The Rivanna Trail

Riverview Park to Route 250 at Free Bridge
(1.51 miles, easy)
Follow hard-surfaced trail through the park’s fields and forests along the Rivanna River. A spur trail (.39 miles) makes possible a loop hike within the park.

Route 250 at Free Bridge to Holmes Avenue
(1.71 miles, moderate)
Follow hard-surfaced trail to VFW fields. Just upriver, turn left. Roadwalk: right onto River Road, right onto Locust Avenue, left onto Locust Lane, right onto Megan Court, and into forest. Turn left to follow Meadow Creek. At junction, trail across creek leads to River North Trail.

Holmes Avenue to Park Street
(0.59 miles, moderate)
Trail follows Meadow Creek. There are numerous spur trails behind Charlottesville High School, into McIntire Park and connecting to Meadowbrook Heights Road.

Park Street to the Norfolk-Southern RR underpass
(0.96 miles, moderate)
After crossing under the Park Street bridge, detour along Melbourne to the paved Warner Parkway Trail. Follow the trail for a couple hundred feet, then cut right to return to the rustic Trail. The trail crosses the creek on the Parkway Trail bridge, and then immediately turns left towards the culvert.

Norfolk-Southern RR underpass
(0.03 miles, closed)
We hope to build a foot crossing through the culvert. It is illegal to cross over the railroad tracks or through the culvert.

Norfolk-Southern RR underpass to Greenbrier/Brandywine Drives
(0.61 miles, easy)
Follow Meadow Creek to the three-way intersection.

Greenbrier/Brandywine Drives to Hydraulic Road
Follow the clearing and watch for the rock hop across Meadow Creek on the left. Use caution crossing the creek. The southern part of this segment was moved to make way for the Meadow Creek restoration project scheduled to start in 2012.

Hydraulic Road to Emmet Street (Rt. 29)
Walk upstream beside Meadow Creek as it makes its way under two major roadways. Continue through forest near City Gardens. Turn right onto Morton Drive.

Meadowbrook alternate
Follow brown RTF signs for this small alternate section near the Meadowbrook creek.

Emmet Street to Barracks Road
(0.39 miles, easy)
Cross Emmet Street. Follow Earhart Street to a footbridge on the left. Turn left onto Cedars Court after second footbridge. Cross Barracks Road to rejoin the trail. Remain on the trail when traversing the Federal Executive Institute property, and stay off the ropes course equipment.

Barracks Road to Old Ivy Road
Follow the headwaters of Meadow Creek, past the foundation of the county's 1806 Poor House, through a forest of mountain laurel and chestnut oaks, through two large fields, and past a small pond.

Alternate trails behind UVA North Grounds
Between Barracks Road and Leonard Sandridge Road, follow brown RTF signs up the hill for this alternate route.

Old Ivy Road to Ivy Road (Rt. 250)
(0.15 miles, closed)
It is illegal to cross over the railroad tracks. An acceptable detour is to turn left down Old Ivy Road, and then back up Ivy to the Fire Station next to the 250 Bypass off ramp.

Ivy Road to Fontaine Avenue
Start near the fire station. Keep your eyes open for RTF blazes that mark the main path around Observatory Hill. There are numerous connecting trails throughout this area.

Fontaine Avenue to Stribling Avenue
Walk under pines, cross a fence stile, follow road across bridge, turn left to enter the floodplains of Morey Creek. Cross the creek on stepping stones. The adjoining Department of Forestry Nature Trail spur (1 mile) contains several trees unusual to Virginia, remnants of a 1930s tree nursery. Use caution crossing the creek.

Stribling Avenue to Sunset Avenue
New trail segment open fall 2011: Turn right on Stribling Avenue, then right again immediately after crossing under the railroad bridge. Pass through the field, cross the driveway, and then descend to the rock hop across Moore's Creek. Turn left at Sunset Avenue Extended, and then right after crossing the pedestrian bridge. Use caution crossing the creek.

Sunset Avenue to Azalea Park
The trail from Sunset Avenue to McElory is closed to through travel. Detour up the hill on Sunset, turn right on Brunswick, then down Jefferson Park Circle to McElroy. Turn left on Middleton, cross Old Lynchburg Road, right onto Mobile Lane, and immediately left at trail sign.

Sunset Avenue to McElroy Ct
(0.44 miles, closed)
The trail from Sunset Avenue to McElory is closed to through travel.

Azalea Park to 5th Street Ext.
Look for plentiful wildlife in the park’s vegetated buffer along Moore’s Creek. Cross the creek on stepping stones, continue through forest and field. Use extreme caution crossing the creek; may be impassible in high water.

5th Street
Temporary Closures - obey posted signs. Mix sidewalks and creek-side trails along 5th St SW.

5th to Jordan connection
The connection from 5th towards Jordan Park is closed.

Jordan to 5th
A nice creek-side walk along Moore's creek.

Jordan Park to Quarry Park
Follow the trail to Avon Street. Turn right, cross Avon Street, cross road bridge, turn left onto trail near tall pines. Meander through a young wildlife-filled forest. Climb a long gentle hill through pines to high bluffs overlooking Moore's Creek.

Quarry Park to Riverview Park Roadwalks
Veer right at the fork in the trail, just before crossing under Monticello Avenue, and follow the road walk to Riverside Avenue.

Quarry Park to Woolen Mills
(1.45 miles, challenging)
Cross under 20 after leaving Quarry Park, then follow Moore's Creek all the way to the Rivanna River.

Park Street to Greenbrier Park (alternate)
Follow Melbourne to the intersection with Kenwood. Turn right on Kenwood, then take the second left on Lester. At the end of Lester, cross the footbridge to re-connect with the main loop. Look for brown RTF signs along this route.

Melbourne Road to Hydraulic Road
Just after the train tracks under Melbourne Road, follow the trail between the woods and the baseball field. On your left is McIntire park. The trail eventually comes out at 250 and Meadowbrook Heights. Follow 250 to re-connect with the main loop at Hydraulic Road.

Trailhead at UVA North Grounds
Access the trail from the parking lot at UVA's North Grounds. Please follow all parking allowances.

Trailhead at Quarry Park
From Quarry Park, take the bridge across Moore's creek, and pick up the main loop trail at the top of the hill.

Pen Park to Pen Park Lane
From the tennis courts at Pen Park, follow the trail along Pen Park Road until it goes left into the woods. At Pen Park Lane, the trail is currently closed, and you can not connect to the main loop trail.

Pen Park Lane connector
The trail connecting Pen Park Lane to the main Rivanna Trail loop is currently closed.

Pen Park to Northern Terminus
From the tennis courts at Pen Park, take the exercise loop, and then follow green RTF signs down to the river. Continue to follow green RTF signs along creeks and rivers, through clearings and woods, to the northern-most point on the trail, at the railroad underpass.

Forestry Loop
Follow the Forestry Loop, stopping to read about the local plants along the way.

McIntire Park Trails
Alternate trails in McIntire Park.