Don’t Miss the Best Hiking In and Around Richmond, VA

As someone who was born and raised in the Richmond area, I didn’t always appreciate how many outdoor gems there are in the area. As a became an avid hiker and photographer, I realized what a gem Richmond is if you are an outdoor enthusiast. Here are my suggestions based on hiking around the area for over 10 years:

State Parks

The largest state park in the state, Pocahontas State Park, is a 30-minute drive from downtown Richmond. This park has over 90 miles of trails, including dedicated bike trails and a whole area for equestrians. The trails are mostly easy, with some moderate trails, that vary in length and surface. Some are basically forest roads while others are true trails.

Additionally, there are 4 other parks within an hour drive of the city. York River State Park, near Williamsburg, is around 45 minutes east. Powhatan State Park is around 45 minutes west. Lake Anna State Park is an hour north while Bear Creek Lake State Park is an hour west. All of these parks have really cool trails as well as bodies of water that provide opportunities for other activities.

Battlefields

Since Virginia was the backdrop for the Revolutionary War as well as the Civil war, there is a lot of military history in the state as well. There are several battlefields in the area with hiking trails. Most are not long, but still a good place to catch a hike (and take in some history as well). Cold Harbor Battlefield, Gaines Mill Battlefield, Malvern Hill Battlefield, and Five Forks Battlefield are all within an hour of downtown and have at least a couple miles or trails. Keep in mind, some of the trails include sections where you are walking through the battlefields. Five Forks is probably my favorite of these. It’s around 45 minutes from downtown, and it has lots of trails and is never crowded.

State Forests

Virginia has a ton of state forests, a lot of which have public access. The ones that are closer to Richmond include Cumberland State Forest, Chesterfield State Forest and Crawford State Forest. There are some others that are further out from town, but most offer at least a couple of trails, which are usually old forest roads. Keep in mind that these areas are not maintained like state parks. In the summer, there is tall grass that sometimes makes navigating through these more difficult.

Urban Hiking

One of the coolest things about the Richmond area is the ability to be in the middle of the city and still hike, bike, and paddle. Queue the James River Park System. There are trails that run along the river through the entirety of downtown. You can walk the canal, walk the floodwall, walk across the river, and access many of the trails from the area known as Brown’s Island and Tredegar. There is a climbing wall as well. You can take advantage of the class IV rapids in the middle of downtown. Also, where the canal walk ends, the Virginia Capital Trail begins. This biking (and walking) trail runs from Richmond to Williamsburg.

The Richmond area is really one of the most outdoor friendly places I have ever been. If you like to hike, bike, paddle, or just be outside, Richmond has multiple options for you. In addition to all the outdoor activities, Richmond has a ton of cool museums, eateries, and nightlife that make it in amazing place to visit. Click here to check out all the options while visiting. Hopefully, I will see you out on the trails sometime soon!