Explore the best rated trails in Mechanicsville, 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 11 trails covering 83 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.
The sprawling Virginia Capital Trail snakes along the James River and State Route 5, a Virginia Scenic Byway, for 52 paved miles from the state’s capital of Richmond to the historic capitals of...
The Rappahannock River Heritage Trail offers a pleasant, paved route in the center of Fredericksburg with beautiful views of the Rappahannock River. Part of the trail winds through Old Mill Park,...
In western Williamsburg, the Powhatan Creek Trail stretches 2 miles from the historical Jamestown Settlement attraction to Clara Byrd Baker Elementary School. It begins near the one mile marker on the...
The Mary Washington Hospital Trail runs along the southeast border of the hospital center, proving a pleasant stroll or gentle bike ride for hospital visitors and patients.
Chester Linear Park runs for less than a mile on a former rail corridor in the heart of Chester, Virginia. The path courses through a residential neighborhood, but the enveloping woodlands provide a...
The Ashland Trolley Line runs on a portion of the former Richmond-Ashland Electric Line, which linked the two communities for 31 years until its closure in 1938. During this period, Ashland was a...
While Richmond isn’t necessarily known for its bike-friendliness, the Cannon Creek Greenway is a step in the right direction. The trail is 1.9 miles long, a north-south trail along the east side of...
The Rappahannock Canal Walk follows the old towpath along the disused canal just northwest of downtown Fredericksburg. The path follows a winding course past old suburban back yards and through a...
Situated midway between the nation’s capital and the Virginia capital of Richmond, the Virginia Central Railway Trail will one day offer more than 30 miles of trail from downtown Fredericksburg west...
In western Williamsburg, the Powhatan Creek Trail stretches 2 miles from the historical Jamestown Settlement attraction to Clara Byrd Baker Elementary School. It begins near the one mile marker on the...
The Railroad Ford Trail is located in beautiful Lake Anna State Park in Spotsylvania County near Richmond, Virginia. The park boasts 2,463 acres with swimming, boating, fishing, horseback riding and...
The Dahlgren Railroad Heritage Trail (DRHT) is currently a private-use trail only, which means a permit is required to use it. Friends of the DRHT are working to create public access to the trail,...
The sprawling Virginia Capital Trail snakes along the James River and State Route 5, a Virginia Scenic Byway, for 52 paved miles from the state’s capital of Richmond to the historic capitals of...
The Rappahannock Canal Walk follows the old towpath along the disused canal just northwest of downtown Fredericksburg. The path follows a winding course past old suburban back yards and through a...
While Richmond isn’t necessarily known for its bike-friendliness, the Cannon Creek Greenway is a step in the right direction. The trail is 1.9 miles long, a north-south trail along the east side of...
Situated midway between the nation’s capital and the Virginia capital of Richmond, the Virginia Central Railway Trail will one day offer more than 30 miles of trail from downtown Fredericksburg west...
Chester Linear Park runs for less than a mile on a former rail corridor in the heart of Chester, Virginia. The path courses through a residential neighborhood, but the enveloping woodlands provide a...
The Rappahannock River Heritage Trail offers a pleasant, paved route in the center of Fredericksburg with beautiful views of the Rappahannock River. Part of the trail winds through Old Mill Park,...
The Mary Washington Hospital Trail runs along the southeast border of the hospital center, proving a pleasant stroll or gentle bike ride for hospital visitors and patients.
The Ashland Trolley Line runs on a portion of the former Richmond-Ashland Electric Line, which linked the two communities for 31 years until its closure in 1938. During this period, Ashland was a...
The Rappahannock Canal Walk follows the old towpath along the disused canal just northwest of downtown Fredericksburg. The path follows a winding course past old suburban back yards and through a...
In western Williamsburg, the Powhatan Creek Trail stretches 2 miles from the historical Jamestown Settlement attraction to Clara Byrd Baker Elementary School. It begins near the one mile marker on the...
The Dahlgren Railroad Heritage Trail (DRHT) is currently a private-use trail only, which means a permit is required to use it. Friends of the DRHT are working to create public access to the trail,...
The sprawling Virginia Capital Trail snakes along the James River and State Route 5, a Virginia Scenic Byway, for 52 paved miles from the state’s capital of Richmond to the historic capitals of...
Situated midway between the nation’s capital and the Virginia capital of Richmond, the Virginia Central Railway Trail will one day offer more than 30 miles of trail from downtown Fredericksburg west...
While Richmond isn’t necessarily known for its bike-friendliness, the Cannon Creek Greenway is a step in the right direction. The trail is 1.9 miles long, a north-south trail along the east side of...
The Ashland Trolley Line runs on a portion of the former Richmond-Ashland Electric Line, which linked the two communities for 31 years until its closure in 1938. During this period, Ashland was a...
The Railroad Ford Trail is located in beautiful Lake Anna State Park in Spotsylvania County near Richmond, Virginia. The park boasts 2,463 acres with swimming, boating, fishing, horseback riding and...
The Mary Washington Hospital Trail runs along the southeast border of the hospital center, proving a pleasant stroll or gentle bike ride for hospital visitors and patients.
Chester Linear Park runs for less than a mile on a former rail corridor in the heart of Chester, Virginia. The path courses through a residential neighborhood, but the enveloping woodlands provide a...
The Rappahannock River Heritage Trail offers a pleasant, paved route in the center of Fredericksburg with beautiful views of the Rappahannock River. Part of the trail winds through Old Mill Park,...
Trail is paved and marked. Great views of creeks and wooded areas. Ran while our three youngest rode their bikes. She’s 7,8 & 10.
This is the perfect short trail for a nice stroll.
Drove from WDC to Richmond for a 60 mile training ride and loved the uncongested trail with excellent surface. Very infrequent stops available for restocking fluids or food, so pack accordingly. Will definitely come again.
This is a nice walking trail with some scenic views of the lake. It should be easy for anyone with reasonable mobility. There are significant roots growing across the path as well as some grade changes that would make this horrible for a person in a wheel chair but in several areas there are trees across the trail which would make it impossible!
Asphalt parts of trail are awesome but the boardwalks are a killer. Not recommended for quads. Beautiful and Clean! Definitely go there again but not on skates 😉
On Wed 3Apr, four of us drove from Raleigh NC , parked in a secure paid-parking lot in Richmond VA, within 1 mile of Trail head. We backpacked requirements for an overnight stay. We biked to Green Spring Vacation Resort near the Jamestown Settlement. For a reasonable price, we got a 4-bedroom / 4-bathroom overnight rental. We Uber-ed to dinner and back. The next day we biked back to Richmond and made many stops to read the historical signs posted all along this beautiful paved trail. We were blessed with awesome weather and only 1 flat! I will describe this trail as 30% flat, 35% hill climbing, and 35% hill descending! Both days, we met a variety of riders going in both directions. The 2-day b-ride with about 55 miles each day was well-worth our 6-hour r/trip drive!
It’s an awesome trail and very easy to ride. 54 miles will various places to stop and rest along the way. I ridden the trail twice starting in Richmond, finishing at the Jamestown. And then took the Capital Trail Shuttle back to Richmond.
November 2017 we paddled this trail west of Chickahominy campground. We thoroughly enjoyed pedaling this trail and the geocaching along the way. You can hear the traffic along most of this trail, but the condition of it is excellent. Enjoyed multiple trips to Cul's Courthouse Grille. This November we finished the trail east to Jamestown. Again a lot of the trail paralleled the highway, but the geocaching was fun.
My wife and I drove from north of Baltimore to do the trail the first week of Oct over 2 days starting at Richmond and finishing at Jamestown. Overall, it was a good experience.
Lest anyone be fooled, I would not consider this easy. The first day we rode to and stayed at North Bend plantation (more on that in the minute). That was a 33 mile first day. There were constant hills throughout those 32 miles (1 mile done off trail) While no one incline was onerous by itsef the cumulative toll of all of them after 30+ miles was obvious by the time we were done. (We are not rookies, we recently rode the 110 mile Florida Keys and the 62 mile PA Grand Canyon). I would rate this one more as moderate than easy. The trail itself is paved well, and with 2 exceptions well marked. The most disappointing aspect of it was the lack of diverse scenery. It really wasn't all that scenic, it was mostly along the road on one side and the same scrubby woods on the other. And that is the other BIG negative, the road. Any sense of tranquility along the way is disrupted by the fact that while on a path the road is literally right next to you for about 90% of the ride. It is well traveled enough to keep you from getting relaxed with any sense of nature.
Now the best parts. The night at North Bend Plantation was awesome. Miss Ridgely is a terrific and fun hostess. The place is loaded with history and when she tells you it will feel like Grandma's house, yes, you do feel that much at home.
On arrival in Jamestown, we played tourist at the settlement, then spent the evening at Wedmore Place at Williamsburg Winery. The price, the room, the dining and especially the service was A+ all the way.
Finally, the Capital Trail Shuttle back to Richmond. Cheyenne and her service merit yet another A+. She was great at communicating, easing any concerns before and during the trip. She was on time, helpful and friendly.
All in all, a good 2 1/2 day trip. Worth the 3 hour drive to get started in Richmond...once. Would definitely visit both lodgings again. As for the trail, of the several overnighters we've done, this ride comes in last place for enjoyment of the ride itself.
While in the area I was able to ride a quick 6 mile section from the Route 610 access. Very nice rustic trail with beautiful seanery.
Note that at the time of my ride (Early May) there was very high grass in parts of the trail and the ticks were numerous so take precautions.
Will return for sure for a longer ride.
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