would make wheelchair mostly impossible
Approx 3/4 of the trail has views of the lake, beautiful sunset views! Way too many roots for a wheelchair.
As others have said - variable surface, smooth to pretty rough. I rode 12+12 from the west end on a bike w/ 40 mm tires, but no suspension. If you have a bike w/ suspension (at least on front), use it.
And within the first 1/2 mile the path crosses the tracks (and the surface changes from smooth bluestone to sloped loose gravel) - that caught me by surprise.
This trail pretty for walking and would be okay on a fat-tire bike with front shocks, but its surface is not for medium or narrow tires. It was a disappointment on my recumbent trike--crawling along on dirt, gravel, exposed railroad ties, and worse. I only rode 3 miles before turning around. However in that short space, I twice had to get off and walk over rails or narrow duckboards.
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