Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2018 - 10

T H E G O O D WA L K

Text and photos by LEONARD ADKINS

Nature. History.
Neighborhoods.
Dining. Shopping.
The Rivanna Trail and other walkways in and around
Charlottesville, Virginia make for a rich and varied walk.

ABOVE: The
Rivanna Trail curls
its way elegantly
around and through
Charlottesville.
FACING PAGE: The
Downtown pedestrian
mall offers a bounty of
dining and shopping
options.

WHEN YOU

THE WALK: An easy 3.7-mile walk taking in
numerous aspects of Charlottesville, Virginia. It
could be divided into three separate outings-the
Rivanna Trail; Chesapeake Street and Coal Tower
Trail; and the downtown mall.
GETTING THERE: Take I-64 Exit 124 and
follow US 250 towards Charlottesville for 5 miles.
The Rivanna Trail is accessed off River Road immediately after crossing the Rivanna River.
MORE INFORMATION: A map that shows
all of the trails and streets used on the walk
is on http://www.charlottesville.org/home/
showdocument?id=8978.

BLUERIDGECOUNTRY.COM

aurie and I arrived in Charlottesville, Virginia
early in the morning for a luncheon meeting that
was to take place downtown. With several hours
of leisure time ahead of us, we pieced together our
own walking tour, not realizing we would experience so many different aspects of the city in just
one short outing.
We set off from River Road, following a 1.5-mile paved
stretch of the Rivanna Trail, a 20-mile route that (more or
less) encircles the city. Walking beside the namesake river,
the pathway was at first bordered by the not-so-pretty
backside of several businesses and roughly mowed meadows. However, by the time we crossed Meade Creek the
trees and other vegetation became so lush it felt like we
were in a rain forest. Chicory and Asiatic dayflower, along
with joggers, bike riders and dog walkers, accompanied us
all the way to Riverview Park.
Turning onto Chesapeake Street's sidewalks in one of
the city's older neighborhoods, several residents waved
hello as we passed their homes. Trumpet vines grow along
Riverview Cemetery's wrought iron fence and I couldn't
resist making a detour. I have always thought cemeteries
were park-like places to take quiet, meditative walks, and
that is what this one, dedicated in 1892, provided. With
scenic views of Monticello, it is the final resting place of
several of the city's famous families marked by some interesting grave stones.
Traffic picked up a bit on Meade Avenue. If it had been
a bit later in the day we may have escaped it for a few
minutes by slipping into either Beer Run or Firefly to enjoy their offerings of local brews.
The Coal Tower Trail, bordered by railroad tracks on
one side and million-dollar town houses on the other,
is relatively new. However, give the planted vegetation a
few years of growth and this will be a nicely landscaped,
shaded pathway. The 1942 tower for which it is named is

http://www.BLUERIDGECOUNTRY.COM

Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2018