Hiking, coastal parks

From the banks of the Potomac River to the windswept beaches of the Atlantic Ocean and the massive Chesapeake Bay in between, Virginia is well known for its coastlines. Virginia State Parks provide access to 11 parks in the coastal region where rivers and the ocean meet to create brackish estuaries.

Popular coastal Virginia hikes

Bay View Trail – Just a half hour from Washington, Mason Neck State Park in Fairfax County offers more than 6 miles of unpaved hiking trails and 3 miles of paved multiuse trails. Bay View Trail is an easy loop just over 1 mile and offers a glimpse of nature by the bay.
Cedar Ridge Trail – Caledon State Park in King George offers 14 trails, including seven easy trails and one difficult one, Cedar Ridge, which is a little more than a mile out and back. Dog-friendly, it’s a great trail for eagle watching and enjoying fall foliage.
Meh Te Kos Challenge Trail – York River State Park is just 30 minutes from Busch Gardens and Colonial Williamsburg. The 1.5-mile trail is the park’s most difficult trail. Its trailhead is on York River Park Road and can be accessed by following the Meh Te Kos Trail to just beyond some power lines. The trail proceeds through the forest along fairly difficult terrain and loops back to the trailhead. A few steps away, those looking for more may add the moderate 2.7-mile Taskinas Creek Loop Trail.
Cape Henry Trail – In the heart of urban Virginia Beach, First Landing State Park is a 2,888-acre oasis of cypress swaps, undisturbed natural areas and sandy beaches. Rich in history and Virginia’s most-visited state park, First Landing has 10 trails covering about 20 miles, including bike and fitness trails. Cape Henry Trail is 10.1 miles out and back and is wide and flat. It’s ideal for bikers and hikers and those hoping to view eagles, turtles, snakes, frogs and other wildlife. The use of insect repellant is suggested.
Sand Ridge Trail – False Cape State Park is a remote barrier spit that allows visitors to observe beaches, dunes, maritime forests of oak and pine, wooded swamps, marshes and the bay in one visit. The West Dike, Barbour Hill, Sand Ridge Beach Loop is a 8.9-mile hike through remote sand along the Atlantic Ocean. This is not a hike for beginners, but it’s a park favorite that delivers. Carry plenty of water. Trails are closed Nov. 1 - March 31.