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Running trails in Virginia
438 trails across 69 cities in Virginia, with the most in Virginia Beach, Richmond, and Alexandria — including 94 paved, 74 loops, 70 shaded, and 25 long enough for a 5-mile run. Every listing shows the things runners actually decide on: surface, loop distance, shade, lighting, restrooms, water and trailhead parking. Pick a city for the full local list, or filter the Virginia trails below.
Cities in Virginia
Every city and town in Virginia with a running trail in the directory, most trails first.
- Virginia Beach
- Richmond
- Alexandria
- Charlottesville
- Lynchburg
- Fredericksburg
- Blacksburg
- Leesburg
- Roanoke
- Chesapeake
- Herndon
- Newport News
- Front Royal
- Waynesboro
- Fairfax
- Falls Church
- Colonial Heights
- Hopewell
- Manassas
- Norfolk
- Petersburg
- Christiansburg
- Vienna
- Martinsville
- Suffolk
- Danville
- Salem
- Williamsburg
- Winchester
- Centreville
- Portsmouth
- Staunton
- Warrenton
- Arlington
- Ashland
- Clifton
- Culpeper
- Fairfax Station
- Hampton
- Harrisonburg
- McLean
- Poquoson
- Radford
- Afton
- Catawba
- Madison Heights
- Manassas Park
- Reston
- Yorktown
- Annandale
- Bailey's Crossroads
- Bristol
- Burke
- Cave Spring
- Chester
- Eagle Rock
- Fort Eustis
- Fort Lee
- Lincolnia
- NORTH PRINCE GEORGE
- Oakton
- Pimmit
- Shawsville
- South Chesterfield
- Sterling
- Syria
- Tabb
- Verona
- Wintergreen Resort
Notable running trails in Virginia
The Virginia trails runners review most, ranked by rating weighted by review volume. Filter by surface, loop, distance, shade or lighting to narrow to the run you're actually planning. See the full best-of-Virginia ranking →
Great Falls Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 13,934 reviews
Boasting spectacular falls & rushing white water, this park offers picnic areas, trails & boating.
Mount Trashmore Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 8,942 reviews
Former landfill now a city recreational area with a skate park, picnicking & sports facilities.
First Landing State Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 7,336 reviews
Cape Henry beachfront park & historic site with marshes, maritime forest, hiking & canoe trails.
Manassas National Battlefield Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 5,241 reviews
Fields marking where the Confederates defeated the Union in the first major fight of the Civil War.
Burke Lake Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 4,844 reviews
County recreational park featuring a fishing lake, picnic areas, a miniature train & playgrounds.
Bull Run Regional Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 3,806 reviews
Fields, wooded hiking areas & a pool near Civil War battle sites, with a holiday festival of lights.
Newport News Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 3,606 reviews
Sprawling park on 8,000+ acres with disc golf & bike rentals plus a boat ramp, horses & gardens.
Chesapeake City Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 3,376 reviews
Pine forest featuring open space for dog & skate parks plus an expansive playground & horseshoes.
Mill Mountain Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 3,365 reviews
Mountaintop hiking & biking trails with scenic overlooks, plus a zoo & discovery center.
Oak Grove Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 2,851 reviews
This 65-acre outdoor activity place has a 1.5-mi. path around a lake, plus benches & a playground.
Bryan Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 2,563 reviews
Historic Gabriel's Rebellion locale now hosting events, a farmer's market, bird walks & disc golf.
Portsmouth City Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 2,121 reviews
Urban waterfront park boasts a golf course & range, tennis courts, playgrounds & landscaped gardens.
Huntley Meadows Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 1,968 reviews
Park with forests & a historic house, home to wildlife & wetlands, plus an observation platform.
Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge
4.8 ★★★★★ 1,813 reviews
Wetlands refuge that hosts thousands of migratory waterfowl, including snow geese & tundra swans.
Founders Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,829 reviews
Relaxed park along the Potomac River and near the Old Town waterfront.
Jim Barnett Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 1,836 reviews
Sizable area featuring a fitness trail, disc golf course & playground, plus indoor & outdoor pools.
Old Mill Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 1,763 reviews
Public park on the water featuring a swimming beach, soccer fields & picnic areas.
Gypsy Hill Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,602 reviews
214-acre park featuring a mini-train, a pool, sports facilities, a pond, a playground & more.
Riverview Farm Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,592 reviews
Walking trails & large playground, along with picnic areas, a skate park & a seasonal sledding hill.
Forest Hill Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,578 reviews
Partial wetland area with a historic home, nature trails, wildlife, tennis courts, picnics & events.
Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,543 reviews
U.S Civil War battlefield, with trails, historic buildings, a cemetery & living history events.
Northside Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 1,537 reviews
This 62-acre recreation area has a skate park, an indoor pool, picnic shelters & kids' play areas.
Jones Point Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,452 reviews
Site of an 1800s lighthouse, this park offers an interpretive trail, 2 playgrounds & sports fields.
Fountainhead Regional Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,421 reviews
Reservoir fishing & boating with rentals available plus mountain bike trails & nature programs.
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
4.6 ★★★★★ 1,379 reviews
Headquarters for famed trail's conservancy group, also a visitor center with exhibits & information.
Alum Spring Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,262 reviews
Tranquil park offering shaded walking paths, picnic areas & playgrounds, plus a fitness trail.
Belle Haven Park, Virginia
4.6 ★★★★★ 1,263 reviews
Riverside park with shaded nature trails, a small boardwalk & places to rent kayaks & canoes.
Green Hill Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,236 reviews
Expansive park with an open field, riverfront area, walking trails, picnic shelters & playgrounds.
No trails match those filters.
Virginia trails by surface
Surface is the biggest split in trail running — asphalt is fast and predictable, crushed limestone is softer but still smooth, dirt is easiest on the joints and the most fun, boardwalk is flat and scenic but slick when wet.
More ways to find a trail in Virginia
- Best running trails in Virginia — the state-wide ranking from runner reviews
- Loop trails — 74 in Virginia come back to the trailhead without backtracking
- Long-run trails (5+ miles) — 25 in Virginia are long enough for a proper long run
- Shaded trails — 70 in Virginia keep tree cover over the path for summer miles
- Lit trails — 36 in Virginia have lighting for pre-dawn and post-work runs
- Trails with restrooms — 188 in Virginia, and 63 with water fountains
- Trailhead parking — 245 in Virginia have parking at the trailhead
- Dog-friendly trails — 166 in Virginia you can run with a dog
- Stroller & wheelchair-accessible — 130 in Virginia are smooth and wide enough
- Scenic trails — 246 in Virginia runners single out for the views
- Browse by surface — paved, crushed limestone, natural dirt or boardwalk
- All trail features — loops, shade, lighting, restrooms, mile markers and more
- Running trails by state — the rest of the country
- Trail-running guides — surfaces and your knees, loop vs out-and-back, trail etiquette, running before dawn
Trail features in Virginia
- Scenic Running Trails
- Trails with Trailhead Parking
- Trails with Restrooms
- Dog-Friendly Running Trails
- Quiet, Uncrowded Trails
- Stroller & Wheelchair-Accessible Trails
- Loop Trails (No Backtracking)
- Hilly Trails & Hill Workouts
- Shaded Running Trails
- Trails with Water Fountains
- Flat & Fast Running Trails
- Trails with Mile Markers
- Lit Trails for Early & Night Runs
- Long-Run Trails (5+ Miles)