The Fall Line trail has its first regional connection, with the opening of a 4.8-mile section from the town of Ashland to Woodman Road in Henrico County.
Local officials from across the region and other trail boosters gathered Sept. 24 along the paved pathway in Ashland for a ribbon-cutting and ceremonial first ride. From the Ashland Trail Line Trail, the new portion cuts through Hanover County and into Henrico with a crossing of the scenic Chickahominy River.
“Ladies and gentlemen, if you don’t have a bicycle or at least a good pair of walking shoes, I suggest emphatically that you make an investment,” said Henrico Board of Supervisors Vice Chair Roscoe D. Cooper III. “The Fall Line trail is here, and it’s not going anywhere. It’s magnificent. It’s marvelous. It’s magnanimous. And it’s taking shape quickly piece by piece, mile by mile. This is a generational project for all of us – our children and those to come.”
Ultimately, the Fall Line is planned to extend 43 miles and cross through seven jurisdictions between Ashland and the city of Petersburg. Henrico opened its first portion of the trail – the 1,400-foot Park Street section in Lakeside – in July 2024.
The Department of Public Works is designing Henrico’s remaining sections and expects to begin construction next year to extend the trail north from Lakeside. Overall, the county’s sections are planned to cover 7.5 miles in eight phases.
Conceptualized in 2019, the trail has been championed by the region’s localities and organizations including Sports Backers. The nonprofit group has since located its offices to Park Street to take advantage of the proximity to the trail.
Targeted for completion in 2030, the Fall Line is designed for bicyclists, joggers and other recreational users. It will wind through forests, farmland, neighborhoods and commercial areas and help form the backbone of Central Virginia’s trail network, with links to the Virginia Capital Trail and the Appomattox River Trail.
