I had been to Monticello a few years ago but had no idea this trail even existed and better yet it's free and you don't have to pay Monticello admission to check it out. I believe it's about 4 miles there and back and much of it is on boardwalks but parts could get muddy if it rained. Luckily, it was sunny when we checked it out. It's not too strenuous and very well marked as long as you stay on the main trail. Parking was tough but we found a spot at the overflow lot just down the road from the trail lot and this way you get a little bit of bonus hiking to get your step count up. The trail itself wasn't too crowded and I assume 99% of Monticello tourists don't even know about it. It's worth checking out though if you're in the area. read more

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Really beautiful set of trails all very well maintained with a variety of distance/challenge loops. Easy and ample parking and Was able to manage with baby in carrier + dog and got some great views! read more

Saunders-Monticello Trail - Carter overlook - Hiking Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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Not really a hiking trail. More like a path for a leisurely urbanish stroll surrounded by beautiful trees. Certainly worth checking out if you are in the Cville area, but I would not go out of your way to check this out. read more

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One of my favorite places in Charlottesville. The main trail is beautifully maintained. I love all the boardwalks and how it feels like you're in a gigantic treehouse at times. I also love the little markers of different types of plants and trees - I regularly discover plants I had no idea were native to this region. I love how wide the trail is - plenty of room for people going in both directions and for a runner to weave around people walking the trail. For me, I come here for the main trail and not the side trails, so haven't tried any of the latter. One of my routines is to start from the lower parking lot area, make it to the part where a road divides the trail, and turn back. When I have a little more time, I'll go all the way to the Monticello Visitor's Center and get some lemonade at the cafe. This trail is a true gem! read more

The Saunders-Monticello Trail is beautiful. It's two miles to the entrance of Monticello which is neat, so four miles total. You can walk, jog or bike it. I really enjoyed the views, Carter Overlook and all of the boardwalks. read more

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Lovely trails with lots of parking and a visitors center. The visitors center was fairly large with items such as books, postcards, and more. There were also bathrooms and maps outside. Lovely little courtyard. The trails were clean and easy to follow! read more

Saunders-Monticello Trail - Courtyard - Hiking Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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This was a great trail! The main four miles was very flat and well marked. It was filled with nice bridges and fun scenes! There are additional trails and offshoots from the main thoroughfare, however they are not well marked. Definitely beware if you go off the beaten path that it may be a little difficult to find your way back. read more

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In Charlottesville for the day and not looking to drive 45+ miles for a hike through the mountains? Well, if you want to stay in the city and still get nice views and a work out in, this 4 mile (RT) hike is for you! On a muddy or snowy day, you'll appreciate the fact that is hike is mostly on paved trails or on a wooden boardwalk with a slow uphill climb. But perhaps my words don't describe this trail well. As noted on the website, "As it winds its way up the side of a steep mountain (Carter Mountain), the trail offers dramatic scenery of towering, native hardwood forest, deep ravines and panoramas of the Piedmont and Blue Ridge Mountains. The design of the trail was inspired, in part, by Thomas Jefferson's description of how he wished to present the spectacular views from Monticello: "Of prospect I have a rich profusion.it may be successively offered, & in different portions through vistas. with the advantage of shifting scenes as you advance on your way." I would hate to be the landscape architect that worked with Thomas Jefferson cause I have no idea what he just said. What I can say is that the trail has nice views, and there are several backhill/backcountry trails that veer off the paved path. You can start off the hike by the Monticello visitors center or at the other end at the arboretum. The trail map has the parking areas designated: https://www.monticello.org/sites/default/files/inline-pdfs/ParkwayTrails.pdf. What is super nice about this trail since it is connected to an arboretum, the trees are labelled. As someone who just went through a round of allergy testing, it is nice to see what I am allergic to up close and personal. White Oak? Birch? Black Walnut? Nice to meet you! One bit of bad news, dogs are not allowed on the trail itself and have to stay on the Kemper Park areas :(. Thomas Jefferson probably made that rule too. read more

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Rained hard. We laughed and ran the trails. Great date day!!! Highly recommend- easy to walk and fun to run. read more

Saunders-Monticello Trail - Hiking Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Very nice and easy trail walk for 2 miles. It was a beautiful day. You access the trail at the parking lot near Monticello visitor's center. read more

Saunders-Monticello Trail - Hiking Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

I enjoyed my walked with my dog here. Trail is easy and kids friendly too. Love to go on weekdays. My dog enjoy the walk too. The view along the trail is great and couple of water spot as well. read more

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This is one of my favorite trails and I don't hike it often enough. Of course it is actually a network of many trails, but the main trail is extremely accessible for many fitness levels and leads right to the welcome center of Monticello (a good place to end up to grab a bite to eat or take a bathroom break) It is 2 miles each way, so a nice hike in general. It gradually slants upward but isn't a tough hike at all. It is accessible to strollers, and dogs up to a certain point (no dogs beyond the wooden bridge). Overall, it is a beautiful, leisurely hike and an easy way to get a quick 4 mile walk (or even jog). read more

The name is a bit of a misnomer--this is really a network of trails which vary in length and difficulty. The trails are super well maintained, although I wish they were marked a little better. I felt more comfortable carrying a map, but my husband (a more experienced hiker) thought it was unnecessary. We didn't come across any wide-open views, but it was quite pretty. We went on a weekend afternoon in the summer and honestly didn't run into too many other people once we hiked in a bit. It's nice to have something so secluded so close to Charlottesville. I would totally recommend the route we took which was to park at the Route 53 spot and then walk these trails: Saunders-Monticello to Palmer Woodland Theatre to John and Clara Smart (the Secluded Farm trail) to Hartman to Jason Stevens to Saunders-Monticello, then back to the parking area. This took a little over an hour and was a nice gradual climb. read more

Absolutely gorgeous trail for a quick hike! There are no fees and plenty of parking, though parking does fill up a lot (but we always manage to find spaces). The path is well maintained and there is a beautiful wooden walkway that winds through the mountain. There are lots of trees and other plants, as well as a small pond. There are many little trails that branch off the main trail. Definitely recommend for those looking for a relaxing hike with good scenery! read more

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This is a beautiful park trail that leads to historic Monticello which can begin at the base of Thomas Jefferson Parkway (with two parking lots) in which you can walk to Monticello to loop around the property or, simply drive to Monticello and walk from there. Depending on the trail selected a person could theoretically walk/run/jog for 40-60 minutes (or longer) to reach Monticello. From what I've seen, this is a very popular destination for visitors and locals alike and at any time of year. During the busier season make sure to arrive with a few extra minutes to find parking as the lots fill up quickly. Dogs: If you're a dog parent, I'd recommend exploring the wooded trails and/or dirt trails on the Secluded farm since there is a bit more space between you and other visitors. Since dogs are restricted from walking all the way to Monticello, I'd suggest you choose a wooded trail instead and return another day with humans to tour the historic property. All in all the majority of folks here tend to be friendly (and mindful of their dogs) however once in awhile I'll encounter a person who isn't and/or is not keen on dogs (or people for that matter) so be forewarned. Trash: There are no readily accessible trash cans the deeper into the wooded trails you go so be prepared to carry your trash/dog poop bags and/or return to pick them up and carry them back to the parking lot where the trash cans are. Bottom line: If you're in the area and are looking for an approachable trail to enjoy Charlottesville near the downtown mall - this is a must see. Enjoy! read more

Don't get me wrong, the area is absolutely beautiful and the trails are generally well maintained, particularly the main trail to the Monticello visitor center. BUT I was fairly disappointed at how little direction or markers there were. My boyfriend and I went on a Sunday early afternoon, beautiful weather. There were definitely people out but not as many as I thought there'd be. A lot of families, the main trail seems kids friendly. My SO and I decided to explore some of the "rustic trails". Yeah, that was probably not the best idea. I've hiked quite often, particularly in PA, and was surprised as we began the incline that NOT ONCE did we see and trail markers or signs as to what trail we're on or where we're going. And once you get on those trails there are significantly less people around. We wandered for 3 miles, about 1.5hr, through these wooded trails, having to decide which fork to take with no signs telling us which trail the forks would put us on. I'm sure all trails would finally lead us to some sort of end BUT give a person a clue for petes sake! On top of that, when on the main trail, there were no signs, not even at the beginning, showing you the trails or saying "this main trail is "X" amount of miles to Monticello and back" or ANY information in general. We're from out of town, never been here before, so we had no clue what these trails were like. Seriously, for such a beautiful trail that obviously is maintained decently well, you'd think they'd have something to tell you what the trail paths are or anything else. I've never been on a 'official' hiking trail which did not have information accessible at the beginning of the trail. So while previous reviews were accurate that it is quite pretty, as an actual "hiking trail" this was not maintained in an organized manner whatsoever. PS: for all you visiting like we were...you don't actually get to see Monticello (even the outside of it) at the end of the trail. It takes you to the visitor center where you then have to pay for a ticket to even lay eyes on the building. read more

Great place for a day hike! The scenery and the trail was simply amazing! Very beautiful landscape. The trail leads to the famous Monticello museum! Definitely worthwhile hiking this short trail if in C'Ville read more

I'm excited to finally be going to this spot my next visit after Christmas. Hope I don't freeze. It looks amazing and I'm excited!