James River Park System Main Area
Managed by City of Richmond
169 acres5.8 mi of trail
Buttermilk Heights TrailButtermilk TrailReedy Creek TrailButtermilk East+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto JRPS 42nd St Parking
Photo: Bruce Emmerling · CC BY-SA 4.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in Richmond
Richmond has 103 miles of mapped trails, 1.7 for every square mile of land
94% of residents live within a half mile of a park. The biggest trail networks: James River Park System Main Area (5.8 mi), Belle Isle (5 mi), Forest Hill Park (4.2 mi). 8% of Richmond’s land is conserved, about 3,058 acres.
Ahead of 85% of U.S. towns · #61 of 253 in Virginia. What drives it
Conserved land
8%
3,058 acres · of 59.9 sq mi of land
Trails
103 mi
1.7 per sq mi of land
Park land
2,572 ac
11 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
94%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
111 mi
63 mi lanes · 15 mi paths
Highest peak
144 ft
Gambles Hill
Lakes & rivers
19
4 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Richmond?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Richmond have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Richmond is ahead of 85% of U.S. towns, #61 of 253 in Virginia. Trail miles hold the grade up; park acres per resident pull it down.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Richmond’s overall grade.
Conserved land8% of the land · typical VA town 4% · U.S. 4%B+Trails1.7 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (103 mi) · VA 0.7 · U.S. 0.4APark land11 acres of park per 1,000 residents (2,572 acres) · VA 8 · U.S. 13B−Parks close to home94% of residents within a half mile of a park · VA 76% · U.S. 72%A−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 85%
LessMore
Virginia towns of 2,500+ (253)Ahead of 76%
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Richmond ranks #133 on Outdoors.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from A− to A. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is James River Park System Main Area, with 5.8 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Belle Isle
Managed by City of Richmond
56 acres5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trail sign
Forest Hill Park
Managed by City of Richmond
101 acres4.2 mi of trail
Forest HillForest Hill - Alternate Reedy Creek Crossing DetourFH Neighborhood Access Spur
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Forest Hill Park Parking
Powhite Park
Nature preserve
85 acres4.1 mi of trail
Powhite Park Loop Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Byrd Park
Park
229 acres3.7 mi of trail
Dogwood Dell bike trail
No dogs
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Lewis G. Larus Park
Nature preserve
109 acres3.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Pony Pasture Park
Managed by City of Richmond
65 acres3 mi of trail
R.B. Young Riverside TrailPleasant Creek Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Pony Pasture
All 72 parks & preserves
James River Park System Main Area169 acres · 5.8 mi of trail · City of Richmond
DirectionsBelle Isle56 acres · 5 mi of trail · City of Richmond
DirectionsForest Hill Park101 acres · 4.2 mi of trail · City of Richmond
DirectionsPowhite Park85 acres · 4.1 mi of trail
DirectionsByrd Park229 acres · 3.7 mi of trail
DirectionsLewis G. Larus Park109 acres · 3.4 mi of trail
DirectionsBryan Park249 acres · 3.2 mi of trail
DirectionsPony Pasture Park65 acres · 3 mi of trail · City of Richmond
DirectionsMaymont109 acres · 2.9 mi of trail
DirectionsAncarrow's Landing42 acres · 2 mi of trail · City of Richmond
DirectionsPony Pasture Park - Wetland Park53 acres · 1.8 mi of trail · City of Richmond
JRPS Texas Beach Park54 acres · 1.7 mi of trail
DirectionsChimborazo Park42 acres · 1.5 mi of trail · City of Richmond
DirectionsPine Camp Cultural Arts and Community Center46 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
DirectionsBattery Park16 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · City of Richmond
Huguenot Flatwater Park29 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · City of Richmond
DirectionsPump House Park13 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
DirectionsJefferson Park7 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · City of Richmond
DirectionsGreat Shiplock Park9 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · City of Richmond
DirectionsBroadrock Sports Complex51 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · City of Richmond
DirectionsDry Rocks20 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsPetronius S. Jones Park7 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsDock Street Park5 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · City of Richmond
DirectionsARCpark4 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
Gambles Hill Park17 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsCapitol Square17 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsCanoe Run Park8 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsOakwood Park7 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · City of Richmond
Bandy Field Nature Park5 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsTaylor's Hill Park4 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · City of Richmond
DirectionsKanawha Plaza3 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsCarter Jones Park12 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Richmond
Gillies Creek Park47 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Richmond
Richmond National Battlefield Park19 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsHotchkiss Field Community Center11 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Libby Hill Park11 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Richmond
DirectionsPowhatan Playground10 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Richmond
DirectionsHighland Plaza7 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Walker's Creek Retention Basin Park7 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Richmond
E. Clairborne and Lora Robins Sculpture Garden4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsRoy West Park (Washington Park)3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Richmond
Riverside Meadow Greenspace2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Richmond
Oregon Hill Linear Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsThomas Square1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsMonroe Park9 acres
DirectionsBrown's Island8 acres · City of Richmond
DirectionsWayside Spring Park6 acres · City of Richmond
Lucks Field Playground5 acres
DirectionsBill Robinson Playground5 acres · City of Richmond
Montrose Heights Playground5 acres · City of Richmond
Pollard Park5 acres
JRPS - Archer Island4 acres · City of Richmond
DirectionsAbner Clay Park4 acres
DirectionsHumphrey Calder Community Center4 acres
DirectionsOregon Hill Park3 acres
DirectionsOak Grove Playground3 acres
Chimborazo Playground2 acres
Westwood Playground2 acres
Pocosham Park2 acres
Providence Park1 acres
DirectionsHistoric Fulton Memorial Park1 acres · City of Richmond
DirectionsHolly Street Park1 acres
DirectionsBriel Street Playground1 acres · City of Richmond
Powhatan Pool1 acres · City of Richmond
DirectionsSmith-Peters Parks1 acres · City of Richmond Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities
DirectionsNorth Central Park1 acres
Patrick Henry Park1 acres · City of Richmond
Meadow Park1 acres
DirectionsAlice Fitz Park1 acres
Riverview Community Park1 acres
DirectionsFloodwall Park1 acres
DirectionsLombardy Park1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
3,058 conserved acres
8% of Richmond’s land. Who manages Richmond’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city2,941 ac
Other state land580 ac
Joint547 ac
State conservation70 ac
National Park Service62 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits29 ac
County23 ac
Local Park · 3,421 acUnknown Easement · 555 acLocal Other or Unknown · 450 acConservation Easement · 406 acOther Easement · 314 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 235 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 22 of 282 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| William Byrd Park Local Park | Town or city | 528 | Open |
| James River Park Local Park | Not recorded | 514 | Open |
| Bryan Park Local Park | Town or city | 249 | Open |
| Maymount Park Local Park | Not recorded | 190 | Open |
| Pine Camp Park and Arts Center Local Park | Town or city | 186 | Open |
| Larus Park Local Park | Town or city | 174 | Open |
| Manchester Park Local Park | Town or city | 166 | Open |
| Oakwood Cemetery Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 159 | Open |
| Forest Hill Park Local Park | Town or city | 105 | Open |
| Broad Rock Sports Complex Local Park | Not recorded | 99 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
259 places to go in Richmond
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Swimming spots in Richmond
1 swimming spot without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Public pools in Richmond
Swim RVA - Church Hill
DirectionsWoodville Pool
DirectionsPlus 4 public pools without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Playgrounds in Richmond
Dell MeadowIn Byrd Park
DirectionsGrayland Tot Lot
DirectionsNature Exploration AreaIn Belle Isle
DirectionsThe Carillon Tot LotIn Byrd Park
DirectionsWestover Hills Methodist Church playground
Directions152 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Richmond
Barker FieldIn Byrd Park
DirectionsChurch Hill Dog ParkIn Chimborazo Park
DirectionsNorthside Dog Park
DirectionsPhideaux Field
DirectionsRuff Canine Club
DirectionsPlus 8 dog parks without a name on the map.
Boat launches in Richmond
Ancarrow's Landing Boat RampIn Ancarrow's Landing
DirectionsReedy Creek Boat LaunchIn James River Park System Main Area
DirectionsTredegar Boat Ramp
DirectionsPlus 1 boat launch without a name on the map.
Fishing spots in Richmond
4 fishing spots without a name on the map.
Waterfalls in Richmond
4 waterfalls without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Richmond
Church Hill OverlookIn Taylor's Hill Park
DirectionsFloodwall OverlookIn Floodwall Park
DirectionsOld Manchester Bridge Overlook
DirectionsOregon Hill Overlook
DirectionsPipeline Overlook
DirectionsPowhatan Hill OverlookIn Powhatan Playground
DirectionsTDIA 1895 James River Overlook
DirectionsPlus 22 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Richmond
Gambles Hill144 ft elevation · In Gambles Hill Park
DirectionsPicnic areas in Richmond
Pony Pasture - James River ParkIn Pony Pasture Park
DirectionsPlus 4 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Disc golf in Richmond
Bryan Park Disc Golf CourseIn Bryan Park
DirectionsPlus 4 disc golf without a name on the map.
Community gardens in Richmond
6 Points Community Garden
DirectionsAbby's GardenUniversity of Richmond
DirectionsAlice Fitz Community Garden
DirectionsBlackwell Community GardenCity of Richmond
DirectionsBroad Rock Community Garden
DirectionsBrookland Park Community Garden
DirectionsByrd Park Community Garden
DirectionsCharles S. Gilpin Community Farm
Directions22 more community gardens
Chimborazo Native GardenIn Chimborazo Park
DirectionsChimborazo Playground Community GardenIn Chimborazo Playground
DirectionsFonticello Food Forest
DirectionsGarber Street Community Garden
DirectionsHJWA Community GardenHistoric Jackson Ward Association
DirectionsHickory Hill Community Garden
DirectionsHotchkiss Community GardenIn Hotchkiss Field Community Center
DirectionsHumphrey Calder Community Garden
DirectionsJefferson Avenue Community Garden
DirectionsMCV Community Garden
DirectionsMaymont Community GardenIn Riverview Community Park
DirectionsMcDonough Community GardenCity Of Richmond Recreation & Parks
DirectionsOak Grove Community GardenIn Oak Grove Playground
DirectionsOwl Orchard Community GardenCity Of Richmond Recreation & Parks
DirectionsPlanet Rock Community GardenIn Broadrock Sports Complex
DirectionsPocket Park at 30th & 1/2City of Richmond
DirectionsPowhatan Hill Community GardenIn Powhatan Playground
DirectionsRandolph Community GardenIn Petronius S. Jones Park
DirectionsRoots of Woodville Neighborhood Garden
DirectionsSankofa Community Orchard
DirectionsSouthside Community Garden
DirectionsStockton Community Garden
Directions35 community gardens are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Trails & water
25 named trails and 19 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 39.3 miHorses · 0.8 miUnpaved · 57.3 mi
Forest Hill3.1 mi
Ancarrow’s Landing3.0 mi
North Bank Trail2.2 mi
Buttermilk Heights Trail1.7 mi
Texas Beach Trail1.7 mi
Powhite Park Loop Trail1.7 mi
The Wetlands1.1 mi
Richmond Slave Trail1.1 mi
Buttermilk Trail1.0 mi
Dogwood Dell bike trail0.8 mi
15 more trails
Reedy Creek Trail
0.8 miTexas Beach - Western Extension (Seasonal / Wild)
0.8 miR.B. Young Riverside Trail
0.6 miPleasant Creek Trail
0.6 miButtermilk East
0.4 miNorth Bank Heights
0.4 miChapel Island Trail
0.4 miCanal Walk
0.4 miManchester Floodwall Walk
0.4 miChimborazo Connector
0.3 miForest Hill - Alternate Reedy Creek Crossing Detour
0.2 miLow Water Trail - East
0.2 miLow Water Trail
0.2 miProto Path
0.2 miHigh Water Trail
0.2 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Anne Cobb Gottwald Reflecting PoolpondBear PondpondBoat LakelakeCherokee LakelakeFalling Creek ReservoirreservoirForest Hill Park LakeHobby Hill LakereservoirLibby Hill FountainQuarry PondpondShields LakelakeSwan LakelakeWesthampton LakelakeYoungs PondpondDry Bed of the Kanawha CanalHaxall CanalJames RiverJames River and Kanawha CanalManchester CanalUpham Brook
Biking & sports
111 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
63 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
15 mi
off-road bike paths
34 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Dogwood Dell bike trailBike route
0.9 miEast Coast Greenway (VA)Bike route
0.6 miCourts & fields
151Tennis
78Basketball
55Baseball
31Pickleball
29Soccer
17Football
7Tracks
4Skate park
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →234 places on the National Register, 15 of them National Historic Landmarks
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 80 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
222 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in Richmond: April to June
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.8 | 10.8 | 11.9 | 13.1 | 14.2 | 14.7 | 14.5 | 13.6 | 12.4 | 11.1 | 10.1 | 9.6 |
| High (°F) | 48 | 52 | 60 | 71 | 78 | 85 | 89 | 87 | 81 | 71 | 60 | 51 |
| Rain (in) | 3.4 | 2.8 | 4.0 | 3.4 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 3.7 | 3.3 | 3.7 |
February is the driest month (2.8 in) and July the warmest (highs of 89 °F). 4.6 inches fall in September, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 89 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Richmond →
Next door
Richmond and its neighbors
Richmond has the most mapped trails of the 8 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Richmond103 miTuckahoe9.4 miMontrose5.1 miMeadowbrook4.9 miManchester4.9 miBon Air3.9 miEast Highland Park2.1 miBensley0.4 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond | 8% | 1.7 | 11 | 94% | A |
| Tuckahoe | 4% | 0.5 | 4 | 35% | C+ |
| Meadowbrook | under 1% | 0.6 | 1 | 40% | C |
| Montrose | 1% | 1.6 | under 1 | 15% | C |
| Manchester | 1% | 0.8 | 3 | 43% | C |
| East Highland Park | 18% | 0.2 | 61 | 70% | A− |
| Bensley | 6% | 0.1 | 18 | 96% | B+ |
| Bon Air | 1% | 0.5 | 4 | 45% | C |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Richmond
Where can I hike in Richmond?
The longest trail networks: James River Park System Main Area, 5.8 miles; Belle Isle, 5 miles; Forest Hill Park, 4.2 miles; Powhite Park, 4.1 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Richmond is conserved land?
8% of its land, against a typical 4% for a Virginia town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Richmond’s trails?
James River Park System Main Area and Belle Isle don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Richmond?
111 miles of bike routes are on the map: 63 of painted or protected lanes, 15 of off-road paths and 34 of shoulders and shared lanes. Named routes: Dogwood Dell bike trail and East Coast Greenway (VA).
Is there public land near Richmond?
18,813 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Richmond or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 2,572 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Richmond have?
Ahead of 85% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #61 of 253 in Virginia. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Richmond neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →