Length: 40 miles of trail (additional miles for off-trail paths to plantations)
Start: Mile marker 40
Turnaround point: In between mile marker 20 and 21 (Cul’s Courthouse Grille)
Parking: Park at Four Mile Creek trailhead
Attractions along the trip
Shirley Plantation (Slightly west of mile marker 30, about 2.5 miles south of trail)
Edgewood Plantation (Slightly west of mile marker 27, .5 miles north of trail)
Berkeley Plantation (1 mile south of mile marker 27)
Westover Plantation (2.5 miles south of mile marker 27)
North Bend Plantation (Slightly west of mile marker 18.5, 1 mile south of trail)
Kittiewan Plantation (Slightly west of mile marker 18.5, 1 mile south of trail)
Itinerary
For this trip along the Virginia Capital Trail, you’ll have to do a little planning of your own. Along the trail, this tour spans 20 miles. However, off-trail riding in order to get to the plantations totals more than 10 miles of additional travel, so you may have to choose which plantations you want to see the most! The Shirley Plantation is about 2.5 miles south of mile marker 30 and features eight original buildings as well as offers tours, special events, and hands-on programs. Visit their website for their hours. The Edgewood plantation is an easy visit open daily from 10:30 – 4:30 and is only half a mile north of mile marker 27. The Berkeley Plantation, located 1 mile south of mile marker 27, is one of Virginia’s most historic. It’s the birthplace of the ninth U.S. president and the location of the first official Thanksgiving. It opens an hour before Edgewood plantation, so perhaps start here and make the mile and a half trip north to Edgewood when you are finished. Historic Westover, located 2.5 miles south of mile marker 27, was built by William Byrd II, founder of Richmond and Petersburg, and includes self-guided grounds tours, and a house tour if you call ahead. A little less than 10 miles east of Historic Westover are the Kittiewan and North Bend Plantations located 1 mile south of mile marker 18.5. Kittiewan has house tours the 2nd Saturday of each month from April to December, and North Bend is open daily. Head to Cul’s Courthouse Grille, located in between mile markers 20 and 21, and enjoy a nice meal before heading back west to Four Mile Creek.
