Coastal Virginia & Hampton Roads · Newport News · Running · Loop
Noland Trail
A wooded five-mile loop around Lake Maury with fourteen bridges — Newport News' signature run.
- Distance
- 5mi
- Climb (listed)
- 215ft
- Time (hiking est.)
- 1h44–2h20
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Terrain
- Crushed stoneShadedRiverside
The route
Where it is
No route line is on file for this trail yet, so the map shows the trailhead only. Trailfinder publishes lines only when they can be assembled from OpenStreetMap and checked against the agency distance.
What it feels like
What it feels like
Essentially level across 5 miles; 215 ft of listed gain barely registers. Crushed-stone tread that stays firm in most weather, mostly under tree cover.
Before you drive
What to know first
- Parking
- Parking is free throughout The Mariners' Museum and Park. Lots serving the Noland Trail: across from the trail's North entrance; Harvey Field (also serves the Meadow Path); Lions Bridge; Williams Field; and the Business Entrance (also serves the Meadow Path). Accessible spaces are in the lots nearest the Museum's main entrance, at the Business Entrance, across from the Noland Trail entrance, and at Harvey Field. No lot capacity or space count is published.
- Fees
- Free to use the trail; museum admission is separate.
- Permits
- No permit, ticket, or reservation is required for individual or family visitors — the park and Noland Trail are free and open to the public (daily 6:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m.). However, any organized group activity with 11 or more participants (i.e., more than 10), whether formal or informal, must be reviewed and approved in advance by Museum staff. Organizers must submit a Park Event Request Form at least 14 days before the proposed date. The policy applies to guided walks, fitness groups, community hikes, club gatherings, photography meetups, and educational programs. Depending on the event, liability insurance and additional safety planning may be required.
- Hours
- Daily 6:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.; closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day
- Restrooms
- Porta potties at three park locations: at the back of the parking lot adjacent to the Noland Trail entrance, in the Harvey Field parking lot, and in Williams Field near the outdoor pavilion. None of the portable toilets are accessible; accessible restrooms are inside the Museum via the Main Entrance or Business Entrance.
- Water
- Not on file
- Dogs
- Dogs allowed on leash
- Cell service
- Not on file
- Emergency
- Not on file
How hard it will feel
Difficulty, explained
Moderate
The Mariners' Museum rates the Noland Trail easy to moderately hard: a stone-dust path with 215 feet of elevation change, roots and graded steps.
Nothing here should surprise a first-timer: short, gentle, and easy underfoot.
- Distance
- +1
- 5 miles is a comfortable half-morning.
- Climb
- +0
- 215 ft of climbing, about 43 ft per mile.
- Footing
- +1
- Natural tread: roots, mud after rain, uneven in places.
- Technicality
- +0
- Nothing technical recorded; walking the whole way.
- Exposure
- +0
- Mostly sheltered; shade is listed.
Our reading (Easy) differs from the agency's (Moderate). The agency knows its trail; the breakdown shows which factor moved ours.
Commitment
How long it takes
- Hiking
- 1h44–2h20
- 2.6 mph moving on natural tread, no stops. 215 ft of climbing adds 6 min at a hiking pace.
- Running
- 49–66 min
- 5.5 mph moving on natural tread, no stops. 215 ft of climbing adds 6 min at a hiking pace.
- Family pace
- 2h47–4h10
- 1.5 mph moving on natural tread, no stops. 215 ft of climbing adds 6 min at a hiking pace.
Terrain
Underfoot
- Surface
- Crushed stone, Dirt
- Technicality
- Nothing technical recorded
- Crossings
- Slick bridges when wet
- Exposure
- Not on file
Recorded hazards
- Roots
- Slick bridges when wet
What you'll see
On the record
- Fourteen footbridges
- Mile markers
- No bicycles
Setting on file: Forest, River, Park.
When to go
Seasonal character
Coastal Virginia & Hampton RoadsComfortable October through April. Mid-summer brings high humidity, afternoon thunderstorms, and biting insects near marsh and swamp corridors.
General seasonal character, not a live condition report. Check the agency's alerts page for closures.
Who it fits
Is this for you?
- Runners
- Yes, running is supported
- Families
- Good with kids
- Strollers
- Not stroller friendly
- Dogs
- Dogs allowed on leash
- Accessibility
- No notes on file
- Experience
- Comfortable for regular walkers with some fitness
The long version
About this route
The Noland Trail circles Lake Maury on the grounds of The Mariners' Museum Park. It is a soft-surface loop with gentle rollers and more than a dozen footbridges, closed to bicycles, which makes it unusually peaceful for a route inside a city.
Mile markers make it easy to run structured workouts, and the loop format means you are never far from the trailhead.
If not this one
Related, and why
Coastal Virginia & Hampton Roads
Elizabeth River Trail
- Distance
- 10.5mi
- Elevation gain
- 0ft
- Hiking time (estimate)
- ~3h30
- Paved
- Riverside
Longer version · 10.5 mi when you want more of the same.
Virginia Beach
Mount Trashmore Park Loops
- Distance
- 1.5mi
- Elevation gain
- 60ft
- Time (agency)
- ~35 min
- Paved
Shorter version · 1.5 mi if time is short.
Virginia Beach
Cape Henry Trail
- Distance
- 6mi
- Elevation gain
- 12ft
- Time (agency)
- ~2h10
- Paved
- Sand
- Shaded
Nearby · 25 mi from this trailhead.
Virginia Beach
Bald Cypress Trail
- Distance
- 1.8mi
- Elevation gain
- 10ft
- Time (agency)
- ~45 min
- Boardwalk
- Sand
- Shaded
Nearby · 25 mi from this trailhead.
Before you drive
What to know first
- Parking
- Parking is free throughout The Mariners' Museum and Park. Lots serving the Noland Trail: across from the trail's North entrance; Harvey Field (also serves the Meadow Path); Lions Bridge; Williams Field; and the Business Entrance (also serves the Meadow Path). Accessible spaces are in the lots nearest the Museum's main entrance, at the Business Entrance, across from the Noland Trail entrance, and at Harvey Field. No lot capacity or space count is published.
- Fees
- Free to use the trail; museum admission is separate.
- Permits
- No permit, ticket, or reservation is required for individual or family visitors — the park and Noland Trail are free and open to the public (daily 6:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m.). However, any organized group activity with 11 or more participants (i.e., more than 10), whether formal or informal, must be reviewed and approved in advance by Museum staff. Organizers must submit a Park Event Request Form at least 14 days before the proposed date. The policy applies to guided walks, fitness groups, community hikes, club gatherings, photography meetups, and educational programs. Depending on the event, liability insurance and additional safety planning may be required.
- Hours
- Daily 6:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.; closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day
- Restrooms
- Porta potties at three park locations: at the back of the parking lot adjacent to the Noland Trail entrance, in the Harvey Field parking lot, and in Williams Field near the outdoor pavilion. None of the portable toilets are accessible; accessible restrooms are inside the Museum via the Main Entrance or Business Entrance.
- Water
- Not on file
- Dogs
- Dogs allowed on leash
- Cell service
- Not on file
- Emergency
- Not on file
Provenance
- Facts:
- verified against the managing agency · last checked August 29, 2026.
- Readings:
- anything marked Trailfinder reading is derived by Trailfinder from those sources, not published by the agency.
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.