Explore the best rated trails in Petersburg, VA. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Ashland Trolley Line and High Bridge Trail State Park. With more than 9 trails covering 117 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 Virginia Capital Trail transports visitors through time as it travels nearly 52 miles between the state’s early capital at the Jamestown Settlement and its current capital city of Richmond,...
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...
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 central feature for which the High Bridge Trail State Park is named is an unforgettable experience, towering 125 feet above the mighty Appomattox River and nearly a half mile (2,422 feet) across...
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 Ashland Trolley Line Trail 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...
The Newport News Park Bikeway offers a pleasant 5-mile loop through southern Virginia woodlands. The unpaved trail takes you through the 8,000-acre park and offers a connection to Colonial National...
Victoria Railroad Park is a 21-acre open space located in the central business district of an old railroad town in south-central Virginia. Victoria was the halfway point of a Virginian Railway...
The Virginia Capital Trail transports visitors through time as it travels nearly 52 miles between the state’s early capital at the Jamestown Settlement and its current capital city of Richmond,...
The Ashland Trolley Line Trail 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...
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...
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...
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...
Victoria Railroad Park is a 21-acre open space located in the central business district of an old railroad town in south-central Virginia. Victoria was the halfway point of a Virginian Railway...
The central feature for which the High Bridge Trail State Park is named is an unforgettable experience, towering 125 feet above the mighty Appomattox River and nearly a half mile (2,422 feet) across...
In Southern Virginia, an exciting regional trail project has been taking shape for over a decade. The Tobacco Heritage Trail will one day span 160 miles, connecting the counties of Brunswick,...
The Newport News Park Bikeway offers a pleasant 5-mile loop through southern Virginia woodlands. The unpaved trail takes you through the 8,000-acre park and offers a connection to Colonial National...
The central feature for which the High Bridge Trail State Park is named is an unforgettable experience, towering 125 feet above the mighty Appomattox River and nearly a half mile (2,422 feet) across...
In Southern Virginia, an exciting regional trail project has been taking shape for over a decade. The Tobacco Heritage Trail will one day span 160 miles, connecting the counties of Brunswick,...
Victoria Railroad Park is a 21-acre open space located in the central business district of an old railroad town in south-central Virginia. Victoria was the halfway point of a Virginian Railway...
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...
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...
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 Virginia Capital Trail transports visitors through time as it travels nearly 52 miles between the state’s early capital at the Jamestown Settlement and its current capital city of Richmond,...
The Ashland Trolley Line Trail 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...
The Newport News Park Bikeway offers a pleasant 5-mile loop through southern Virginia woodlands. The unpaved trail takes you through the 8,000-acre park and offers a connection to Colonial National...
Very happy that they offer the trails for multi use, we are newer to this area and havnt been able to find horse trails so this was exciting to find. My son and I enjoyed the trails on our horses today. The one side was well groomed while the other direction wasn't as well groomed for the height of horses , But just an observation , no complaints here, it was very quiet and we really enjoyed it and will be back plenty more times with the horses . When you go through the park there are kids on the play ground and it's fun going beside town on the trail , a little exposure for the horses , with out being overwhelming though. Thanks for allowing us to enjoy the trails with you all.
Nice shaded trail starting from the elementary school with bridges going over marshes, and creeks. Not lots of people, but set between some subdivisions. There were a few benches to sit on before getting to the meadow.
If you only have a few days/limited ride time - here are my suggestions, based on 2 days of riding and driving the entire trail (yes - it runs RIGHT BESIDE Hwy 5 for most of its length) Which is why I rate it a 4 instead of a 5.
Background: Trail surface is smooth. I was on the bike at sunrise and finished by 10AM or so - both days (weekdays) I saw fewer than 10 bikers my entire ride, even though this was the week of Spring break (April 4th, 2022) for the local schools. Both trail heads I parked at appeared safe - there were no cars there when I started and only a few when I finished.
Ride 1: Park at Chickahominy Riverfront Park MM 7, ride East to Jamestown. Jamestown Island has a 5+ mile road that is one way, with a low speed limit. Less than 1 mile from the Jamestown TH is the Powhatan Creek Trail - a nice 2+ mile out and back trail (hilly ride, winding, lots of rough pavement from tree roots, but repairs are in the works). You can also ride several miles of unpaved paths off of the Powhatan Creek Trail. And of course, ride over the Chickahominy Creek bridge to finish your ride. I was able to get in 35 miles on this route. This entire ride is safe for all riders. Also - Colonial Parkway from Jamestown to Colonial Williamsburg is a safe ride with no commercial traffic allowed, but it is a rough surface. The bike route separates from Colonial Parkway - best to follow it rather than stay on Colonial where there is a tunnel that prohibits bicycles.
Ride 2: Park at Four Mile Creek Park MM 40 (a nice drive on a winding Hwy 5 with minimal traffic from Jamestown), ride West to Richmond. The Great Shiplock Park and Canal Walk are interesting. This is a much hillier ride than the Jamestown end, with several traffic light road crossings. Safe - but not ideal for all riders. With a ride through Dorey Park in Varina, I was able to get in 29 miles.
Overall a nice trail, very smooth surface, with some sections more appealing than others. Jamestown Island was the highlight.
Originally intended to end in Burkeville. Why was it not completed?
Can anyone explain why high bridge trail was not completed to Burkeville as originally intended?
Can anyone explain why the trail was,not completed to Burkeville ad originally intended?
The trail is what we call a “Zen ride,” which means there’s not a lot of visual variety so it’s great if you just like being in your head while you pedal. We parked right in the center of town on Main Street which bisects the crushed limestone trail almost exactly in the middle. Conveniently at this intersection, there are clean, air-conditioned restrooms, while more rustic ones with “vault toilets” are located along the trail. There are no other amenities along the trail except the trailer that we encountered on our first trip that sold water out of an ice-filled cooler, along with various tourism chotchkes made by local artisans. We don’t think you can count on it being there, though, so fill up your water bottles before you set out.
First we headed west 4.5 miles to see the famous High Bridge, which oddly, was more interesting to read about than to ride over. It looks out on a wide expanse of trees…just trees. For as far as the eye can see. We continued to bike approximately 10.5 miles past the bridge and, having passed only a handful of walkers and bikers, a few deserted intersections and some vault toilets, the trail ended abruptly at a lonely picnic table surrounded by woods. The other half of the trail runs east briefly then due south. While hauntingly familiar (it’s almost identical to the western portion of the trail), brief glimpses of water, overhead bridges and slightly more varied scenery made it more interesting.
A very good brewery abuts the trail close to the midway point.
We love biking rail trails so when we had a wedding in Richmond we decided to bike the VA Capital trail. We broke up the trip at a bnb in Charles City. We stayed at the Edgewood BnB which was right on the trail but in the middle of nowhere. We arrived hot and tired so the pool was refreshing but the nearest restaurant was 8 miles away - that would add 16 miles to our tired legs so the inn keeper was kind enough to drive us to the restaurant. Inn was clean and historic. The next night we stayed at the wedmore winery in Williamsburg. Which was very nice as well but being on bikes we were far from any kind of night life. The trail wasn’t very scenic as is was along a highway with very little areas to stop for food or bathroom s no shade so we did not want my to bike back. We ended up staying at the winery another night and taking the train back to Richmond. highwayThere was no shade and very few places to stop along the way.
…and we rode the trail back to Jamestown. This was in late October of 2021 and we were looking for fall foliage. We were a couple of weeks early. A great ride overall, though, and the trail was in great shape.
Rode the trail from Tuggle to the bridge and back. 20 miles total. It was 40F but not much wind. The trail is in GREAT condition. No rough spots at all. Although we didn't stop because of time constraints, the town of Farmville, VA looks inviting.
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