As the weather starts to warm up, many people want to spend time outside. Modesto’s Virginia Corridor Trail offers a variety of activities for the community, including walking, running and opportunities to use workout equipment. The trail is popular with a variety of people including families, pet owners, runners and leisurely walkers.  

The trail is 2.7 miles long, though it depends on where one starts walking. The trail can be started from College Avenue to Woodrow Avenue. It has many entrances so there are a variety of starting points located throughout many neighborhoods. The route provides safety with a well lit track and light up crosswalks. Throughout the trail, one will pass by a shopping center where a Yogurt Mill is located, giving many people a chance to reward themselves every so often. There is also The Roosevelt and Grace Davis park located next to the trail.   

The route has benches and work out equipment located in a variety of spots all throughout the trail. According to Heidi Ryan, a program director for Teens Run Modesto, the equipment was donated by the Shadowchase Running Club around 2019.

“The trail is used for Teens Run, Davis High School, and other running clubs,” she said, adding that it gives students a safe place to train for upcoming meets.

A local to the area, Ellie Hyer, started walking the trail in August of 2021. It quickly became part of her daily routine. 

“There’s a lot of people on it and I feel safe, it doesn’t have traffic that I have to worry about,” Hyer said.  

Although she doesn’t walk the whole route everyday, the trail is a convenient place she can walk daily.

“Ninety percent of the time I walk the overpass,” she said. 

Another local, Michel O’Donnell, walks the trail all year long with his partner. It’s a regular activity that fits throughout their week since the trail is a convenient location to walk either half or three quarters of the trail at a time. 

O’Donnell explained his favorite parts of the trail is.

“The person I’m walking with and there’s good scenery and other people on the trail,” he said. 

If you decide to walk the trail, you can expect to see lots of friendly faces. Large and small families utilize the trail for evening walks, while pet owners walk a variety of different dogs. In addition to walking and running, the trail allows for other activities such as bike riding, skateboarding and roller skating. The route starts to get busy in the evening around 5 p.m. to7 p.m., but the trail is divided like a street, easily directing foot traffic.   

When it comes to parking there are a few areas to access different entrances for the trail. There is a designated parking lot for trail goers located by W. Roseburg Avenue and also at Grace Davis park.

To find out more about local The Virginia Corridor trail and maps check out their website here.