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James River Park - The Wetlands
4.7 ★★★★★ 162 Google reviews · Running trail in Richmond, Virginia · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Mixed
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Tree cover
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from James River Park - The Wetlands' own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Vast wetlands featuring trails, a swampy area and a river.
What runners say about James River Park - The Wetlands
“A beautiful area of the park adjacent to Pony Pasture and accessible to it along several different paths, including women around the river.”
“Mostly shaded with nice variety of visual interest.”
Richmond is lucky to have such a wonderful river and park system in the heart of the city. Deep woods with well maintained hiking and cycling trails and easy access to the James River for canoeing, kayaking or just sunning on the rocks.
Great wetlands, lots of trails and usually a good place to see some wildlife. Down side is plenty of people with off leash dogs that say dont worry they wont bite...
James River Park System is awesome! Nice trails, shady and a dip in river!
Great walks near the James River. Good location to watch for birds on their migration routes. Dogs should mainly be leashed. River access. Parking is very limited. One option is to park at Pony Pasture and follow the river trail to Wetlands. Be sure to see the pond from the blinds to see wildlife.
Trail conditions & character
“Can be pretty thick with dog walkers, and like most Richmond parks, not all dog owners are on board with the leash laws.”
“A beautiful area of the park adjacent to Pony Pasture and accessible to it along several different paths, including women around the river.”
“Mostly shaded with nice variety of visual interest.”
“A beautiful area of the park adjacent to Pony Pasture and accessible to it along several different paths, including women around the river.”
“There is a boardwalk along a more marshy area of the path.”
“Parking is limited unless you park at Pony Pasture and walk over.”
“There are no restrooms or water fountains, so plan accordingly.”
“There are no restrooms or water fountains, so plan accordingly.”
Plan your run at James River Park - The Wetlands
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- SurfaceMixed — more than one surface along the route, so check the segment you plan to run
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeRunners describe real tree cover here — it makes a summer afternoon workable
- At the trailheadparking, restrooms, water — reported by runners
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
- Stroller / wheelchairReported as smooth and step-free enough for a running stroller or a chair.
- Websitejamesriverpark.org
- Phone(804) 646-6443
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Hours
| Monday | 5 AM–9 PM |
| Tuesday | 5 AM–9 PM |
| Wednesday | 5 AM–9 PM |
| Thursday | 5 AM–9 PM |
| Friday | 5 AM–9 PM |
| Saturday | 5 AM–9 PM |
| Sunday | 5 AM–9 PM |
Running trails near Richmond
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
James River Park Pony Pasture
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