Length: 66.4+/- depending on the frequency of stops
Start: Great Shiplock Park (Mile marker 51.2)
Turnaround: Mile Marker 18
Parking: Back of the Jamestown Settlement Parking Lot
Attractions on the trip:
American Civil War Museum (1 mile west of trail)
Richmond Slave Trail (Across the river in richmond at Brander Street)
Highway Marker: SA41- Union Troops Enter Richmond (mile marker 50)
Highway Marker: V2- Fort Harrison (mile marker 46)
Fort Harrison National Cemetery (mile marker 44, 1.7 miles south of the trail)
New Market Heights (mile marker 40)
Highway Marker: PA164- First Battle of Deep Bottom (mile marker 37)
Richmond National Battlefield Park Visitor’s Center (mile marker 35.5, about 3 miles north of trail)
Fort Hoke, Fort Harrison, Fort Johnson, Fort Gregg, Fort Gilmer, and Fort Brady
Highway Marker: PA240- Engagement at Malvern Cliffs (mile marker 34)
Highway Marker: V4- Malvern Hill (mile marker 33)
Highway Marker: V7- Berkeley Plantation or Harrison’s Landing (mile marker 30)
Highway Marker: V13- Salam Church (mile marker 26)
Salem Cemetery (slightly east of mile marker 26, 3.6 miles north of the trail)
Highway Marker: V9 Grant’s Crossing (between mile marker 23-22)
Highway Marker: V34 Fort Pocahontas
Fort Pocahontas (slightly east of mile marker 15.5, 1.5 miles south of trail)
North Bend Plantation (slightly west of mile marker 18.5, 1 mile south of trail)
Itinerary:
This itinerary gives you the opportunity to ride and learn! You can park at Great Shiplock Park in Richmond and either head on the trail or take a few detours first. The American Civil War Museum- Historic Tredegar is 1 mile west of the trail and learn the story of the Civil War. This is the final resting place of Civil War artifacts that were once housed in the old Civil War Museum next to the White House of the Confederacy. Or go across the river to the Richmond Slave Trail located off Brander Street, for more information and a map visit this link http://www.richmondgov.com/CommissionSlaveTrail/documents/brochureRichmondCityCouncilSlaveTrailCommission.pdf. Once you are done visiting these sites head back to Great Shiplock Park and ride east on the trail. You will come across your first Highway Marker at Rocketts Landing: SA41 where union troops entered Richmond on April 3rd, 1865. At mile marker 46 you will find Highway Marker V2 Fort Harrison which was an important component of the Confederate defenses of Richmond. At mile marker 37, the First Battle of Deep Bottom took place where Maj. Gen. Winfield Hancock intended to attack Confederate troops and failed. The next Civil War landmark you’ll hit will be about 3 miles north of mile marker 35, Richmond National Battlefield Park and take the “Battlefield Tour.” This tour highlights several different battles such as Fort Hoke, Fort Harrison, Fort Johnson, Fort Gregg, Fort Gilmer, and Fort Brady. For details visit, https://www.nps.gov/rich/learn/historyculture/chaffins-farm2.htm. Once you reach mile marker 44, 1.7 miles south of the trail you’ll find Fort Harrison National Cemetery or at mile marker 26, go 3.6 miles north of the trail for Salem Cemetery. When you get back on the trail you will come across the highway marker indicating where Malvern Hill took place from mile marker 34 to 33. At mile marker 26, highway marker V13 Salam Church stands which used to be a Civil War field hospital. Between mile marker 23 and 22, you will see V9: Grant’s Crossing. Fort Pocahontas, a Civil War fortification, is just east of mile marker 16, 1.5 miles south of the trail. At mile marker 18.5, 1 mile south of the trail, North Bend Plantation sits, where nearly 30,000 federal troops camped during the Civil War. This concludes your Civil War Tour on the trail! Head west on the trail back to Great Shiplock Park!
Length: 31 miles (or 62 round trip)
Start: Mile marker 51.2 (Great Shiplock Park)
Finish: Mile marker 20.5
Parking: Overnight and day parking available at Great Shiplock Park; Riverfront Parking lot on Wharf Street
Attractions along the trip:
Great Shiplock Park (Mile Marker 51.2)
Libby Hill Park (.5 miles from the Great Shiplock Park trailhead)
Virginia Holocaust Museum (.8 miles past the Great Shiplock Park trailhead)
Rocketts Landing (1.2 miles east of Great Shiplock Park trailhead
Clarke-Palmore House Museum (Slightly west of mile marker 49, .2 miles north of trail)
Dorey Park and Recreation Center (Slightly east of mile marker 42)
New Market Heights (Slightly east of mile marker 40)
Deep Bottom Park & Four Mile Creek (Slightly east of mile marker 38.5, 2 miles south of trail)
Richmond National Battlefield Park Visitor Center (Mile marker 35.5, about 3.0 miles north of trail)
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)
Westover Church (Slightly west of mile marker 25, .3 miles south of trail)
Itinerary
Fuel up for your trip with a bite to eat from Poe’s Pub, Millie’s Diner, or a coffee from Starbucks. If you have time to visit some Richmond attractions before setting off, within less than a mile of the trailhead is Libby Hill Park as well as the Virginia Holocaust Museum. For the first leg of the of the journey, enjoy stunning views of the James River and Rockett’s Landing as you bike along the Richmond Riverfront Phase of the trail. As you enter the Varina Park phase one of the first attractions you will come to is the Clarke-Palmore house museum located just west of mile marker 49. If you want a tour, make sure you call and make reservations! You can also stop just past mile marker 48 for snacks and refreshments at 7-11 if need be. Continuing along the trail, you will see Ronnie’s BBQ, a must-try lunch spot, just west of mile marker 45. Slightly east of mile marker 42 you will arrive at Dorey Park and Recreation Center. At the park enjoy an 18-hole disc golf course, playground for the kids, walking trail, pond, restroom, and wide-open space! Continue along the trail past Four Mile Creek Park until you arrive at New Market Heights slightly east of mile marker 40. Explore this historic attraction, enjoy some ice cream from Dairy Queen, or continue your journey along the trail. Just a mile and a half ahead, at mile marker 38.5, is the entrance for Deep Bottom Park and Four mile Creek. Pier fish, picnic, or just relax at this location just 2 miles south of the trail. Just another few miles up the trail, 3 miles north of mile marker 35.5, get a dose of Richmond history at the Richmond National Battlefield Park visitor center. Continue down the trail and at mile marker 28 if you want a break head north to Harrison Park. Harrison Park is a 19-acre park with a bike/jogging trail, picnic areas, shelters, tennis courts, soccer fields, and more. When you’re ready, head back to the trail and continue down the Charles City Courthouse phase. At mile marker 27, Edgewood Plantation is located just half a mile north of the trail, with Berkeley Plantation and Westover Plantation a few miles south. When you are ready to resume your trip along the trail, your next attraction will be the historic Westover church located slightly west of mile marker 25. Finally, finish up the last few miles of your trip and end up at Cul’s Courthouse Grille where you can relax and enjoy a delicious meal. Then call a friend or family member to pick you up or if you’re up for more of a challenge, fill up your water bottles and head back to Great Shiplock Park.
Length: 40 miles round trip
Start: Mile marker 40
Turnaround point: Mile marker 20.5 (Cul’s Courthouse Grille)
Parking: Parking by Four Mile Creek trailhead
Attractions along the trip
Deep Bottom Park & Four Mile Creek (Slightly east of mile marker 38.5, 2.0 miles south of trail)
Richmond National Battlefield Park Visitor Center (Mile marker 35.5, about 3 miles north of trail)
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)
Westover Church (Slightly west of mile marker 25, .3 miles south of trail)
Itinerary
This trip, similar to the plantation trip, begins on the New Market Heights trail phase starting at mile marker 40. Before the trip, grab some refreshments and snacks for the road at the Exon station – there are not a lot of places to get food along this route! After setting off, you will see Deep Bottom Park and Four Mile Creek at mile marker 38.5 if you want to take a detour and check them out. 3 miles north of mile marker 35.5, get a dose of Richmond history at the Richmond National Battlefield Park visitor center. Continue down the trail and at mile marker 28 head north to Harrison Park to take a break. Harrison Park is a 19-acre park with a bike/jogging trail, picnic areas, shelters, tennis courts, soccer fields, and more. When you’re ready, head back to the trail and continue down the Charles City Courthouse phase. At mile marker 27, Edgewood Plantation is located just half a mile north of the trail, with Berkeley Plantation and Westover Plantation a few miles south. When you are ready to resume your trip along the trail, your next attraction will be the historic Westover church located slightly west of mile marker 25. Finally, finish up the last few miles and end up at Cul’s Courthouse Grille. From here, rest up and make the 20-mile trip back on your bike!
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.
Length: 41 miles round trip
Start: Mile marker 0 (Jamestown Settlement eastern trailhead)
Turnaround point: Mile marker 20.5 (Cul’s Courthouse Grille)
Parking: Free parking at Jamestown Settlement (9am – 5pm); Overnight parking at James City County Marina with permit obtained at Marina Store
Attractions along the trip:
Jamestown Settlement (.5 miles past Jamestown trailhead)
Powhatan Village (.5 miles past Jamestown trailhead)
Susan Constant (.5 miles past Jamestown trailhead)
Jamestown Beach Event Park (.5 miles past Jamestown trailhead)
James City County Marina (.5 miles past Jamestown trailhead)
Jamestown 4-H Education Center (Slightly east of mile marker .5, about .4 miles south of trail)
Carlton Farms (About .3 miles south of mile marker .8)
Veterans Park (Mile marker 2, about 3 miles north of trail)
Freedom Park (Slightly west of mile marker 2, 4.9 miles north of trail)
Chickahominy Riverfront Park (Slightly west of mile marker 6.5)
Fort Pocahontas at Wilson’s Wharf (Slightly east of mile marker 15.5, 1.5 miles south of trail)
Piney Grove at Southall’s Plantation (Slightly east of mile marker 15.5, 5 miles north of trail)
Kittiewan Plantation (Slightly west of mile marker 18.5, 1 mile south of trail)
North Bend Plantation (Slightly west of mile marker 18.5, 1 mile south of trail)
Belle Air Plantation (Slightly west of mile marker 19.5)
Charles City County Visitor Center & Courthouse (Slightly west of mile marker 20)
Itinerary
Before you start your trip, grab a quick bite to eat at the Jamestown Settlement Café right near the eastern trailhead. If you’d like, before setting off explore the many historic attractions near the trailhead such as the Jamestown Settlement, Powhatan Village, Susan Constant, and more. After you begin your journey, starting at mile marker 0, the first major attraction you will come to is the Chickahominy Riverfront Park located slightly west of mile marker 6.5 right before the bridge. Take a pit stop at the park and visit the bike repair station, rent kayaks, hit the driving rage, swim, or relax in the shade and enjoy snacks from the concessions store. See the website (http://www.jamescitycountyva.gov/687/Park-Fees) for park-fee information. When you’re ready, hop back on your bike and continue over the bridge for the next leg of your trip! The next phase of your trip will be through the Sherwood Fores.Continuing on the trail, located slightly west of mile point 16.5 you will see the Sherwood Forest Plantation – home of the 10th U.S. President John Tyler. If you arrive between the hours of 9am and 5pm you can give yourself a self-guided tour. Finally, between mile markers 20 and 21 arrive at the turnaround point, Cul’s Courthouse Grille, and enjoy a well-deserved meal before biking 20 miles back to the Jamestown Settlement trailhead.
