Top Dog Trails near Virginia Beach, VA

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Top Dog Trails near Virginia Beach, VA

Introduction

With a pawpulation of just over 450 thousand people and 108 thousand dogs, the City of Virginia Beach, Virginia deserves some appaws for being so dog furiendly. And your pooch will have no trouble finding a place to explore outdoors here because Virginia Beach has 7000 acres of natural space, including parks, waterways, and trails that are almost all dog furiendly. From scenic mountains and lakes to dry sierra cliffs, you can find just about anything here. This puptown also features such canine events as Bark in the Park, Wags and Whiskers Gala, and the Mutt Masquerade 5k race. Check out these top 10 dog furiendly trails in Virginia Beach!

#10 Osmanthus Trail

The 3.1-mile Osmanthus Trail is easy and pawpular, known for its abundance of wild flowers and wild critters. The path is covered with pine needles, making it soft for your pooch’s paws as well as your feet, while the pine trees offur plenty of shade. It’s a great place to explore and learn about the Virginia Beach flora and fauna while getting some exercise for you and Fifi.

#9 Cape Henry Trail

Starting on Jade Street, this 10-mile path is heavily wooded and treks in and around several parks, beaches, swamps, a salt marsh, and some urban areas as well. You and poochie will also see tons of wildlife along the way such as foxes, deer, and waterfowl. The colorful array of native flowers is furific here too, and there’s plenty of photo ops fur you and your pup to take some selfies.

#8 Belle Isle Trail

Hiking on an island is a pawsitively furfect idea no matter who you are. Most of this 1.7-mile trail meanders along the banks of the James River, and in one section you will have Quarry Pond on one side and James River on the other. You’ll see cliffs, forests, a quarry, a cemetery, cross a hanging bridge and footbridge, and there's even an old Civil War prison camp.

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#7 Rose River Trail

You and your pooch will love the Rose River Loop Trail, which is a 4-mile hike of moderate difficulty that starts at Shenandoah National Park and meanders along the Rose River. The 67-foot Rose River Waterfall is about halfway into the hike and is a furfect place for you and your pup to take a break. There are other falls along the way, and some steep sections so keep Fifi on a leash.

#6 Dry Run Falls Trail

This is a 3.2-mile hike that also starts on Skyline Drive by the South River Overlook. The highlights of this moderately difficult adventure are the Dry Run Falls and the Lost Cliffs. The cliffs are about halfway through, and they are pawesome, but if you want to climb up there, you better bring something to whack the bushes. The falls are amazing too, and you and Fifi will see lots of critters in the woods.

#5 Little Stony Man Loop via Appalachian Trail

This 3.4-mile loop trail is strenuous but fun for everyone, with plenty of interesting sights. The Stony Man Lookout in the middle is just fabulous. You and your canine kid will gain 866 feet in elevation so be prepared for a workout and bring some water for both of you. The pawpular path is busy, and you will probably see lots of other furbabies along the way.

#4 Buck Ridge Trail to Mary’s Rock Loop

This is a workout with an elevation gain of 2,585 feet, and a distance of almost nine miles, so you will need to be ready for this one. Starting on Buck Ridge Trail, you’ll have to climb over some rocks and travel on a few other trails before connecting onto the Appalachian Trail. After under a mile, this then takes you to Mary’s Rock Lookout Trail, which rewards you with Mary's Rock and its pawtastic views!

#3 Bald Cypress Trail

The Cypress trees may be bald here, but the forest is not. It has tons of greenery and vibrantly-colored flowers dotting the 1.6-mile path off Bay Island and the Broad Bay Colony. It’s an easy hike with no elevation and is pawpular with the locals for its amazing views and diverse terrain. You’ll see lots of flora and fauna on this hike.

#2 White Oak Canyon Trail

The White Oak Canyon Trail is a 9.5-mile hike near Syria, just outside Virginia Beach. This is a pawpular path because of the amazing array of waterfalls where you and Fifi can splash around and thick woods to explore. Your pooch will love the critters while you are enjoying the views, and if you want to swim, there are quite a few swimming holes along the way.

#1 Backbone Trail

This pawesome 2.5-mile trail off York River takes you on a meandering path along the lake starting by the parking lot and through the York State Park where you end up at Riverview Road. This is a fascinating path that takes you past former slave cabins, a blacksmith’s shop, and a wheelwright’s shop dating back to the Taskinas Plantation era. There's much more to the trail, making it number one on our list.