Lesser Known Walking Trails?

Submitted by SWied t3_10gx97t in rva

Hey All,

Looking to see if anyone has any recommendations on lesser-known walking trails in RVA/nearby. Hoping for 2.5+ miles, dog friendly, wooded is a plus.

I’ve done just about everything in Pocahontas, popular river trails (Pony Pasture, Belle Isle, etc) and most paths that come up on AllTrails, so hoping to find some more to add to my Rolodex.

Thanks in advance!

Edit: Thank you all for the recommendations- looks like I have quite a bit more to explore!

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hikerva t1_j555e5w wrote

Have you been to Cold Harbor? It’s a great, wooded, dog friendly 3.5 mile loop. But I think it’s in AllTrails.

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moni_bk t1_j58853t wrote

Cold harbor is a great suggestion. I do it a couple of times a year.

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cascadeRVA t1_j55t64c wrote

Larus Park

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RVAMTB t1_j5esbfz wrote

Yep. This place kicks ass on foot or bike. Surprised I had to get this far down the page.

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Pragmatologist t1_j557946 wrote

Check out Poor Farm park. They don't have many defined/named trails, but plenty of paths to walk to piece together a good hike.

Small stream cuts through the outer part of the park. Leads to a wet Labrador every time.

All Trails has good options.

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Vapid_Ingenue t1_j55p3kq wrote

Went to Poor Farm for the first time last weekend and was super excited to find it!

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alex_bvb t1_j57mv80 wrote

Just don’t go around ~3pm on a week day! You’ll spend half an hour sitting in traffic leaving the school.

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schmoopie76 t1_j5865fs wrote

Yes! I walk at Poor Farm almost everyday! My dogs go off leash - stay close and enjoy it. When weather gets nicer lots of mountain bikers but most are dog friendly and kind to share the trails! Great park. And yes don’t go near it weekdays during school drop off and pick up - it’s a shit show.

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wermodaz t1_j55q2ba wrote

I'm always surprised when people don't know about Dutch Gap

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AccidentallyTaschen t1_j55qh1k wrote

No one is ever at Powhite Park and it’s surprisingly nice and secluded for the location

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Asterion7 t1_j557kvs wrote

Have you done the poop loop? Also second Poor Farm. A bit of a drive but the trails are usually empty compared to downtown.

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bruxalle t1_j55b0nn wrote

Don’t do the poop loop since it rained all yesterday.

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Asterion7 t1_j55b7pj wrote

I don't think they were talking about hiking day in particular.

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fluufhead t1_j56hint wrote

What's the poop loop? I'd Google it but...

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tiglathpilesar t1_j56mq06 wrote

Asterion gave you the place, but make sure you pay attention to the sign that dictates which day is which direction. No one wants a head on collision.

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Asterion7 t1_j56irxv wrote

Trail out past the slave walk on the land in between the river and the water treatment plant. Hence the name. It's basically across the river from rocketts landing. A pretty fun trail to bike or run.

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azimmerli t1_j55b6ac wrote

The North Anna Battlefield up near Ashland. Several miles of trails in the woods along the river, with a great variety of terrain.

Also Gaines' Mill Battlefield (near Cold Harbor) has added a second trail that makes for about 3.5 miles when you do the full loop, if I remember correctly.

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Inevitable-Elk-3072 t1_j55m8mn wrote

Forest Hill Park and Dogwood Dell / Byrd Park have some great wooded trails.

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lunar_unit t1_j5574rm wrote

Cold Harbor, Malvern, some of the Battlefield Parks in Varina, Osbourne Landing.

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StarshipTzadkiel t1_j55n8yf wrote

Powhite Park isn't exactly lesser known but it is out of the way of anything else interesting. Lots of side trails to make many miles.

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tiglathpilesar t1_j55tfvr wrote

At the bottom of Chimborazo Park, there's a trail that takes you over to Government Road. Cross the road and stay left of the tracks and there's another trail that takes you to Jennie Scher. Cross the road and stay right of the railroad tracks and you can pick up another trail that has a couple of ways to go, but it entails miles and miles of additional wooded, relatively technical, trails. I occasionally see other people there, but for the most part, you'll have it to yourself.

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Round_Calligrapher79 t1_j56a8vd wrote

This is good information! I've tried to take that trail before but was the signage isn't very clear on where the trail picks up after that first road crossing.

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tiglathpilesar t1_j56f2od wrote

Yeah, it's not marked really at all. Cross Government and stay left of the tracks. Cross over Gillies Creek on the RR bridge and immediately the trail descends off to the left. Follow that for roughly half a mile and you'll come to an intersection marked by three tires. Go right there to come up to Jennie Scher. You can go straight, but it's basically just a half mile loop that runs back on itself.

Cross Jennie Scher and follow the RR tracks maybe 200 yards and off to the right there'll be a trail that ascends the hill. If you bear left at the fork and then cross the stream, there's a couple of miles of trail that serve as a loop. If you go right, there's an out and back trail that I've never run to the end of. It's at least more than a mile, and like I said, technical but very fun. The whole area has sharp turns, steep climbs, bridges and creek crossings. It's quite a find if you're an offroader.

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Lilykaschell t1_j56jjf2 wrote

Totopotomoy Creek in Hanover is a favorite!

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NotBloodyLikely t1_j55gn26 wrote

I enjoy walking my dog on the trails between Byrd Park and the pumphouse, there's a mix of hiking/biking trails back there that don't get a ton of use for some reason, so I've always enjoyed them for the relative solitude.

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Sp1cy_Wat3r t1_j568t0b wrote

I like to go for a nice walk on the trail behind Pine Camp art center in north side. There’s an “art loop” which is silly but there is a nice walking trail that extends behind it all. I’m not sure how far it goes, I’ve never walked the whole thing.

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anners12345 t1_j58ip55 wrote

Midlothian Mines is great and has a wooded section

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7SlotGrill t1_j56blyh wrote

They're lesser known for a reason ;)

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