Yorktown National Historic Park

For a destination run, or as part of a tour of this area, we highly recommend Yorktown, about 1/2 hour north of Norfolk. One can put together a unique and memorable run here, consisting of historic battlefields, historic Yorktown and its waterfront, and some quiet side roads that are part of the park tour. Yorktown is part of the Colonial National Historical Park that includes Yorktown, Jamestown, and Williamsburg. In Yorktown, we recommend parking at the Visitor Center. Create your own run, consisting of the following: (using the park map)

Yorktown & Waterfront. A nice 3-mile tour from the Visitor Center. Combine the Tobacco Rd Trail (1/3 mile) with ~1 mile waterfront/ Riverwalk to the American Revolution Museum, and the streets of historic Yorktown, including Main St. Add-on with a run around the path of the battlefield just across from the Visitor Center.

Battlefield Tour. There are two driving tours of Yorktown. The 7-mile Battlefield Rd. (Red Line, Rt. 238) tends to be busier with cars, and has no shoulder. The 9-mile Encampent Tour (Yellow Line) is more recommended for running, as there are few cars. Very pretty, combination of woods, sites, fields. These roads are called Historical Tour Rd. and are generally west of Rt. 17.

Run the Fields: Put together your own tour of sections of roads and along some of the well-worn paths of the historic battlefields. Some wonderfully open terrain, dotted with trees. Especially pretty at sunrise/sunset!