‘This trail is for you’: Henrico opens its first portion of Fall Line Trail

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — From Ashland to Petersburg, the Fall Line Trail is continuing to expand across central Virginia.

On Tuesday, July 9, the Fall Line Trail made its mark in Henrico County. The energy and temperature were both high in Spring Park as leaders brought out the gold scissors to cut the ribbon in front of the first section of the trail in the county.

People all across the community, including officials like Henrico County Department of Public Works Director Tyrell Hughes, came out to get a look at this shiny new path.

“This trail is for you,” Hughes smiled, while looking out at the crowd of attendees.

Fairfield District Supervisor Roscoe D. Cooper III helped cut the ribbon to the 1,400 ft. segment of the highly anticipated trail. The path serves to unify different parts of the community.

“It’s more than just a trail,” Cooper III said. “It’s a gateway to our parks, neighborhoods and history. And this section we stand on today is just the beginning.”

Tuesday’s event marked the opening of just a sliver of the larger-scale 43 mile pathway, which stretches across seven localities.

“A vital form of connectivity,” Cooper III said.

Officials explained that 7.5 miles of the path will be in Henrico County and the new Sports Backers headquarters will go up at its entrance along Park Street, where an old bank used to be.

“I think it’s going to help with safety a lot,” said Nan Callahan, who works for Sports Backers and lives in the area. “We had never really had a great way to cross Lakeside Avenue over here. We live like right by this intersection.”

While the site will have amenities and bathrooms, officials said a large part of the vision for the walkway is for it to bridge the gaps between different parts of the region — connecting nature lovers, pedestrians and bicyclists across central Virginia. Each point serves a role, Henrico’s portion falls in the middle of the long journey the trail covers.

“Today is the genesis,” Cooper III started. “The beginning. Let us continue to work together to complete the Fall Line Trail and ensure that it becomes a cherished asset for generations to come.”

Henrico County leaders said the next phase of the project will extend the trail to Dumbarton Road and further into the Lakeside area. They’re hopeful that Henrico’s portion of the project will be completed by late 2026.

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