The Rivanna Trail and other walkways in and around Charlottesville, Virginia make for a rich and varied walk.
Left: The Rivanna Trail curls its way elegantly around and through Charlottesville. Right: The Downtown pedestrian mall offers a bounty of dining and shopping options.
Laurie 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.
When You Go:
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/
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 showing its age, but it has become such an iconic city symbol that it graced the cover of Dear Charlottesville, a 1998 CD compilation from local musicians.
We obtained a Historic Downtown Walking Tour brochure from the visitor center to enhance our appreciation of the seven-block pedestrian mall. We learned the 1931 Paramount Theater has been renovated and is a popular live entertainment venue and that the McGuffey Art Center was constructed in 1916 as an elementary school. Timberlake’s Drug Store has been in its same location since 1917 and still serves ammonia Coke. (It’s better tasting than it sounds and obviously not made with kitchen ammonia!)
After visiting some of the 130 shops of fine fashions, antiques, books, art galleries, street vendors, jewelry and more, our companion chose what seemed to be the appropriate restaurant for our lunch—Blue Ridge Country.
Find out more about Leonard’s walking and hiking adventures at habitualhiker.com.
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The story above appears in our Nov./Dec. 2018 issue. For more like it, subscribe today or log in to the digital edition with your active digital subscription.