5 HAPPY TRAILS
With 41 state parks, 22 national parks and swaths of state and national forests, Virgina is a paradise for hiking and biking. High Bridge Trail State Park features a 50-kilometre trail that follows a former railway track, with a bridge crossing the Appomattox River 38 metres over the water, allowing for incredible vistas of the surrounding woods. For a more challenging hike, take on the peak of Hawksbill Mountain and be rewarded with stunning views of the Shenandoah Valley. Cyclists can enjoy a gentle meander along the Virginia Creeper Trail, which runs 56 kilometres through meadows and trees, while hardcore mountain bikers will want to head to Douthat State Park in the Allegheny Mountains, where the trickiest trails offer steep climbs, fast descents and unexpected switchbacks.