Virginia State Parks boast hundreds of miles of trails that are multi-use, meaning biking, walking and horseback riding are allowed. We have rail trails, mountain biking meccas, bridges, scenic rides along rivers and more.

Virginia Tourism recently shared an article titled "10 Virginia Bicycle Routes For Any Season" which got me thinking, they love our trails, we love our trails and maybe you need to be introduced to a few of our trails. We have such a diversity of parks clear across the state, maybe you are only familiar with the trails at a Virginia State Park near you? Or are nervous about riding a challenging mountain bike trail? 

Here are a handful of my favorite trails for the novice to beginner cyclists to enjoy:

Riders love High Bridge Trail State Park

HIGH BRIDGE TRAIL STATE PARK

The trails at High Bridge are 31 miles long and ideally suited for bicycling solo, as a couple or family. Once a rail bed, the trail is wide, level and generally flat which is great for beginner and all levels of bike riders. It has a finely crushed limestone surface which helps make it easy to ride on. The gem of this park is of course the magnificent High Bridge itself, which is more than 2,400 feet long and towers 125 feet above the Appomattox River. When you get about half way across from the River Road entrance you can look down on the river and out over the beautiful landscape.

It is the longest recreational bridge in Virginia and among the longest in the United States overall. High Bridge is a Virginia Historic Landmark and is on the National Register of Historic Places. There is a lot of history in this bridge itself and surrounding area. If you park at the main trailhead lot in Farmville, there are restrooms and drinking fountains. You can also walk to a restaurant after your ride at one of the many local eateries, like Walker's Diner who serves up a great breakfast, or Charley's Waterfront Cafe who even offers a date-night menu. 

The trail offers a variety of entrances with parking at each if you wish to ride different sections, click here to learn more.

One other perk of this wonderful High Bridge Trail is that you have amenities here like a bike fix-it station which is great for pumping up your tires, or tightening your brakes, etc. and there are also bicycle rentals available if you don't have enough bikes for your whole party, or want to rent something like a "bicycle built for two" tandem bike (refer back to the date-night comment above). Click here for The Outdoor Adventure Store located right in Farmville adjacent to the trail.

The trail that leads to the Bridge in Farmville, Virginia

The Appomattox River as seen from the Bridge

Bicycle fix-it station is a handy and much appreciated amenity at High Bridge

YORK RIVER STATE PARK

York River offers more than 30 miles of hiking, biking and equestrian trails, providing access to the park’s scenic and diverse natural areas. The park has nine multi-use use trails for visitors to enjoy year-round. There are five trails specifically for mountain-bike use only, including the first 5 miles of the John Blair Trail., see a PDF of York River Trail Guide here.

This park allows bike riding from the beginner or the more experienced, so you can all enjoy the park on the same day.

WE MAY BE 80 BUT WE STILL GOT IT

Cyclists of all ages enjoy York River State Park

The scenery changes as you ride along the river 

Jr. Rangers biking and learning about making and extinguishing camp fires

NEW RIVER TRAIL STATE PARK

New River Trail is a 57-mile linear park that follows an abandoned railroad right-of-way. The park parallels the scenic and historic New River for 39 miles and passes through four counties and the city of Galax. The trail's gentle slope makes it great for visitors of all ages to bike in unparalleled scenery. The park's Foster Falls area offers convenient bike rentals if you don't want to haul your own to the park.

Some interesting things you may encounter on your ride at this park:

• Two tunnels: 135 feet and 193 feet long
• Three major bridges: Hiwassee - 951 feet; Ivanhoe - 670 feet; Fries Junction - 1,089 feet
• Nearly 30 smaller bridges and trestles
• A historic shot tower used more than 200 years ago to make ammunition

There are several park entrances, click here to learn more.

COME ON OVER AND PLAY IN OUR BIG BACKYARD

New River Trail State Park offers 38 miles of flat trails to ride

Ride along the river, through tunnels and over bridges

Enjoy cycling year-round at New River Trail

Which park is right for me?

Learn about a particular park's trails by visiting the park page and finding "Trails" under the "Recreation" menu item at the left of the page, and each park's webpage links to its trail guide. Plus, you can use our amenity search tool to find a nearby trail that suits your needs. Explore Virginia State Parks trails here

There's an app for that!

Virginia State Parks Pocket Ranger app – Detailed trail maps that may be cached before your trip and used even when there's no cell service.

We have trails and know how to use them, come on over and play in our big backyard and help us celebrate our 80th birthday outside.

FIND YOUR PARK