Noland Trail

I first went on the Noland Trail in the Fall of 2020. I gotta say at the end of the day, I was very tired....but happy I challenged myself. Even though I chickened out on the last leg by going on a straight path, I felt satisfied. Most recently, a friend of mine asked if some of us could go walk with him this past Saturday. He was a 1st timer so I had free time on my hands. Would this walk turn out to be better than the first go-around?The 8 of us all met at the starting location before heading out. The weather for the morning was perfect. In the 70s and a bit hot, but with plenty of shade and a few wind gusts, it was beautiful. Since the path is narrow, we had to walk in a straight line at times which was fine. And we ran into a few groups as well getting their steps in. A few of us were also counting how many steps we took during the trek. Along with checking out a few overlooks, we also saw a couple of deer in the woods. Talk about a perfect site. And remember when I mentioned about taking the straight path near the end? Well friends, I did the whole loop. And it was absolutely worth it. And everyone enjoyed their time and company.This was a great walk on a cool Saturday morning. Even though I did ache for a while afterwards, it was worth it. I will be back for another round soon :)

I love this five mile trail although I always turn around at the two mile mark. It clearly marks how far you have gone so you don't need to rely on your smartphone apps. The turtles at the near entrance are my favorite part of this trail. I love that it is shaded by mature trees, but it still gets pretty hot. Take a water bottle if you go on a 90° day like we did. Lots of parking is available.

I would recommend this hike. It is an easy hike. Some slight up and down hills but the pathways are so well maintained it makes for an easy hike. 5Mile Loop. Views of water, plenty of turtles, trees making plenty of lovely shade, a could of wild flowers but not many because of all the mature tree. Still a nice cool hike. Paths are mostly sand, dirt and some gravel and crushed shells. Making it easy of your feet. Again easy hiking. Great for hiking and dogs on leashes. I saw plenty of friendly dogs. And I adore animals. It was truly the best hiking I have had lately.You can pick up a map in the Mariner's Museum. But the map only helps 1/2 the time. We had several people on the trail asking us questions and they also had maps. Once you find the start to the trail there is no problem . The trail is well marked with mile markers and rock markers. They even have all the cool bridges numbered. The best part about the mile markers is that you know how far you have gone and how far you have to go. They have benches along the path and overlooks and a couple of picnic areas. I suggest take your time and ENJOY this trail. Take water and a snack or a lunch. We took 3 hours to hike this but we stopped lots and went to the look outs and took tons of pictures and talked to people and pet dogs and just had a blast. So get out there and do some fun hiking and try this trail. There is a restroom in the museum. We took a cooler to have cold water after our hike.

Easy to follow beautiful loop trail. We parked at the Lions Bridge but most people park at the Mariners Museum. People were friendly and those with dogs had them leashed.

Love this trail.my only complaint is they say they have porta potties and I guess they do not have them in the winter? That would have been nice to know.But outside that, I loved the whole place

This trail can be a little confusing at times, but it's beautiful. Lots of bridges, and gets you a couple extra miles compared to Sandy bottom, if mileage is what you're looking for. Some nice rolling hills, too.

So the weather is finally decent in Virginia and it's time for some fresh air! I ventured out to this nice, quiet trail...which is unusually packed. Well, given the weather, maybe not.Anyway, it's gorgeous and clean. It's the perfect spot to take a walk, or (if you're feeling lazy like me) find a nice, shady spot under a tree to read a book or take a nap (or both lol).I like how there are benches alongside the mile markers. For those more fitness inclined, it's a decent trail stretching a little over five miles. My favorite part of the trail is crossing the bridge after about three miles.This is nice, quiet spot for alone time. It's centrally located with lots of shops and Christopher Newport is also close by.

This is a beautiful trail. In contrast with the nearby Sandy Bottom, it's more expansive and doesn't have nearly as much of a tick and mosquito problem. There are beautiful scenic views to be had on every part of the five mile trail. Very serene, and shady and hilly. Love it!!

I love this trail!!! It's a pleasant walk! The beauty around each corner is amazing. I have to favor the ocean though. There is parking throughout the long trail. The trail is perfect for walking, biking, exercising, running ect. There are benches along the way to sit and relax and reflect. The area is well kept.

My friend and I went walking here at 3pm on a Saturday. It was our first time here and we parked in the first place we could find, which we later learned was the East Entrance. We took off towards our right and never looked back. The trail itself is about five miles. It's mostly shaded and there are 13 bridges you cross. The first bridge we came across was bridge 11. There are a few ups and downs but nothing strenuous. We walked very quickly and I never felt out of breath. We stopped the first time at bridge 9 where we saw a very large snapping turtle in the water!! There was also another woman there who we chatted with for a bit. She said it's normally more crowded but because of the temperature less people were out. She also said you can bring dogs here! We bid her farewell and continued on our way. We stopped again at bridge 3 because there were literally the most turtles I had ever seen in one place. It was so cool to watch them all. Once we got to the North Entrance of the trail, where the Mariner's Museum was, we did have a little bit of a hard time finding the other part of the trail. We had to walk through a parking lot and some sidewalks before we found it. We continued along the trail and made it back to our car. We didn't bring any water and were very thirsty when we got back. I highly recommend bringing at least a liter of water, especially on hot days. We didn't see too many people out and the trail definitely wasn't congested. Before we left we crossed the street to get a better look at James River and stand on the little beach. It was really nice and peaceful and we could even see rain clouds in the distance! Overall this is a great find and I can't wait to come back.