Trails in Virginia

The best way to experience all that Virginia has to offer is exploring one of our many themed trails. Explore more than 400 years of Virginia's rich history by following a Heritage Trail. If you enjoy hiking and watching wildlife, try a Nature Trail. More than 800 miles of United States Bicycle Routes 1 and 76, as well as the Virginia Capital Trail, are included in our Biking Trails. Finally, those seeking the fruit of the vine will certainly enjoy one our Wine Trails.

Heritage Trails

Virginia Civil War Trails has linked Civil War campaigns, using the bugle sign to mark more than 380 Civil War sites. Stop along the way and chat with interpreters, listen to radio messages from your car, and read an illustrated sign that explains what happened when and where…

The Crooked Road explores Virginia's mountain regions - Heart of Appalachia and Blue Ridge Highlands - and the rich heritage of the mountain people, focusing on their traditional bluegrass and picking styles. Visit more than 92 attractions, 244 outdoor recreation sites and enjoy…

Virginia's Coal Heritage Trail links the Heart of Appalachia's coalfields, communities, and the culture through seven counties on this official Virginia Byway. Just some of the points of interest along the trail include the intact coal-boom era town of Appalachia; Pocahontas…

The Jamestown Discovery Trail begins allows you to travel 39.6 miles along the Virginia Route 5 Scenic Byway through 400 years of history and see sites of Native American settlements, elegant plantations, African-American landmarks, presidential homes, Civil War battlefields and…

The Road to Revolution Heritage Trail is a guide through the life of Patrick Henry, orator of the Revolution and Virginia's first governor. See sites like St. John's Church, famed for Henry's "give me liberty or give me death" speech, and Red Hill, Henry's last home and burial…

The Journey Through Hallowed Ground is a beautiful trip down Route 15 through a region recognized as the most historically significant to America. Check out the Main Street communities along the way!

The Civil Rights in Education Heritage Trail is the first historic trail dedicated to commemorating the civil-rights-in-education struggles of African-Americans, Native Americans and women from the 18th through the 20th centuries. The 300-mile trail features 41 sites in the…

Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail commemorates and preserves the route of patriot militia who fought and defeated a force of a thousand British soldiers at the Battle of Kings Mountain during the Revolutionary War. About 200 Virginia soldiers marched from Abingdon to…

The Wilderness Road: Virginia's Heritage Migration Route, was the primary route taken by early settlers to the Blue Ridge Highlands and Heart of Appalachia regions of Virginia. It is an adventure through 23 Virginia localities and includes the Fincastle Turnpike and Carolina…

Trail to Freedom is a walking and driving tour through Fredericksburg, Stafford, Spotsylvania and surrounding counties that details the mass slave exodus in the summer of 1862. Seeing their chance for freedom, as many as 10,000 slaves crossed the Rappahannock River for cover…

Richmond Liberty Trail is a 6.2-mile walk through historic downtown Richmond. It includes 15 national historic landmarks. Look for the blue stars painted on the sidewalks to follow the trail.

Nature Trails

Virginia's Bird & Wildlife Trail is a driving trail with loops off the main trail, linking some of Virginia’s best wildlife-watching areas with walking and biking trails. It is the first statewide program of its kind in the United States and is divided into three areas: The…

Virginia's portion of the Appalachian Trail encompasses 544 miles of the AT, more than any other state! And 101 of those miles lie in beautiful Shenandoah National Park, paralleling beautiful Skyline Drive. The AT is well-maintained and has gentle grades, making it a most…

The Virginia Creeper National Recreation Trail can be accessed from Damascus and is 34.3 miles long. It began as a Native-American footpath. Daniel Boone even used the Trail while exploring the area. It got its name from the early steam locomotives that struggled up the…

Located in the Southwest Corner of Virginia, Spearhead Trails welcomes ATVs, dirt bikes, mountain bikes, and hikers to explore hundreds of miles of connecting trails through the mountainous terrain. The trail system currently has five separate trails of varying difficulty for…

Food & Drink Trails

Virginia is a wine destination unlike any other, with more than 300 wineries and dozens of wine trails surrounded by lavish scenery, breathtaking views, quaint small towns and monumental historic sites. Wine trails allow aficionados to sip their way across the Commonwealth and…

The Virginia Craft Beer scene is booming! More than 200 craft breweries are open in Virginia. A few localities have created trails to get to them. Want to make a day of it? Find a craft beer trail in your area to visit several breweries all within a few miles of each other. Check…

On the Fields of Gold Farm Trail, you’ll discover the home-grown side of Virginia in the Shenandoah Valley. After all, it’s where agriculture got its roots. Pick your own fruit in one of our orchards, stroll through a farmers’ market, savor a wine tasting, tour a working farm…

The Virginia Oyster Trail allows oyster lovers to experience artisans, eateries, galleries, inns and more. Growing in the world-famous Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, Virginia oysters thrive in eight different regions offering something for every palate.

The Virginia BBQ Trail connects barbecue lovers with pit masters who have a passion for making it. The trail features over 250 restaurants, festivals and other events. Follow the trail through various regions of Virginia to taste the best barbeque the Commonwealth has to offer.