Blackwater Creek Natural Area: Creekside/Beaver Trails (Blog Hike #130)

Trails: Creekside, Blackwater Creek, and Beaver Trails

Hike Location: Blackwater Creek Natural Area

Geographic Location: north side of Lynchburg, VA (37.40588, -79.18425)

Length: 10.4 miles

Difficulty: 4/10 (Easy/Moderate)

Dates Hiked: April 2003, May 2014

Overview: A long but mostly flat creekside hike through an urban natural area.

Park Information: http://www.lynchburgparksandrec.com/trails/trails-of-blackwater-creek/

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=718713
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: From downtown Lynchburg, take US 221 west to Old Forest Road and turn right.  Take Old Forest Road north 2 blocks to Monticello Ave. and turn right on Monticello Ave.  Take Monticello Ave. east two blocks to the entrance to the Blackwater Creek Athletic Field on the left.  Turn left and park in the only parking lot.

The hike: Located in the heart of the City of Lynchburg, Blackwater Creek Natural Area protects 300 acres in a narrow strip along Blackwater Creek, a small tributary of the nearby James River.  The natural area was dedicated in 1979, and the Blackwater Creek Trail was designated a National Recreation Trail in 1981.  The City of Lynchburg Parks and Recreation Division operates this and several other small parks around Lynchburg, but this is one of the few with a well-developed trail system.

Along with numerous short spur trails to neighborhood trailheads, there are several nature trails that make their way through the natural area.  The main route is the Blackwater Creek Bikeway, a paved, level, 6-mile one-way trail that links to all of the other trails in the park.  For those with less time or energy, the Freer Loop offers an excellent 2.5 mile hike through mature forest along the north wall of the creek’s ravine.  The Freer Loop is most easily accessed from the Page Trailhead on BUS 501 4 miles north of downtown Lynchburg.  This hike uses portions of these two trails as well as the Creekside and Beaver Trails, the two other main trails in the park, in their entirety.

Creekside Trail leaving athletic field

            From the athletic field parking lot, go downhill around the vehicle gate and turn right.  This trail begins as a wide, sunny two-track dirt path.   The existence of a relatively recent underground sewer line gives away this path’s history as an access road for the sewer district.  The gurgling creek can at first be heard and then seen on the left. 

In 0.9 miles, pass under the Mill Street bridge over Blackwater Creek and arrive at a confusing intersection.  A yellow blaze barely visible across the creek correctly suggests that you cross the creek on the top of a low-level dam and climb a wooden staircase.  Some steel pipes allow water to pass under the dam during periods of low water, but after a rain the water may come up over the dam.  In this case, you will have to cross the creek on the Mill Street bridge and follow a faint trail to reconnect with the main trail at the top of the steps.  The water is deep and swift, so do not attempt to wade the creek.

Blackwater Creek

            The trail narrows at this point and continues to follow Blackwater Creek downstream.  Poison ivy is abundant near the rocks here, so watch your step.  While you are hiking, look for the pointed chewed-off tree stumps, the end result of heavy beaver activity.  I was even fortunate enough to see two of the crafters bustling along the creek bank while I strolled along my way.  Keep your eye out and you may be as fortunate.

1.3 miles from the start, the trail passes under the BUS 501 bridge over Blackwater Creek, and then crosses the creek for a second time, this time on a high, safe wooden bridge.  The trail remains on the south side for only 0.4 miles before crossing back to the north side of the creek, this time on a swinging bridge.  Keep moving once you are on the bridge, hold onto the side ropes, and keep your eyes focused on the opposite side, and your crossing will be without incident.

The trail now becomes a narrow path and ascends to cross a bluff some 50 feet above Blackwater Creek.  Stay left along a portion of trail that was recently rerouted to avoid erosion.  Two side trails enter from the left before, 3 miles from the athletic field, an intersection with the Freer Loop is reached.  The Freer Loop goes straight and left, while the yellow blazes tell you that the Creekside Trail crosses Blackwater Creek on another wooden bridge.  This is the beginning of the loop portion of this hike.  The Creekside Trail will be used as the outbound trail while the Freer loop coming straight ahead will be used as the inbound portion.

Bridge over Blackwater Creek

            Cross the bridge and turn left as the trail returns to the old sewer access road.  For the next 1.8 miles the sunny two-track trail proceeds downstream with the creek on your left.  Ignore a bridge crossing back to the north side of the creek and remain on the Creekside Trail.  4.6 miles from the start of the hike, pass under an active railroad bridge that towers some 90 feet over the trail then under an abandoned railroad bridge that now serves as a bridge for the Blackwater Creek Bikeway.  At 5 miles reach a paved bikepath that marks the end of the Creekside Trail.  A nice bench at this junction makes for a good resting point before continuing the hike.

Hiking the old sewer access road

            Turn right on the bike path, known as the Point of Honor spur trail, and climb slightly to intersect the Blackwater Creek Bikeway.  The hike turns right to head west on the bikeway, but a left turn and a 0.2 mile detour will take you to the Hollins Mill Tunnel, a railroad tunnel that used to serve as the main entry point into downtown Lynchburg from the west.  The cool damp tunnel now serves to take the bikepath under Federal Street and to the James River.

Heading west on the bikepath, the trail crosses Blackwater Creek on the bridge you saw from below earlier and then passes under the active railroad bridge.  In 0.3 miles, head left on the orange-blazed Beaver Trail, which uses a single switchback to descend to creek level.  The Beaver Trail parallels the north bank of Blackwater Creek for its entire length of 1.6 miles.  At one point the trail ascends to a bluff some 80 feet above the creek, but the trail is level for the most part.  Continue to look for beaver traces like those seen earlier.

Hiking the Beaver Trail

            6.6 miles from the start of the hike, the Beaver Trail ends at a junction with the Freer Loop, which goes straight and right.  Either route could be chosen, but the shortest and easiest route is to take the left trail, which stays along the creek.  The Freer Trail passes over some narrow, rocky ledges en route to its intersection with the Creekside Trail at 7 miles.  This intersection closes the loop portion of the hike.  3 miles of retracing your steps along the Creekside Trail remain to return you to the athletic field and complete the hike.