Trail running · Virginia Beach, Virginia
Cape Henry Trail
A wide crushed-shell and paved multi-use route through First Landing State Park's maritime forest.
- Distance
- 6 mi
- Elevation gain
- 20 ft
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Typical time
- 1.7 hr – 2.7 hr
About this route
Cape Henry Trail crosses First Landing State Park from the Shore Drive contact station toward the Narrows and the 64th Street entrance. It is the park's transportation spine — wide, gently graded, and open to bikes — which makes it the easiest way to see cypress swamp and live oak forest without technical footing.
Runners use it as a shaded alternative to the Boardwalk on hot days. The surface varies between packed sand, crushed stone, and short paved segments, so shoes with a little grip help after rain.
Why this difficulty rating: Wide, nearly flat multi-use tread. Length is the only real demand.
Highlights
- Live oak and cypress forest
- Connects the Bay side to the resort area
- Good hot-weather shade
Map and trailheads
Approximate locations for orientation only. Carry an offline map — cell service is unreliable on much of this network.
First Landing Trail Center (Shore Drive)
trailhead
State park lot; day-use fee applies and fills on summer weekends.
Know before you go
- Route type
- Point to point
- Surfaces
- Crushed stone, Sand, Paved
- Setting
- Forest, Coastal, Park
- Amenities
- Parking, Restrooms, Water, Shade, Picnic facilities, Camping
- Parking
- Park at the Shore Drive contact station or the 64th Street entrance. State park parking fee applies.
- Restrooms
- Restrooms at the contact station and campground areas.
- Water
- Water available at developed park facilities.
- Fees
- Virginia State Parks day-use parking fee applies.
- Permits
- Not yet verified
- Hours
- Park hours vary seasonally; check the state park page before a dawn or dusk run.
- Dogs
- Dogs allowed on leash
- Accessibility
- Wide and firm for much of its length, but sandy sections may be difficult for some wheelchair users. Contact the park for current surface conditions.
- Stroller friendly
- Yes
- Good with kids
- Yes
- Seasonal notes
- Mosquitoes and ticks are active spring through fall in the swamp sections.
- Weather exposure
- Mostly shaded maritime forest.
- Cell service
- Not yet verified
- Emergency
- Not yet verified
Hazards and wildlife
- Ticks and mosquitoes
- Shared use with cyclists
- Standing water after heavy rain
Deer, raccoons, and occasionally cottonmouth near water. Give snakes a wide berth.
Related routes
Walking
Bald Cypress Trail
Virginia Beach · Virginia Beach
A short interpretive loop through blackwater swamp on boardwalk and soft forest floor.
- Distance
- 1.5 mi
- Elevation gain
- 10 ft
- Route type
- Loop
- Difficulty
- Easy
Surface: Boardwalk, Dirt, Sand
- Cypress swamp boardwalk
- Interpretive signage
Trail running
First Landing State Park Trail Network
Virginia Beach · Virginia Beach
Roughly 20 miles of interconnected maritime forest, dune, and swamp trails on the Chesapeake Bay.
- Distance
- Not yet verified
- Elevation gain
- Not yet verified
- Route type
- Network
- Difficulty
- Easy
Surface: Sand, Dirt, Boardwalk
- Long Creek Trail
- Chesapeake Bay shoreline
Running
Virginia Beach Boardwalk
Virginia Beach · Virginia Beach
A continuous three-mile oceanfront promenade with a separate paved bike path — Virginia's most-used running surface.
- Distance
- 3 mi
- Elevation gain
- 0 ft
- Route type
- Point to point
- Difficulty
- Easy
Surface: Paved
- Ocean views the entire way
- Lit for early and late runs