Virginia

From Washington, D.C., the East Coast Greenway enters Virginia along the Mount Vernon Trail, which follows the Potomac River and George Washington Parkway south to Mt. Vernon, home of the nation’s first president. From Mt. Vernon, the Greenway continues on road to Fredericksburg along the route of the future Potomac Heritage Trail. From Fredericksburg, the route continues south to Richmond, the state’s capital, where the Greenway divides into two routes. The spine route continues south to North Carolina’s Piedmont region. The complementary Historic Coastal Route heads southeast through Jamestown and Williamsburg before aiming south toward Wilmington, N.C.

The Historic Coastal Route (a total of 139 miles) follows the Virginia Capital Trail, a 50-mile route that closely follows Virginia’s Highway 5 along a traffic-separated greenway through a region steeped in history and natural beauty. The Historic Coastal Route connects with the Dismal Swamp Canal Trail to bring travelers over the border into North Carolina. 

Traveling by train? 

Quick tips when using Amtrak with your bike: Do your research in advance; each train line features different bike rack equipment and loading procedures. Check Amtrak for the latest and when in doubt: call the station if you have questions. Click for more: https://www.amtrak.com/bike

Mileage counts reflect the portion of each trail that is part of East Coast Greenway.

• Mount Vernon Trail/Arlington Memorial Bridge, Washington DC to Mt. Vernon, VA; 16 mi

• Silverbrook Road Multi-use Trail, Fairfax County; 0.9 mi

• Ox Road Multi-use Trail, Fairfax County; 1.1 mi

• Richmond Highway Multi-use Trail, Fairfax County: 1 mi

• Telegraph Road Multi-use Trail, Fairfax County; 1.3 mi

• Fairfax County Parkway Multi-use Trail, Fairfax County; 1.4 mi

• Grist Mill Park Multi-use Trail, Fairfax County; 0.4 mi

• Virginia Central Railway Trail, Fredericksburg; 1.0 mi

• Ashland Railside Park Trail, Ashland; 0.4 mi

• Cannon Creek Greenway, Richmond; 0.6 mi

• Belle Isle Bridge, Richmond; 0.25 mi

• Belle Isle Trail, Richmond; 1.4 mi

• Lower Appomattox River Trail, Petersburg; 3.7 mi

• Tobacco Heritage Trail, Lawrenceville-LaCrosse-Brodnax; 16.6 mi

• Virginia Capital Trail, sections from Richmond to Williamsburg; 52 mi