GENERAL INFO: High Bridge Trail is ideally suited for hiking, bicycling and horseback riding. Once a rail bed, the trail is wide, level and generally flat. Its surface is finely crushed limestone, making it easy for everyone to enjoy. Its centerpiece, the majestic High Bridge, is more than 2,400 feet long and 125 feet above the Appomattox River. It is the longest recreational bridge in Virginia and among the longest in the United States. Bring plenty of drinking water because it's not available on the trail. Access points: Use municipal parking lots in Farmville. Others are at River Road in Cumberland County; Osborne Road in Farmville; Heights School Road in Prince Edward County; and at Rice, Tuggle and Prospect. Horse trailer parking is available at Prospect, Osborne Road and Heights School Road.

Trip suggestions

The parking lot closest to the bridge is at River Road. Consider these tips:

• For pedestrians and hikers, the bridge is nearly a mile away.
• Trailers are not allowed at the River Rd. parking lot.
• Bikers might prefer parking at the Rice parking lot, which is 3.1 miles from the bridge and 8 miles from Farmville. Bikers might also wish to park at the Main Street plaza parking lot in Farmville; the bridge is 4.5 miles from that lot.
• For equestrians, the designated horse trailer parking lots are at Osborne Road, which is about 2.9 miles from the bridge, and at Prospect, which is 12.4 miles to High Bridge.

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Park size: 1,108 acres.
Current weather: Click here to visit the Weather Channel's site for this zip code.

AT-A-GLANCE: The pictographs directly below show park offerings. Click on those of interest or read below for more detail. Mouse-over the image for a short text description or click here to view a legend in which each pictograph's meaning is expressed.

LOCATION: High Bridge Trail is 31 miles long and runs through Cumberland, Nottoway and Prince Edward counties and the towns of Burkeville, Farmville, Pamplin City, Prospect and Rice.

Entrances - Parking availability:

• Rice's Depot Road, 1/4-mile off U.S. 460 at Rice, near trail milepost 142
• River Road, three miles off N. Main St. in Farmville, near trail milepost 146
• Osborne Road, 1/4-mile off N. Main St. in Farmville, near trail milepost 149
• Municipal lots in Farmville where the trail intersects with Main St. near trail milepost 150
• Tuggle Road, off U.S. 460 and near U.S. 15 North, near trail milepost 156
• Prospect Road, off U.S. 460 at Prospect, near trail milepost 161
• Elam, off U.S. 460 at Sulpher Spring Rd., near trail milepost 164
• Heights School Rd., of U.S. Business 460 near Pamplin, near trail milepost 168

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Latitude, 37.304488. Longitude, -78.390938.

Major access points: Longitude, latitude

• Pamplin City: 37º 15.645, -78º 39.782
• Elam: 37º 17.053, -78º 37.023
• Prospect: 37º 18.123, -78º 33.454
• Tuggle: 37º 18.386, -78º 29.275
• Farmville: 37º 18.271, -78º 23.454
• Osborne Road: 37º 18.536, -78º 22.982
• River Road: 37º 19.437, -78º 20.230
• Rice: 37º 16.179, -78º 17.653

A FEW PHOTOS

View all High Bridge Trail photos.

VIDEO

Enjoy this short video that highlights the park's namesake, High Bridge, and shows people using park trails.

PARK MAP: Click here. Click here for a table that shows mileage at certain points along the trail.

OVERNIGHT FACILITIES: None. For information on availability of other parks' overnight accommodations, particular park amenities or to make a reservation, you can reserve online or call 1-800-933-PARK. Click here for park fees.

CABINS: None in the park, but nearby Bear Creek Lake and Twin Lakes state parks have cabins.

CAMPING: None in the park, but nearby Bear Creek Lake, Holliday Lake and Twin Lakes state parks have camping.

SWIMMING: None

TRAILS: Hiking, bicycle and bridle trail.

Visit the Explore Virginia Outdoors website for enhanced maps and video tours of High Bridge Trail's trails.

Click here for information about trail etiquette.

WILDLIFE: Virginia State Parks are great places to discover and reconnect with the wild world. Bring a camera and share your captures with the world. But please don't disturb or get too close to the animals. The park is, after all, their home. Here are a few recent natural encounters others have had at High Bridge Trail.

View all wildlife encounter photos from High Bridge Trail.

FISHING, BOATING: High Bridge Trail parallels and crosses over sections of the Appomattox River. In addition to largemouth and smallmouth bass, the Appomattox is home to the Kentucky spotted bass and numerous other freshwater species. Access to the river is limited. Nearby Twin Lakes and Holliday Lake state parks offer other fishing and overnight accommodations.

HUNTING: None

HORSES: Bridle trail. State law requires that visitors carry a copy of a negative Coggins report with each horse brought to the park. Horses must be dismounted and led across bridges.

PARKS CALENDAR OF EVENTS: Click here to view park events, festivals, workshops and interpretive programs.

VISITOR CENTER, GIFT SHOP: None at the park. There is an exhibit about High Bridge at the Heartland Regional Visitor Center and Transportation Heritage Museum in Farmville.

NATURE, HISTORY PROGRAMS: Click here to view park events, festivals, workshops and interpretive programs.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER: None

NEARBY ATTRACTIONS: Bear Creek Lake State Park, Holliday Lake State Park, Sailor’s Creek Battlefield Historical State Park, Twin Lakes State Park, Sandy River Reservoir, Briery Creek Wildlife Management Area, Prince Edward-Gallion State Forest, Lee’s Retreat Driving Tour, Longwood University Visual Arts Center, Robert Russa Moton Museum, Old Town Farmville, Farmville, Prince Edward County, Cumberland County, Nottoway County

PICNIC SHELTERS: None

ACCESSIBILITY: The trail and parking lots are accessible. Parking areas at Prospect and Rice have handicapped parking spots. All restrooms are accessible.

SPECIAL FEATURES: None.

CONCESSIONS: None.

LAUNDRY: None.

RESTAURANT: None.

HISTORY: In December 2006, Norfolk Southern Railway Co. donated a 31-mile tract of abandoned railroad to the state for the establishment of a new state park. The rail line was part of the Petersburg to Lynchburg line. On Aug. 22, 2008, four miles of the linear park were opened to the public. On June 6, 2009, another 10 miles were opened to the public. Six more miles were opened on Nov. 14, 2009, and another four miles were opened on July 3, 2010. On Sept. 4, 2010, the trail's final six miles were opened. After 13 months of rehabilitation work, High Bridge was opened to the public on April 6, 2012. Its completion provides the final link in the 31-mile trail.

FRIENDS GROUP: Feel like lending nature a hand? The Friends of High Bridge Trail State Park is a group of hands-on volunteers dedicated to preserving the park and supporting its mission. Call 434-315-0457 or email fofhbt@gmail.com for more information.

MASTER PLAN: Master plans must be written for parks before they're built. The plans are updated at least once every five years thereafter. The plans cover the size, types, infrastructure and locations of facilities as well as the site's special features and resources. Three public meetings are held during the initial development of each plan. Click here (PDF) for this park's master plan.

CONTACT INFO: High Bridge Trail State Park, 6888 Green Bay Road
Green Bay, VA 23942 (Note: The park's office and actual location are separate. Do not use the above address to determine directions); phone, 434-315-0457; email, highbridgetrail@dcr.virginia.gov.