Explore the Greenway

Virginia

From Washington, D.C., the East Coast Greenway enters Virginia on the Mount Vernon Trail, following the Potomac River and George Washington Parkway south to Mount Vernon, the home of the nation’s first president. From there, the route continues through Fairfax County on a network of side paths and the Cross County Trail. In Prince William County, travelers encounter a mix of paved and unpaved trails before the Greenway transitions to on-road segments leading to Fredericksburg, partially tracing the future Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail. South of Fredericksurg, the Greenway continues to Richmond, Virginia’s capital, where the route splits. The primary spine route heads south toward North Carolina’s Piedmont region via the Tobacco Heritage Trail in the Southside region, while the complementary Historic Coastal Route turns southeast through Jamestown and Williamsburg before continuing toward Wilmington, North Carolina. The 139-mile Historic Coastal Route includes the Virginia Capital Trail, a 50-mile, traffic-separated greenway that closely parallels Route 5 through landscapes rich in history and natural beauty. From there, the route connects to the Dismal Swamp Canal Trail, carrying travelers across the Virginia–North Carolina border.