Walking and hiking are great ways to spend time outdoors, stay in shape, and make family memories. Whether you walk on the sidewalk, visit a Lynchburg city park, head into the woods, or take a road trip, there's a lot of choices in our area!
You may also enjoy these great Hikes Off the Blue Ridge Parkway and 10 Lynchburg VA Area Places to Ride Bikes. If you're traveling any of these trails, especially in the winter, check in advance for any weather or maintenance closures.
Here's our top 25 easy walking and hiking places in the Lynchburg area:
City of Lynchburg sidewalk areas:
- Rivermont Avenue
- Fort Avenue
- Wyndhurst, located off Laxton Road
- Cornerstone, located off Greenview Drive
- River Ridge Mall (the only indoors location on our list)
Paved/ Crushed gravel trails:
- Blackwater Creek Bikeway
- Percival's Island (main trail) Find more fun at Percival's here: 10 Things to Do at Percival's Island
- Ivy Creek Park (main trail) Find more fun at Ivy Creek Park here: Get Outdoors This Winter at Ivy Creek Park
- Riverside Park (main trail) Find more fun at Riverside Park here: Get Outdoors This Winter at Riverside Park
- Peaks View Park (main trail) Find more fun at Peaks View Park here: Get Outdoors This Winter at Peaks View Park
- High Bridge Trail (30+ miles starting in Farmville)
- Lake Trail (at Peaks of Otter) Find more fun at the Peaks of Otter here: Get Outdoors This Winter at the Peaks of Otter
- Falling Creek Park in Bedford (main trail) Find more fun at Falling Creek Park here: Get Outdoors This Winter at Falling Creek Park in Bedford
- Saunders-Monticello Trail near Charlottesville
- Trail at Seminole Park in Madison Heights Seminole Park is Amherst County's Newest Park
Earthen trails:
- Creekside Trail or Beaver Trail (off Blackwater Creek Bikeway, some sections currently closed for maintenance)
- Alpine Trail (in Riverside Park near the overlook)
- Woodlands Trail (in Ivy Creek Park)
- New London Tech Trails (off Route 460 - several multi-use trails)
- Unnamed trails at Percival's Island (follow steps onto the island on the left or sign into the woods on the right)
- Lake Trail (at Otter Creek, off Blue Ridge Parkway) Find more fun in the Otter Creek area here: Otter Creek on the Blue Ridge Parkway
- Fallingwater Cascades (off Blue Ridge Parkway)
- Turtle Island Trail (at Smith Mountain Lake State Park)
- Appalachian Trail (everywhere, but my favorite access point is at the James River Foot Bridge off 501 near Snowden)
- Cedar Creek Trail (at Natural Bridge State Park)
- Mike Donahue Trail at Snowflex (Liberty University property)
More information about most (maybe all) of these hikes can be found on AllTrails, a free website and app that many hikers find helpful. Going for a walk or hike together is a great way to spend time together. Kids are more likely to open up while doing something physical. Walking is a great way to stay in shape too!
Looking for more hiking trails? Purchase an annual pass and see how many hikes you can do this winter in Shenandoah National Park! Here's 10 Awesome Hikes in Shenandoah National Park to get you started.
Plan your family's outdoor adventures now and make this your best year ever! Lynchburg Macaroni Kid helps you Find Your Family Fun® in any season! It's FREE to subscribe to our weekly newsletter, so click HERE and join the fun!
