Richmond Recognized for its Running Trails
The city of Richmond is featured as “one of the best trail-running towns” in the 2009 October issue of TrailRunner, a national magazine that serves as a resource for trail runners throughout the country.
The James River Park System’s North Bank/Buttermilk 6.5-mile loop trail, with its craggy section along the river and passages by the historic Hollywood Cemetery, Maymont’s Japanese Gardens and a granite quarry, is named the city’s best.
“We agree with TrailRunner magazine that the city’s James River Park System offers some of the best trails in the country, and it’s rewarding to receive this national recognition,” said J. R. Pope, director of the city’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities.
In the magazine, runner and Richmond native Katie Hedley is quoted as saying, “You can run downtown amid buildings and people, then cross a bridge and immerse yourself in the woods that feel like backcountry.”
“This quality of being immersed in a natural wilderness in the midst of an urban city is one of the things that make the James River Park System, and the city of Richmond, so unique,” said Pope. “We built these trails almost entirely with volunteers and at little cost to the taxpayer. The city owes a huge debt of gratitude to these volunteers. They have played a crucial role in making the James River Park what it is today and such a valuable resource for the city.”
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