Best Bike Trails in Richmond
Richmond, Virginia — updated August 21, 2026
Four Richmond rides, from a paved 52-mile corridor out of Rocketts Landing to the rocky singletrack across the James, ranked by how well they hold up under a bike.
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Richmond is unusual among mid-sized American cities in that its best riding runs straight through the middle of it: the James River Park System threads singletrack along both banks, and a paved long-distance trail starts at the water's edge downtown. Nearly all of it operates on the same schedule, sunrise to sunset, every day, so the real planning question is parking and tire width rather than opening hours. Below, the rides are ordered by how squarely they answer the question, with review counts noted so you can tell a proven trail from a lightly documented one.
1. Virginia Capital Trail Richmond Trailhead
This is the one trail here built for bikes first, and the numbers back it: 4.7 from 494 reviews, the largest sample in this guide. The trail runs roughly 52 miles along the Route 5 corridor, with historic sites, places to eat, picnic spots and lodging spaced out along the way, so it works equally well as a two-hour out-and-back or a full day pointed toward Williamsburg. The Richmond trailhead sits on Dock Street near the river. Paid parking is available at the trail's lots, billed hourly with a daily rate. Bring water and a way to carry food, since services thin out between towns.
2. James River Park System Pony Pasture Trail
Pony Pasture holds a 4.8 average across 205 reviews, a settled rating for a Richmond trail, and the James River Park System describes it as part of one of the most beloved trail systems in the area. The appeal for cyclists is the range: wooded paths and mountain biking trails plus gravel main trails that stay friendly to wider tires and less technical riders. Parking is available on site, and the same lot serves paddlers, anglers and birders, so it fills on clear weekends. Open sunrise to sunset daily. Expect to share the stone-strewn riverbank sections with people who came to picnic rather than ride.
3. Reedy Creek Trail Parking Lot
Reedy Creek is the standard access point for the Buttermilk Trail, and the parking lot listing carries a 4.5 from 276 reviews, more feedback than any other James River Park entrance here. A mountain bike trail links the main trail near the park headquarters to Buttermilk, and the 22nd Street lot has spaces for about 45 cars if Riverside Drive is full. From the lot, turn right past the railroad tracks to pick up the trail. Riders use this end to connect toward Belle Isle, though conditions on the upper section vary with weather. Sunrise to sunset, daily, and free to walk in.
4. North Bank Trail
North Bank runs on the city side of the river, entered from the south end of Texas Avenue about five blocks east of the Hampton Street entrance to Maymont. Its 4.8 rating comes from only 45 reviews, so treat that figure as promising rather than proven. The James River Park System frames it as a hiking trail where visitors should stay alert for fast-moving cyclists, which is a fair description of how it rides: narrow, shared and quick in places. Best early, when foot traffic is lightest. Open sunrise to sunset every day, like the rest of the park system.