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General
The Guided Hikes map shows you the location of each hike. If you select one of the waypoint flags on the map, descriptive information about the associated hike will be displayed in a popup window. Alternatively, you can choose a hike from the list of waypoints to see its descriptive data. Note that the waypoint list and the hike descriptive data are exposed in different ways, depending on the type of device you are using. In a desktop browser, this information is usually shown in a separate, always visible pane in the browser. On a smartphone, you may need to switch to landscape mode to expose the list and hike data. Experiment to find the method that works for you.
Shown below are details regarding each descriptive item for the hikes. Note that you can get driving times, distances, and directions for a hike by selecting the directional icon at the top of the waypoint description. Use the download links to add the hike to your GPS app and take the walk.
Map Fields
Trail – The title of the hike, used here and elsewhere on the site.
Length – Hike distance in miles.
Distance Type – Length categories, using these criteria:
Short – less than 2 miles
Med – 2-4 miles
Long – 4-6 miles
Trek – greater than 6 miles
Rating – Difficulty of the hike, based on elevation gain over the length of the hike (i.e., how many hills to climb and how steep they are). Note that this is a subjective rating, and assumes a moderate level of fitness. You can get more information about elevation gain from the Ramblr narrative. If the trail becomes too difficult for you, always turn back. The rating categories are:
Easy – Mostly flat or small hills to climb.
Mod – Modest inclines and/or multiple hills to climb.
Diff – Steep hills – may require rests along the way.
Stren – Very steep hills – Only for the most physically fit.
Review – Editor’s review of the hike. The ratings are:
Best – Top hikes in the region – don’t miss them, even if they are a long distance from your home.
Great – Well worth your time. Try to visit when you can, starting with the ones nearest you.
Good – Focus on nearby hikes you can quickly visit, or combine these hikes with other higher-rated hikes in close proximity.
Fair – Stop in if you are in the neighborhood.
Hike Link - Links to a Trail Facts And Downloads page providing more information about each hike and giving you the opportunity to download the hike to your smartphone. See the section below for the fields on that page.
Latitude – GPS coordinate for the hike start.
Longitude – GPS coordinate for the hike start.
Trail Facts and Download Page Sections
Basic Facts About the Hike
Repeats the information described above for the map fields, but adds two fields:
Locality – City or county.
Area - Region of Central Virginia
Learn More About the Park
Park Name– The park or preserve in which the hike is located.
Visit the Park Web Site – Click to visit the park Web site to get more information, such as current fees and amenities. Note any alerts, trail closures, changes in local conditions.
Visit Park Showcase – Click to visit a showcase page on our Web site containing detailed information about the park (where available).
View Park Trail Map – Click to get a trail map for the entire park (where available). Print a copy to take with you.
Number of Guided Hikes – Indicates whether other guided hikes are available within the park (>1). You can search for them in the waypoint listing, because hike titles are preceded by the park name.
Hunting Allowed? – Indicates whether, to the best of our knowledge, the park allows hunting as of 2019. It is best to check the most recent hunting schedule for the specific park. If this field is missing, no hunting is known to be allowed in the park. Note that hunting permissions can change from one year to the next in each park. Always check the park Web site and/or contact the park office. See the section Know Hunting Locations and Seasons.
Learn More About the Hike
Resource Book – Indicates whether the hike is described in one of two hiking books targeted at the Richmond area. They are:
60 Hikes Richmond – Refers to “60 Hikes Within 60 Miles Richmond”, by Nathan Lott. It can be found on Amazon and elsewhere. Update: There is a new version of this book by Philip Riggan.
Best Easy Day Hikes Richmond – Refers to “Best Easy Day Hikes Richmond, Virginia”, by Johnny Molloy. It can be found on Amazon and elsewhere.
Alltrails Page – Click this link to view the same (or similar) hike on the Alltrails Web site (a separate Web site from our site). Here, you can see reviews, photos, and other information about the hike entered by Alltrails users. See the description of Alltrails in the Hiking Resources section. Note that the Alltrails app cannot use our guided hikes – it simply provides added information to help you choose a hike. In addition, a user login for Alltrails is required to use most of the functions on these pages other than the basic hike description.
View/Download in Ramblr – Click this link to view a description of the guided hike on the Ramblr Web site. If you have installed the Ramblr app, you can also download the hike to your smartphone for use in the field. See the Quick Start Guide for Ramblr section for details about downloading a Ramblr guided hike.
View in Google Maps– View the guided hike in a Google map.
Download to Maps.me – Click this link while using your smartphone to download the guided hike to Maps.Me. See the Quick Start Guide for Maps.me for details about downloading a Maps.me guided hike.