A mile on the River Trail at Powhatan State Park puts you along the James with nothing on your list except the walk. The new mile at Fighting Creek Park works differently. Pick a direction and it takes you to Powhatan Middle School or Powhatan Elementary, or to the soccer fields, or to the door of the Powhatan County Public Library, or to the Elizabeth Randolph Lewis Powhatan YMCA. Now those places share a path.
The county calls it the Education Connection Trail. The ribbon was cut Thursday, Oct. 1, at Soccer Field 2, 2201 Mann Road. Then Powhatan County Public Schools' cross-country teams led the first walk and run down the new stretch. It's only a mile, and it's the clearest example so far of a different idea of what a trail in this county can be for.
A Mile That Links Five Destinations
In its September 23 announcement, the county said the trail "adds one mile to Fighting Creek Park's existing trails." It connects the two schools to the park and to the athletic fields, library and YMCA around it. The county's construction bid placed the work in and around 2699 Mann Road and 4111 Old Buckingham Road.
Look at what this mile changes for a family already using the campus. A Saturday morning can go from a soccer game to a library pickup to the YMCA without moving the car, and a weekday walk can start right at school dismissal. The trail's value comes from what's at each end of it.
Fighting Creek Park took on more of the county's calendar this year. In May, Parks & Recreation moved the Powhatan Village Farmers Market to the park for the 2026 season. The market ran Thursdays from 4 to 6:30 p.m., and manager Ellie Weatherby called the park "the perfect setting" for local food and crafts. The trail's ribbon cutting was timed so people could walk straight over to the season's final market, with vendors, food trucks and live music. The market, the fields, the library, the YMCA and the schools now sit on one path.
The Grant That Nearly Didn't Cover It
The trail almost stayed a study. Here's how it went, according to the county's own records:
- FY2022. Powhatan received Community Project Funding for the trail. This is federal money administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
- July 22, 2024. In a project update, the Board of Supervisors heard that the trail was "funded by a $150,000 federal grant" but "delayed by extensive federal requirements." The update said the remaining funds "may not be enough for construction." The fallback was to get the project fully studied and "shovel-ready for future funding opportunities." You can read it in the meeting minutes.
- November 3, 2025. The county put construction out to bid with the Education Connection Trail solicitation.
- October 1, 2026. Ribbon cutting at Soccer Field 2, with the county's press release still crediting the HUD-administered federal funding.
That's about four years from grant to ribbon cutting for one mile of path, and there was a stretch in the middle when the money looked short. The bid documents also show what building a trail in this terrain involves. The specifications called for #3 stone on about 15 percent of the route and gabion riprap on about 10 percent, the kind of material used where a path crosses wet or eroding ground.
The county ties this mile to a bigger goal. Megan Heatwole, Powhatan County's Director of Parks & Recreation, put it this way in the county's release:
"This project is more than just another mile of our trail system – it's a step toward the connected trail network envision in the County's 2023 Trail Master Plan. We're excited for the momentum this extension builds as we continue advocating for more trails in Powhatan that connect residents, strengthen our community, and serve generations to come."
By talking about continued advocacy, the county frames the next connections as something it is still working toward. Given how long it took to turn $150,000 into one finished mile, any next segment should be expected to move at the same pace.
For Longer Miles, Head to the State Park
For now, the connecting trail is at Fighting Creek, and the long distances are still along the James. Powhatan State Park has about 12 miles of multi-use trail through field edges, upland pine forest and mature hardwoods. The park's trail guide names nine trails:
| Trail | Blaze | Miles | Open to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coyote Run | Violet Purple | 2.2 | Hiking, biking, horses |
| Cabin | Tomato Red | 2.0 | Hiking, biking, horses on part |
| Pine | White | 1.9 | Hiking, biking, horses |
| Big Wood | Yellow | 1.4 | Hiking, biking, horses |
| Turkey | Tan | 1.2 | Hiking, biking, horses |
| River | Blue | 1.0 | Hiking, biking |
| Gold Dust | Gold | 0.8 | Hiking only |
| Entry | White | 0.7 | Hiking, biking, horses |
| Campground | Dark Green | 0.3 | Hiking, biking |
A few practical points. Gold Dust is the only trail on the list closed to bikes and horses, so it's the quietest choice for a walk. About 9 miles of the system are open to horseback riding. Horse trailers park in the equestrian lot half a mile past the playground, and DCR's Powhatan State Park page notes that state law requires riders to carry a copy of a negative Coggins report for each horse. The park is open dawn to dusk daily. Dogs are welcome on a leash no longer than six feet.
The river is also an option. The park has about 2.5 miles of James River waterfront and three canoe slide launches. Paddlers putting in at Launch A can float about two miles of generally flat water down to Launch C. The banks are steep, with no step-free route from the top of the bank down to the launch, and boats on trailers can't use the slides. The Department of Wildlife Resources ramp at Maidens, off Route 522 just north of the park, takes trailered boats.
On the State Park Calendar Before December
Powhatan State Park has a few ranger programs left this fall:
- Archery Adventure, Friday, Oct. 30, 4 to 5 p.m. Meets at the Playground Parking Lot, for ages 10 and up. Registration is recommended but not required.
- Fire-starting & Campfire Stories, Friday, Oct. 30, 6 to 8 p.m. Meets at the River Bend Campground overflow lot. Rangers cover fire-starting practice and then campfire stories, and registration is recommended.
- Wednesday, Nov. 11. Virginia State Parks waives parking fees for veterans on Veterans Day. Current rates for everyone else are on DCR's parking fees page.
- Archery Adventure, Sunday, Nov. 29, 1 to 2 p.m. A second session, a good fit for the weekend after Thanksgiving.
Fighting Creek Park doesn't need a reservation. Park near the fields at 2201 Mann Road and pick a destination: the library, the YMCA, the schools. If the Board's 2024 caution had held, that mile would still be a study. Instead, there's a finished path linking five places.
Hank and Patti have watched Powhatan grow one road, one park and now one trail at a time, and we pay attention to how projects like this change everyday life around the courthouse campus. If you'd like to talk about what a home near Fighting Creek Park or out by the state park is worth today, Hank Cosby is a phone call away. You can also start with an instant home valuation.
