❊ FAQs

Your Questions, Answered.

  • Trail work days start over a cup of coffee, where our parks partners introduce the project at hand to volunteers. After selecting a tool, participants hike into the work site, and begin guided work. Expect to learn some new ground working techniques, and if you have a special skill or interest in being part of a specific team (like rock setting or erosion control) let us know! We try to incorporate many skill sets into the workdays and sometimes need volunteers with specific skills for smaller targeted workdays. Very often, we work to resurface existing trails as they erode, restore or rebuild large features, create entirely new trails or routes, create appropriate slope for good drainage and erosion control, or complete repair on unstable sections. After a project is wrapped up, we hike out together - a great day in the books.

  • We encourage you to wear weather appropriate layers that you don't mind getting dirty, bring a pair of sturdy work gloves, and make sure to wear closed toe shoes. It is often helpful to bring a reusable bottle of water along for the day, since we will be working out in the field without direct access to a water source. We also highly recommend bringing a friend ;)

  • Absolutely, head on over to our contact page and let us know you and your group would like to help out. We will help set things up for you.

  • Memberships are annual with two installment options, monthly and yearly. Monthly membership installments start at a minimum of $5/month. Yearly membership installments start at a minimum of $39/year. Sign up HERE!

  • If the weather does not align for a safe or productive work day, we will cancel and post to the rvaMORE social media accounts. Typically the call is made the morning-of the trailwork event - while often light rain isn't an issue for working in a wooded area - heavier rain and low temperatures can make for a pretty unpleasant time.

  • Yes! Take a gander at our events throughout the year and be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for pop-ups/work-days on the fly.

  • Keep an eye on our social media - volunteer trail work days are announced there and then added to our event calendar, or shoot us an email if you're looking for a specific type of engagement.

  • As a general rule of thumb, all trail users should wait 24 hours for every inch of rain that falls - potentially more in the winter when there is less vegetation to absorb water and dangerous freeze/thaw cycles exist that deeply damage trail surfaces. Head to the "trails" page and scroll to the bottom for the "trail report," and follow on facebook or instagram for daily trail status updates.

  • For JRPS, we recommend Dogwood Dell and Forest Hill Park, though there are smaller free parking areas at many park trailheads. For Pocahontas State Park, users wishing to access the Swift Creek Trails may prefer to leave their car in the paid parking area located on Courthouse Road. To access Lakeview and Morgan trail networks, the main state parking lot provides the closest parking places. Virginia State Parks do have a structure for paid parking, so make sure you come prepared!

Join a Trail Day and see
what it takes to keep RVA rolling.

People working on a steep hillside, building a stone pathway or retaining wall with shovels and tools, surrounded by dry vegetation and trees.
A man and a boy standing outdoors behind a metal fence, smiling at the camera. The man is wearing a dark gray T-shirt with 'Candy Aid' written on it and a dark baseball cap. The boy is wearing a light gray T-shirt and a white cap, holding a black item. In the background, there are trees, a road, and people playing or walking near an inflatable boat and other inflatable items.
A young girl with curly blonde hair wearing a pink helmet and a light purple sleeveless shirt, standing next to a pink bicycle on a dirt trail near a chain-link fence with a sign that reads 'Watch gate when you never exit,' surrounded by green foliage.