High Bridge Trail State Park

Our family recently drove down to the little town of Farmville, Virginia to do some biking.  Farmville is currently well known for two things - Longwood University, and Green Front Furniture, which takes over much of downtown.  It will soon be known for the newly completed High Bridge Trail State Park.  High Bridge Trail is a bike, pedestrian and horse trail that uses an old railroad bed.  Virginia does not have a lot of rails-to-trails resources, unlike nearby West Virginia and Pennsylvania.

There are a couple of great trails in Southwest Virginia, and the W&OD in the Washington suburbs.  But the central part of the state is pretty empty of this type of trail.  Downtown Lynchburg has a really great urban system.  And there is a trail in Nelson County.  The High Bridge Trail is a great addition, and well worth the hour drive south from Charlottesville.

We have not biked the entire 30 mile trail, cherry picking the most spectacular portion.  We started out in downtown Farmville, then rode out to the bridge, which spans the Appomattox River.  Check out the attached Youtube video we made of the bike ride, then head down there to check it out for yourself!