New on the Chessie
4/17/2024 - Chessie Voted #2 Recreational Trail in the Nation!
The votes are in, and USA TODAY 10Best is pleased to report that Chessie Trail is the second-place winner in our 2024 Readers’ Choice Award for Best Recreational Trail! Read all about it here.
3/6/2024 - Chessie Trail Friends Celebrate Success
4/26/2023 - Kids' Fun Run a big success this year!
3/25/2023 - Spring wildflowers tagged on Trail.
Members of the Upper James River Chapter of the Virginia Native Plant Society have flagged a number of wildflowers that are emerging this spring on the Trail. These files are designed to help Trail users identify the plants. Click here for a document that can be printed and has no pictures. To view a document with pictures on your phone, click here.
Members of the Upper James River Chapter of the Virginia Native Plant Society have flagged a number of wildflowers that are emerging this spring on the Trail. These files are designed to help Trail users identify the plants. Click here for a document that can be printed and has no pictures. To view a document with pictures on your phone, click here.
2/17/2023 - Chessie Voted #3 Recreational Trail in the Nation!
3/18/2022 - Work on Zimmerman's Lock.
FOCT has been hard at work the last two days finishing the tree removal at Zimmerman’s Lock. Susie Trimble, Chris Wise, Scott Rochelle, and Eric Sheffield all agree that it was more work than we thought. It may not look quite as romantic, but it’s the first step in trying to preserve the old stonework.
FOCT has been hard at work the last two days finishing the tree removal at Zimmerman’s Lock. Susie Trimble, Chris Wise, Scott Rochelle, and Eric Sheffield all agree that it was more work than we thought. It may not look quite as romantic, but it’s the first step in trying to preserve the old stonework.
3/3/2022 - FOCT installs new bench.
FOCT completed installation of a new bench near the Buena Vista boat launch/parking area. The bench was constructed in the workshop of Eric Sheffield and installed by Eric, Susie Trimble, and Robbie Faulkner.
FOCT completed installation of a new bench near the Buena Vista boat launch/parking area. The bench was constructed in the workshop of Eric Sheffield and installed by Eric, Susie Trimble, and Robbie Faulkner.
12/10/2021 - South River bridge completed and open to the public.
FOCT Board Members Robbie Faulkner, Eric Sheffield, and Chris Wise pose for a selfie following the ribbon cutting opening the new bridge.
FOCT Board Members Robbie Faulkner, Eric Sheffield, and Chris Wise pose for a selfie following the ribbon cutting opening the new bridge.
11/4/2021 - South River bridge is in place.
Next up, decking, landscaping, and parking area. Reportedly will be completed by end of November.
Next up, decking, landscaping, and parking area. Reportedly will be completed by end of November.
10/30/2021 - Chessie Trail Marathon, Half Marathon, 5K, and Marathon Relay registers more than 400 runners.
10/13/2021 - Progress on the South River bridge continues.
The nose launch section is being assembled piece by piece and pushed on rollers out over the South River. This temporary structure will extend more than 200 feet before reaching the other bank and then sections of the new bridge will be attached and the whole structure will continue to be rolled across the river. The new bridge sections are arriving on site and are expected to begin launching Saturday or Monday. The crew expects to proceed about 50 feet each day. Reportedly the new bridge will be as high as the tall section in the photo above and will have a 10 foot wide deck.
The nose launch section is being assembled piece by piece and pushed on rollers out over the South River. This temporary structure will extend more than 200 feet before reaching the other bank and then sections of the new bridge will be attached and the whole structure will continue to be rolled across the river. The new bridge sections are arriving on site and are expected to begin launching Saturday or Monday. The crew expects to proceed about 50 feet each day. Reportedly the new bridge will be as high as the tall section in the photo above and will have a 10 foot wide deck.
10/2/2021 - Parts for new South River bridge.
9/9/2021 - Concrete work on north abutment is completed.
8/29/21 - Work continues on abutment for new South River bridge.
8/13/21 - Construction finally begun on South River bridge.
After years of delays caused by cost overruns, power line easement issues, and most recently, elusive bedrock, construction has finally begun on the Chessie Trail South River bridge replacement project. According to a VMI source "We just placed 16 cubic yards of concrete yesterday for the north bridge abutment. We were not able to reach bedrock so we had to redesign the foundation for the abutment accordingly but the project is once again blowing and going.”
After years of delays caused by cost overruns, power line easement issues, and most recently, elusive bedrock, construction has finally begun on the Chessie Trail South River bridge replacement project. According to a VMI source "We just placed 16 cubic yards of concrete yesterday for the north bridge abutment. We were not able to reach bedrock so we had to redesign the foundation for the abutment accordingly but the project is once again blowing and going.”
Website created by Laurel Worth Sheffield. © Friends of the Chessie Trail