Find the top rated birding trails in Charlottesville, whether you're looking for an easy short birding trail or a long birding trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a birding trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
Park at Riverside park. Head toward the river and follow the trail (it only goes one way from this point). It’s paved and not too hilly with lovely views of the river along much of the path. We turned around at the overpass as the neighborhood began to look a little sketchy at that point. But by the time we got back to Riverside Park, we had completed a nice 3 mike loop.
Our biking group through Wintergreen Sporting Club had a lovely experience on this trail August 2019. We parked in the restaurant parking (free for customers). We enjoyed a terrific lunch with extremely bicyclist supportive staff after our ride! One look at us and they served water immediately.
Some of us have road bikes so the crushed gravel trail keeps the rider alert. Some piles of gravel along the way posed a challenge for road bikers. I ask those who maintain the trails to be aware of the perils of piled gravel and sand to bicyclists.
The historic markers, some shade along the way and the bridges make this a 5 star trail.
We are frequent visitors to this park. It is an excellent place to run, ride or walk bikes along the gravel path or bridge. Despite other reviews - this trail has several walking and mountain biking paths that are quite interesting. One is about a mile long that takes you underneath the bridge. Another close to Camp Paradise parking lot is about a 1.5 hike through the woods. There are several other trails along the path we haven't discovered yet - but it is definitely worth the trip.
this was very pleasant if a little boring. there are some historical stops near Farmville and the High Bridge. the trail is closed for repair from about two miles east of main st. in Farmville to the river road parking area.
Farmville is in a shallow bowl along the Appomattox River with the High Bridge Trail rising out in two directions. It is uphill on a slight but steady grade. Not a bad grade, but one a casual cyclist would notice. So you park Downtown and ride out in either direction. The High Bridge is east. When nearly worn out, turn around and the down grade works for you. Further, Farmville is a college town (Longwood University) so there are abundant local and chain restaurants when you want to refuel.
We gave this an average rating as compared with other rails to trails and State Parks we have biked in the Mid-Atlantic area because once out of town the scenery does not change much. We have biked most of the Trail and it becomes a long green tunnel in many places. For this reason the Trail is best suited for a quicker pace consistent with biking and horse riding rather than walking. For the best Trail experience include the High Bridge structure, its role in history and its vistas.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g57784-d1908609-r634293226-High_Bridge_Trail_State_Park-Green_Bay_Virginia.html#
We have biked parts of this trail twice now. Except for the bridge, it's not a very interesting trail as it's just pretty much a straight, fine gravel path with trees lining it on both sides. What it lacks in interest, it makes up for in ease. Since it's a former railway it is very flat and not very crowded at all. We parked on River Road in Farmville and rode towards the bridge, which is only 1 mile from the parking lot (cost $4 per car year round). It is an ideal path for young families as it's flat, uncrowded and very few roads to cross. We had our 8 year old grandson and he easily rode a total of 10 miles, while the little ones were in the bike trailer. There are lots of fun places to eat in Farmville or bring a picnic and stop along the trail at some picnic tables. There are numerous port-a-johns as well as nicer restrooms along the trail every 2-4 miles (not flush, but clean and located inside a building). Make sure to bring plenty of water. The mosquitos were really pesky when we stopped, so you may want to bring bug spray this time of year. Also, there were literally hundreds of wasps all along the bridge. We didn't experience that the last time we rode, but the ranger said it's typical for this time of year. They don't bother you, but it also made us feel like we wanted to get off the bridge ASAP instead of stopping to take in the views leisurely. The little critters dropped the stars from 4 to 3.
If you live in Cville and want to go for a nice short ride in town, you can't beat this one! Beautiful landscapes, nice hills, fun!
For a person just starting out, this was a great way to get some miles in without killing my knees on hills. Very pretty. VERY FLAT!!
My husband and I were on our way home from Grayson County and decided to do two short stops on our way back to PA. I mapped the route that took us to FarmVille using the directions on the app. This is the only bad part of the review. The map took us to a very nice parking area that was designated for a train station and the municipal workers told us to use municipal parking . If it would have been a weekend I’m certain this would have been an issue. We started behind the Farmers Market and rode 4.5 miles east to the bridge. The surface of the trail is excellent and we even seen a few deer box turtles frogs and some snakes. The bridge is well worth the stop. The town of FarmVille is charming too. When we were finished there are plenty of cafes and restaurants to eat at. The state definitely keeps this trail in magnificent condition
The longest non-road paved section is at Riverview park at 2.1 miles. It is level. Beyond that you will need mountain bike or go on streets.
Flat, easy, and wear a swimsuit! The river is beautiful and begs for a swim. Note: there’s been some trail maintenance in the first mile (probably related to 6 weeks of rain), and the gravel is a bit deep in some sections. We have hybrids and were fine, just required a little attention.
TrailLink is a free service provided by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (a non-profit) and we need your support!
Map Search
