Charlottesville Parks and Recreation maintains a variety of trails in the City. Multi use trails exist at Riverview Park (and upstream along the Rivanna river), at Schenk's Greenway, and at Forest Hills Park. Nature trails exist in the woods of many City parks and alongside creeks. Each trail is described in detail below, or you can view the overall Map of City trails .
NEWS - June 2010 - Due to construction on the Meadow Creek Sewer Interceptor, City and RTF trails may be closed or detoured intermittently until 2011. Please heed all safety warnings and do not enter active construction zones. For more information, call the Meadow Creek project hotline at 972-1950.
NEWS - February 22, 2009, The RTF trails north of Melbourne Road are closed during construction of the Meadowcreek Parkway. When the project is complete, the trails will become City owned and maintained (with help from RTF). A 10-foot paved multi-use/commuter trail will be built alongside the new road, and a rustic footpath will remain along the creek. Other opportunities for trails and connections may be explored after the road project wraps up. The detour is shown on this MAP. Please also note that the culvert under the railroad to/from Greenbrier Park is not open for public use at this time. The City is working with the railroad on safe and legal trail accommodations for the future, possibly using the culvert.
The city has undertaken a major new effort to build trails both within parks—to create loops for walking and biking—as well as longer connections between parks, schools, and other public spaces. The Bicycle, Pedestrian and Trails Plan of Charlottesville includes maps and descriptions of proposed trail systems in the City.
Rivanna Trail MAP
The Rivanna Trail is a handicapped-accessible paved trail that starts at Riverview Park and meanders north about 2.3 miles, crossing under Free Bridge and Route 250 East along the Rivanna river. The trail is a public right-of-way across private property; please respect the adjacent private property by staying on the path.
Schenk's Greenway MAP
Charlottesville's newest trail is a crushed-gravel surfaced trail, good for hiking, biking and pushing strollers and similar in surface to the Saunders Trail at Monticello. While traveling along the trail, which wanders for 1/4 mile along a stretch of McIntire Road, you can enjoy views of Schenk's Branch creek and Art-in-Place sculptures. This section of trail is only the beginning of a much longer route that will soon connect to Preston Avenue and the downtown mall, and eventually north into McIntire Park (pending the Meadowcreek Parkway final plans).
Pen Park Nature Trail MAP
The Pen Park Nature Trail is a 1.5 mile trail that runs along the Rivanna River. This trail is a combination of a wider main path and a number of side trails that offer closer views of the river. The main trail is very flat and wide, good for jogging or hiking. To reach the trail, enter the park and turn left at the tennis courts. The trailhead is behind the picnic shelters. Pass through the fitness trail and continue down the hill along the fence line to the river. Follow the path to the right (downstream) to the golf course before retracing the trail back to the shelters (this trail is not a loop).
Pen Park Fitness Trail MAP
This 1/2 mile paved loop offers 20 stations for a variety of stretching and fitness opportunities while jogging or walking. Located behind the Pen Park picnic shelters.
McIntire Park MAP
A number of nature trails run along the creek and through mature forests at McIntire Park. Enter the trails behind the picnic shelters, to the north of the baseball fields, or from the CHS bridge. There are three parallel trails running north of the descent to the CHS bridge and one running south to Melbourne Road from the bridge. There are also trails on the east side of the railroad tracks just north of the McIntire golf course. Enter behind the guardrail to the right of the gate to the leaf dump on Melbourne Road.
Greenleaf Park MAP
A soft-surface trail connects Greenleaf Park with Walker School and the school administration building. Go past the raingarden and down the hill into the woods. The trail to the school goes to the left along the creek and 250 bypass. There is a smaller trail connecting the park to neighborhoods to the south.
Forest Hills Park MAP
A 1/4 mile paved trail connects Forest Hills Park with the Prospect and Johnson Village neighborhoods. The trail passes through mature woods.
Greenbrier Park MAP
The RTF footpath runs through the middle of Greenbrier Park along Meadow Creek. Within the park, the trail is wider than usual and there are a few benches for resting. Access is available from Greenbrier Drive at RTF trailheads near the elementary school.
Meadowcreek Gardens MAP
The RTF passes through this park and includes a number of spur trails providing a variety of circuits through wooded and open area.
Buford Forest Trail MAP
Explore the woods and creek valleys behind Buford School and Smith Recreation Center on these footpaths built by volunteers.
Greenbrier Elementary School - Stone dust loop path around soccer field
Johnson Elementary School - Paved loop path around soccer field and playground
Ragged Mountain and Ivy Creek Natural areas - Natural surface trails provide hiking access to the land around these reservoirs. Maps are located at parking lot trailhead areas. (No biking is allowed in these areas)
Trails at Riverview, Quarry and McIntire Parks are on the Virginia Birding and Wildlife Trail
NEW TRAILS currently under development include:
Venable School - Safe Routes to School pathway - to be constructed in 2010
250 Bypass-McIntire Park Multi Use trail from Dairy Bridge to McIntire Park - final design is in place and undergoing staff review. Construction may begin by spring 2010
*VDOT grant to design bike/ped bridge over railroad tracks connecting both sides of McIntire Park awarded. Bid for design possible in spring 2010
Meade Avenue Multi-Use Trail - from railroad to Meade Park - VDOT funded grant to construct multi-use trail along the east side of Meade. Possible construction 2010
Meadow Creek - Easement and land acquisition underway. Multi-use crushed stone trail proposed from Hydraulic Road to Pen Park
Moores Creek - Trail easement acquisition underway between Rives, Quarry, Jordan and Azalea Parks.
Rivanna River bike/ped bridges - possible locations between Pen and Darden Park and near Riverview Park to Pantops in planning and design with Albemarle County- possible start 2010
CLICK HERE for Bicycle Street Map of Charlottesville.
Other trails in the Charlottesville area include the Albemarle County Greenways/Parks and the Saunders Trail at Monticello.
The regional greenways plan can be found at http://www.tjpdc.org/pdf/TJArea_Bike_Ped_Plan.pdf
For additional information or questions regarding trails, contact the Park & Trail Planner via email at gensic@charlottesville.org or via phone at 434-970-3656.