Explore the best rated trails in Norfolk, VA. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Suffolk Seaboard Coastline Trail and Salem Road Trail. With more than 29 trails covering 176 miles you’re bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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In western Williamsburg, the Powhatan Creek Trail stretches 2 miles from the historical Jamestown Settlement attraction to Clara Byrd Baker Elementary School. It begins near the one mile marker on the...
The Newport News Park Bikeway offers a pleasant 5-mile loop through southern Virginia woodlands. The unpaved trail takes you through the 8,000-acre park and offers a connection to Colonial National...
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The Elizabeth River Trail–Atlantic City Spur runs for 9.5 miles between Harbor Park Stadium and the Norfolk International Terminals. The trail occupies a railroad right-of-way yet incorporates a...
The Harris Road Trail parallels Harris Road on the east side, through the neighborhoods south of Lynnhaven Bay in Virginia Beach. The short trail runs between Little Neck Road and Kline Drive. At the...
The Little Nec Road Trail is one in a series of suburban trails in the Virginia Beach area for non-motorized use. The trail runs parallel to its namesake road between W. Little Neck Road and Virginia...
The Independence Boulevard Trail is one in a series of suburban trails in the Virginia Beach area for non-motorized use. The trail runs parallel to S. Independence Boulevard in two disconnected...
The Virginia Beach Boardwalk is among one of the most popular trails in the Virginia Beach area. Throughout the summer the boardwalk hums with pedestrians taking in the shops and beach along this...
The Suffolk Seaboard Coastline Trail is a developing project that will one day span 11.5 miles, connecting the communities of Suffolk and Chesapeake in southeastern Virginia. The trail is also part of...
The Norfolk Avenue Trail runs along the north side of Norfolk Avenue between Pacific Avenue and South Birdneck Drive to the west. The paved trail links Virginia Beach neighborhoods, shopping, and...
The Kempsville Road Trail is one in a series of suburban trails in the Virginia Beach area for non-motorized use. The trail runs parallel to its namesake road between Providence Road (SR 40) and...
Corolla Greenway offers beautiful views of Currituck Sound and maritime forest along North Carolina's popular Outer Banks. The paved north-south pathway, which largely parallels N.C. Highway 12 (also...
This is a dedicated asphalt multi-use trail that runs adjacent to Chesapeake Boulevard in the Fairmount Park neighborhoo of Norfolk, Virginia. Adjacent bicycle sharrow lanes commence at the north end...
The Upton Drive Trail is one in a series of suburban trails in the Virginia Beach area for non-motorized use. The trail runs parallel to a short section of its namesake road between Nimmo Parkway and...
The Diamond Springs Road Trail is one in a series of suburban trails in the Virginia Beach–Norfolk region for non-motorized use. The trail runs parallel to its namesake road between Wesleyan Drive and...
The Cape Henry Trail crosses the heavily wooded First Landing State Park, located on Cape Henry north of Virginia Beach. The trail provides access to the Narrows Recreation area, located in the park,...
The Dam Neck Road Trail is one in a series of suburban trails in the Virginia Beach area for non-motorized use. The trail runs parallel to its namesake road between Salem Road and Terrier Avenue,...
Salem Road Trail is one in a series of suburban trails in the Virginia Beach area for non-motorized use. The trail runs parallel to its namesake road between South Independence Boulevard and Princess...
The Birdneck Road Trail is one in a series of suburban trails in the Virginia Beach area for non-motorized use. The trail runs parallel to its namesake road between Norfolk Avenue and General Booth...
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Sandy Bottom Nature Park is a 456-acre recreational oasis in Hampton, bordered on the northeast side by Interstate 64 and surrounded by busy residential, shopping and entertainment areas. Before it...
The Rosemont Road Trail is one in a series of suburban trails in the Virginia Beach area for non-motorized use. The trail runs parallel to its namesake road between Holland Road and Whiteberry Lane....
This 11.5-mile paved trail begins in the busy commercial area just south of Shore Drive/US 60 in Virginia Beach. If you wish to reach one of the most popular parks in the state, head east on the Cape...
The Independence Boulevard Trail is one in a series of suburban trails in the Virginia Beach area for non-motorized use. The trail runs parallel to S. Independence Boulevard in two disconnected...
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As it was built on a former state highway, the Dismal Swamp Canal Trail provides a wide, paved and flat pathway along its namesake waterway and the Great Dismal Swamp Refuge. Not only does this...
The Kempsville Road Trail is one in a series of suburban trails in the Virginia Beach area for non-motorized use. The trail runs parallel to its namesake road between Providence Road (SR 40) and...
The Diamond Springs Road Trail is one in a series of suburban trails in the Virginia Beach–Norfolk region for non-motorized use. The trail runs parallel to its namesake road between Wesleyan Drive and...
Salem Road Trail is one in a series of suburban trails in the Virginia Beach area for non-motorized use. The trail runs parallel to its namesake road between South Independence Boulevard and Princess...
The Harris Road Trail parallels Harris Road on the east side, through the neighborhoods south of Lynnhaven Bay in Virginia Beach. The short trail runs between Little Neck Road and Kline Drive. At the...
The General Booth Boulevard Trail is one in a series of suburban trails in the Virginia Beach area for non-motorized use. The trail runs parallel to its namesake road between Princess Anne Road and...
The Newport News Park Bikeway offers a pleasant 5-mile loop through southern Virginia woodlands. The unpaved trail takes you through the 8,000-acre park and offers a connection to Colonial National...
In western Williamsburg, the Powhatan Creek Trail stretches 2 miles from the historical Jamestown Settlement attraction to Clara Byrd Baker Elementary School. It begins near the one mile marker on the...
Nimmo Parkway Trail is one in a series of suburban trails in the Virginia Beach area for non-motorized use. The trail runs parallel to its namesake road between Albuquerque Drive and just a little...
The Norfolk Avenue Trail runs along the north side of Norfolk Avenue between Pacific Avenue and South Birdneck Drive to the west. The paved trail links Virginia Beach neighborhoods, shopping, and...
Sandy Bottom Nature Park is a 456-acre recreational oasis in Hampton, bordered on the northeast side by Interstate 64 and surrounded by busy residential, shopping and entertainment areas. Before it...
The Virginia Beach Boardwalk is among one of the most popular trails in the Virginia Beach area. Throughout the summer the boardwalk hums with pedestrians taking in the shops and beach along this...
The Birdneck Road Trail is one in a series of suburban trails in the Virginia Beach area for non-motorized use. The trail runs parallel to its namesake road between Norfolk Avenue and General Booth...
The Rosemont Road Trail is one in a series of suburban trails in the Virginia Beach area for non-motorized use. The trail runs parallel to its namesake road between Holland Road and Whiteberry Lane....
The Little Nec Road Trail is one in a series of suburban trails in the Virginia Beach area for non-motorized use. The trail runs parallel to its namesake road between W. Little Neck Road and Virginia...
The Suffolk Seaboard Coastline Trail is a developing project that will one day span 11.5 miles, connecting the communities of Suffolk and Chesapeake in southeastern Virginia. The trail is also part of...
Corolla Greenway offers beautiful views of Currituck Sound and maritime forest along North Carolina's popular Outer Banks. The paved north-south pathway, which largely parallels N.C. Highway 12 (also...
The Upton Drive Trail is one in a series of suburban trails in the Virginia Beach area for non-motorized use. The trail runs parallel to a short section of its namesake road between Nimmo Parkway and...
Corolla Greenway offers beautiful views of Currituck Sound and maritime forest along North Carolina's popular Outer Banks. The paved north-south pathway, which largely parallels N.C. Highway 12 (also...
The Cape Henry Trail crosses the heavily wooded First Landing State Park, located on Cape Henry north of Virginia Beach. The trail provides access to the Narrows Recreation area, located in the park,...
Salem Road Trail is one in a series of suburban trails in the Virginia Beach area for non-motorized use. The trail runs parallel to its namesake road between South Independence Boulevard and Princess...
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The Dismal Swamp Canal Trail is a paved, heavily wooded pathway along the eastern border of Dismal Swamp State Park. The park offers more than 112,000 acres of forested wetlands and is teeming with...
The General Booth Boulevard Trail is one in a series of suburban trails in the Virginia Beach area for non-motorized use. The trail runs parallel to its namesake road between Princess Anne Road and...
The Birdneck Road Trail is one in a series of suburban trails in the Virginia Beach area for non-motorized use. The trail runs parallel to its namesake road between Norfolk Avenue and General Booth...
The Harris Road Trail parallels Harris Road on the east side, through the neighborhoods south of Lynnhaven Bay in Virginia Beach. The short trail runs between Little Neck Road and Kline Drive. At the...
The Southern Tip Bike & Hike Trail runs parallel to the approach for the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel for a total of 5 miles at the southern end of Virginia's Eastern Shore. Although never more than a...
The Elizabeth River Trail–Atlantic City Spur runs for 9.5 miles between Harbor Park Stadium and the Norfolk International Terminals. The trail occupies a railroad right-of-way yet incorporates a...
The Lynnhaven Parkway Trail is one in a series of suburban trails in the Virginia Beach area for non-motorized use. The trail runs parallel to its namesake road between Lishell Place and Stewart...
The Dam Neck Road Trail is one in a series of suburban trails in the Virginia Beach area for non-motorized use. The trail runs parallel to its namesake road between Salem Road and Terrier Avenue,...
In western Williamsburg, the Powhatan Creek Trail stretches 2 miles from the historical Jamestown Settlement attraction to Clara Byrd Baker Elementary School. It begins near the one mile marker on the...
Nimmo Parkway Trail is one in a series of suburban trails in the Virginia Beach area for non-motorized use. The trail runs parallel to its namesake road between Albuquerque Drive and just a little...
The sprawling Virginia Capital Trail snakes along the James River and State Route 5, a Virginia Scenic Byway, for 52 paved miles from the state’s capital of Richmond to the historic capitals of...
This is a dedicated asphalt multi-use trail that runs adjacent to Chesapeake Boulevard in the Fairmount Park neighborhoo of Norfolk, Virginia. Adjacent bicycle sharrow lanes commence at the north end...
The Wesleyan Drive/Haygood Road Trail is one in a series of suburban trails in the Virginia Beach–Norfolk region for non-motorized use. The trail runs parallel to its namesake roads between...
The Suffolk Seaboard Coastline Trail is a developing project that will one day span 11.5 miles, connecting the communities of Suffolk and Chesapeake in southeastern Virginia. The trail is also part of...
As it was built on a former state highway, the Dismal Swamp Canal Trail provides a wide, paved and flat pathway along its namesake waterway and the Great Dismal Swamp Refuge. Not only does this...
The Virginia Beach Boardwalk is among one of the most popular trails in the Virginia Beach area. Throughout the summer the boardwalk hums with pedestrians taking in the shops and beach along this...
The Norfolk Avenue Trail runs along the north side of Norfolk Avenue between Pacific Avenue and South Birdneck Drive to the west. The paved trail links Virginia Beach neighborhoods, shopping, and...
Nice 3 mile ride, has a bike lane next to the oceanfront. Early morning rides are the best as it might get crowded later on in the day
Little Neck Road Trail is nothing like the cover photo. It’s nice and shady, but not scenic. If you ride from Home Depot and head North, you will ride parallel to a 4-lane 45mph road for 2 miles. The last 1.5 miles will be through a quiet, residential area.
This is just a wide concrete sidewalk next to a busy noisy 6 lane street.
If you only have a few days/limited ride time - here are my suggestions, based on 2 days of riding and driving the entire trail (yes - it runs RIGHT BESIDE Hwy 5 for most of its length) Which is why I rate it a 4 instead of a 5.
Background: Trail surface is smooth. I was on the bike at sunrise and finished by 10AM or so - both days (weekdays) I saw fewer than 10 bikers my entire ride, even though this was the week of Spring break (April 4th, 2022) for the local schools. Both trail heads I parked at appeared safe - there were no cars there when I started and only a few when I finished.
Ride 1: Park at Chickahominy Riverfront Park MM 7, ride East to Jamestown. Jamestown Island has a 5+ mile road that is one way, with a low speed limit. Less than 1 mile from the Jamestown TH is the Powhatan Creek Trail - a nice 2+ mile out and back trail (hilly ride, winding, lots of rough pavement from tree roots, but repairs are in the works). You can also ride several miles of unpaved paths off of the Powhatan Creek Trail. And of course, ride over the Chickahominy Creek bridge to finish your ride. I was able to get in 35 miles on this route. This entire ride is safe for all riders. Also - Colonial Parkway from Jamestown to Colonial Williamsburg is a safe ride with no commercial traffic allowed, but it is a rough surface. The bike route separates from Colonial Parkway - best to follow it rather than stay on Colonial where there is a tunnel that prohibits bicycles.
Ride 2: Park at Four Mile Creek Park MM 40 (a nice drive on a winding Hwy 5 with minimal traffic from Jamestown), ride West to Richmond. The Great Shiplock Park and Canal Walk are interesting. This is a much hillier ride than the Jamestown end, with several traffic light road crossings. Safe - but not ideal for all riders. With a ride through Dorey Park in Varina, I was able to get in 29 miles.
Overall a nice trail, very smooth surface, with some sections more appealing than others. Jamestown Island was the highlight.
We love biking rail trails so when we had a wedding in Richmond we decided to bike the VA Capital trail. We broke up the trip at a bnb in Charles City. We stayed at the Edgewood BnB which was right on the trail but in the middle of nowhere. We arrived hot and tired so the pool was refreshing but the nearest restaurant was 8 miles away - that would add 16 miles to our tired legs so the inn keeper was kind enough to drive us to the restaurant. Inn was clean and historic. The next night we stayed at the wedmore winery in Williamsburg. Which was very nice as well but being on bikes we were far from any kind of night life. The trail wasn’t very scenic as is was along a highway with very little areas to stop for food or bathroom s no shade so we did not want my to bike back. We ended up staying at the winery another night and taking the train back to Richmond. highwayThere was no shade and very few places to stop along the way.
…and we rode the trail back to Jamestown. This was in late October of 2021 and we were looking for fall foliage. We were a couple of weeks early. A great ride overall, though, and the trail was in great shape.
Nice Walking Path just be careful On hot days for (SNAKES) if you have Kids make sure they stay on the pavement & watch where you walk. Copperheads andKing Snakes
The only reason to not give it 5 stars is that it is very busy but it is scenic with lots of restaurants nearby. Smooth, well kept surface.
Parts of the trail are rough with stones and tree roots. Some sections are okay but the trail is better for hiking than biking.
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