A wooden bridge spans a marsh area on Jamestown Island Drive, Colonial National Historical Park
A 5-mile, paved loop road runs through the central and eastern portions of Jamestown Island, part of Colonial National Historical Park. The road is one-way and open to vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians. There is no parking at the start of the road, so if you plan to walk or bike you must depart from the Historic Jamestown Visitor Center parking lot.
The road is only one-lane wide and there is not a lot of room for both cars and bikes. However, the speed limit is low, making it about as safe for cyclists as road biking can be. Furthermore, there are not a lot of cars traveling on the road—during my visit there were as many bikes as there were cars—and due to its length you won’t find many pedestrians.
Nearly the entire road runs through the forest, and other than a pond at the start and a view of the marsh, there is nothing particularly scenic about it. There are no views of the James River unless you want to get out and hike the short Black Point Trail at the far end of the loop. In truth, don’t expect much if you drive the road, as all the pleasure rests in hearing the chirping birds and other sounds of nature that you can only hear on a bike or on foot.
Jamestown Island Drive passes a small pond, Colonial National Historical Park
View of the marsh on Jamestown Island Drive, Colonial National Historical Park
Select areas of Jamestown Island were excavated in the 1990s, and 58 locations, ranging from prehistoric Indian-related sites to those from the 20th century, were discovered. There are no physical exhibits or archaeological sites to explore today, but at a few locations there are wayside exhibits that discuss the human and natural history of the area. There are also a few pull-outs along the road, but these do not necessarily correspond to the location of the waysides. Their main purpose is to allow slower vehicles to pull over and let faster travelers pass.
As mentioned, at the far end of the loop road is the trailhead for the Black Point Trail. This is for hikers only, so bikes must be left at the small parking area. The trail leads out to Black Point on the James River. There are also three graves from the Travis Family cemetery along the trail. The Travis Family owned the eastern end of Jamestown Island in the early 1700s after most people had moved away due to the capital of Virginia being relocated from Jamestown to Williamsburg in 1699.
View of the James River from Black Point on Jamestown Island in Virginia
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Last updated on July 11, 2024
