Rivanna Trails near completion

By Mark Lorenzoni
© Copyright Charlottesville Daily Progress
September 15, 2001

For many runners there is no bigger treat than a break from the blacktop and concrete. In my book, running on a shaded dirt path beats pounding the streets any day of the week.

The problem has been that for many years there simply haven't been that many public places to do so, not close to town anyway. Now, thanks to the generosity of local volunteers and private landowners, us soft-surface lovers have several close-by options.

For the past decade, volunteers like Francis Fife and John Conover have been methodically working toward ringing the city with one of the best urban greenbelts in the county. The Rivanna Trails Foundation is only months away from accomplishing this special goal and they already have miles of beautiful, winding paths to show for their efforts.

If you live in the city, there's a great chance that the head of one of these trails is only a few blocks away. For a detailed map of this labyrinth of wooded paths call (434) 923-9022.

Note: Trail maps are also available at major trailheads and local hiking and running shops.

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