Trail Review: Deep Run Park Perimeter Trail
I’ve been to Deep Run Park multiple times over the past 20 years. At first, it was with nieces and nephews and we would frequent the playground. Eventually, some walking paths were added. When I relocated to Richmond a few months ago I made a commitment to get to know more of the city and take advantage of the city, regional and state parks.
The Deep Run Park Perimeter Trail has been on my list, and I have no good reason for not doing it sooner. I also have no good reason for deciding to tackle it today, after a wild night of rain. But I woke up wanting a longer walk to kickstart my day and this is what I did.
The trail isn’t marked, so take the All Trails app with you if you want to stick to the trail. The park has quite a few intersecting paths and it’s easy to jump around. For Richmond, this is a pretty hilly trail and it’s all on a terrain of sand, pine needles & dirt. Other trails in the park are paved walking paths.
I was pleasantly surprised how much of the previous night’s rain had drained. It was definitely wet soil, but I only had to detour for standing water a time or two.
I was on a bit of a time crunch for this walk. I’d like to go back and do it again when I could enjoy some of the detours and experience a little more. If you are in Richmond and need a good outdoor escape, this is a good trail to take and feel like you are really hiking (minus to sound of traffic).
Basics
Location: Richmond, Virginia – Henrico County Park
Level: Beginner
Distance: 2.4 miles
Elevation change: 173 ft
Parking: Multiple options throughout the park
Bathrooms: I did walk by some restrooms on other trails. Check out the park map to see where they are located.
What to wear: Leave it to Virginia to change weather constantly. I went on a hot summer day. Humidity was crazy high. Moisture wicking is a “nice to have”, but not a necessity. This is one of the only trails in the park that I would recommend trail shoes. The tree roots were pretty intense and I did trip a few times. The stability of a trail shoe vs my running shoes would have been appreciated.
What to pack:
- Water
Dog Friendly: YES! They require leashes, though that rule was liberally followed. I did appreciate that anyone who didn’t have their dog on a leash would stop when they saw us, slip on a lead and then pass us.
