Richmond’s great network of hiking and biking trails are no accident. They were advocated for, planned and built by trail users. Volunteers have worked with city park staff for more than two decades to develop and maintain the trails and our region is better for them.
Over that time, Richmond has become more known as a great outdoors town. The trails are just part of the reason. We need to remain dedicated to protecting what we have and fight for more trails, especially ones that help connect neighborhoods, schools, commercial areas, employment centers and more.
I’m a mountain biker and a hiker. I’ve used the trails for as long as they have existed and I am very proud of the work city staff and volunteers have done to maintain them.
I’m looking forward to the Richmond Trail Forum at the Byrd Park Roundhouse, Feb. 1, from 7-8:30 p.m. I wrote about it for Richmond Outside. James River Park manager Nathan Burrell and trails manager Mike Burton were kind enough to give me time for an interview about the trails network in Richmond.
From that article:
The popularity of those early trails prompted the JRPS to appoint its first trails manager in 2003 (Nathan Burrell). Citizens helped to push for more trails and volunteers did much of the work. But for all the people out riding trails in Richmond, park usage statistics show that mountain bikes are in the minority. According to numbers provided by the city’s parks department, walkers and runners outnumber mountain bikers three to one on the Buttermilk Trail. Only one in four users on North Bank is a biker.
Phil Riggan 