Over the weekend, I hiked a portion of High Bridge Trail State Park. This park has one main trail that is actually ~31 miles long and can be used for hiking, biking and horseback riding. There are two separate parking lots that serve this area. Should the need arise, there are several bathroom facilities along the trail.
The most impressive thing about the trail is the bridge the stands 125 feet over the Appomattox River. It also over 2,400 feet in length. The bridge itself was built in the 1850s, and it was turned into a hiking trail in early 2012. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and it has Virginia Historic Landmark Status. I would consider this to be the easiest hike I have done in Virginia so far. The trail is flat and covered in crushed gravel.
This area was also part of the last significant conflict of the Civil War. When Robert E. Lee was retreating, he passed through a town called Farmville. This town is a few miles from the bridge, and the trail actually runs through it at one point. If someone is interested in history, there is a second state park nearby that is the site of the major Union victory that resulted in Lee’s surrender. We did not stop on this visit, but I will be back to investigate soon.
Side Note
High Bridge Trail State Park is the fifth state park I have visited in Virginia. I have been participating in the Virginia State Park Trail Quest challenge, so this visit was a milestone. I will be getting my five parks pin in the mail soon! This challenge is free to enter and the pins they send are also free. There is no time limit on the challenge. I highly recommend participating if you live in the state!
