Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach Boardwalk
- Distance
- 3mi
- Elevation gain
- 0ft
- Time (agency)
- ~1h13
Easy
- Paved
- Coast
Why goOcean views the entire way.
Virginia field guide · 43 trails · 17 measured route lines
Where should I go today?
Say how much time you have and what you want underfoot. Trailfinder turns it into real filters, shows you where the hard part is, and tells you what to know before you drive.
Six worth the drive
A spread of what Virginia does
Northern Virginia
Washington & Old Dominion Trail
- Distance
- 45mi
- Elevation gain
- 1,573ft
- Hiking time (estimate)
- Your call
Easy
- Paved
Why go45 continuous paved miles.
Shenandoah National Park
Old Rag Mountain
- Distance
- 9.4mi
- Elevation gain
- 2,482ft
- Time (agency)
- ~6h30
Strenuous
- Scramble
- Ridgeline
Why goMile-long granite scramble.
Roanoke & the New River Valley
McAfee Knob
- Distance
- 8mi
- Elevation gain
- 1,415ft
- Time (agency)
- ~5h
Hard
- Rocky
- Shaded
- Ridgeline
Why goThe AT's signature overlook.
Southwest Virginia
Grayson Highlands & Mount Rogers Routes
- Distance
- 9mi
- Elevation gain
- 1,602ft
- Time (agency)
- ~6h
Moderate
- Rocky
- Ridgeline
Why goOpen balds, rock outcrops, and free-roaming ponies below Virginia's highest peak.
Southwest Virginia
Virginia Creeper Trail
- Distance
- 34.3mi
- Elevation gain
- 2,223ft
- Hiking time (estimate)
- Your call
Easy
- Crushed stone
- Shaded
- Riverside
Why goDozens of wooden trestles.
West to east
How the ground changes across Virginia
15 trails
Tidewater
Sea level. Boardwalks, sand, and paved waterfront corridors; shade and heat decide the day, not climbing.
- Median climb
- 11 ft
- Rocky tread
- 0%
- Shaded
- 33%
7 trails
Piedmont
Rolling foothills between the fall line and the mountains. Long rail-trails, river parks, and lake loops with modest gain.
- Median climb
- 455 ft
- Rocky tread
- 14%
- Shaded
- 43%
7 trails
Blue Ridge
The first true mountains: summits, rock scrambles, and waterfall hollows along Skyline Drive and the Parkway.
- Median climb
- 1,069 ft
- Rocky tread
- 100%
- Shaded
- 71%
11 trails
Valley & Ridge
Long parallel ridges and the Shenandoah and New river valleys. Ridge walks to knobs and cliffs, greenways on the valley floor.
- Median climb
- 1,376 ft
- Rocky tread
- 36%
- Shaded
- 45%
3 trails
Appalachian Highlands
Virginia's highest ground: open balds, spruce-fir, and the state's longest rail-trails descending from the high country.
- Median climb
- 1,602 ft
- Rocky tread
- 33%
- Shaded
- 67%
Before you go
The guides behind the decisions
Appalachian Trail in Virginia
9 sections with shelters, water, resupply, and road access.
Prepare
Checklists from a short run to a thru-hike, plus water, heat, cold, and navigation.
Seasons
What each season does to heat, ice, water, foliage crowds, and hunting.
Wildlife and safety
Bears and food storage, snakes, and the tick prevention that matters most.
How it is built
Facts from the agency, readings from the terrain
Distances, fees, hours, and access come from the agency that manages each trail and link back to it, with the date they were last checked. Route lines are assembled from OpenStreetMap and elevation from the USGS 10 m terrain model, then checked against the agency distance before they are published. Anything Trailfinder derives, such as a difficulty breakdown or a time estimate, is labelled as a reading, never as a fact.
Virginia Trailfinder currently includes verified starter coverage across Virginia, with additional trails added as source review is completed.
Sources and licensingAbout12 regions
Before you go: Trail conditions, access rules, weather, water availability, and closures can change. Check the linked official source before leaving and choose a route appropriate for your experience and current conditions.