The Fall Line Trail: What It Means for Richmond-Area Real Estate and Lifestyle
By Mike Boone, Owner/Broker, Boone Residential — a Richmond, VA brokerage regulated by the Virginia Real Estate Board
Quick Answer: The Fall Line Trail is a 43-mile multi-use trail connecting Chesterfield, Richmond, Henrico, and Hanover. With construction actively underway in 2026 and key segments completing by 2027, properties near the trail corridor are gaining meaningful lifestyle appeal and long-term accessibility value.
Where the Trail Stands Right Now
The Fall Line Trail official project site describes this as "Central Virginia's Transformative Trail," and as of 2026, the project is well past the planning phase. According to the official status page, approximately 20 miles of the trail are under some phase of active construction or already completed as of late 2025. That's real momentum.
Here's how each jurisdiction breaks down:
Hanover County
The Hanover section is open to trail users, according to the Fall Line Trail updates archive. If you're in the Ashland area or considering property near the northern end of the corridor, that access is available today.
Henrico County and the Richmond Corridor
The project status page confirms the 13-mile contiguous segment from Ashland through Henrico and into Richmond should be complete and open for all users in 2027. The Bryan Park section in Richmond is listed as planning and design complete, with construction beginning in 2026. For buyers looking at Henrico neighborhoods today, that's a less-than-two-year window before full connectivity arrives.
Chesterfield County
Chesterfield's picture is more layered. According to a July 2026 Friends of the Fall Line meeting recap, the county administers just over nine miles of the trail between Design-Build 2 and the Richmond city line at Walmsley Boulevard. Of those nine-plus miles:
- Just over three miles are funded
- About 1.5 miles are completed or under construction
- Another 1.5 miles are funded through 2028
- Approximately six miles remain unfunded, including the significant stretch between Route 10 and Route 1
A Chesterfield County July 2026 update says the southern design is expected to be finalized by fall 2026, with construction running through December 2028. A separate county news update notes the VDOT-led section from Route 10 in Chester to Patton Park in Petersburg was preparing to break ground in fall 2026.
For buyers and sellers in Midlothian, Chester, and surrounding Chesterfield neighborhoods, the honest framing is this: some segments represent near-term access, and others are longer-range potential that depends on funding coming together. I walk my clients through exactly that distinction so they're making decisions based on the real timeline, not the optimistic one.
What Trail Access Actually Does for Property Appeal
I want to be straightforward here: there is no local Richmond-area study I can point to that quantifies a specific price premium attributable to the Fall Line Trail. Anyone who gives you a firm percentage is guessing.
What the research does consistently show is that trail and greenway access improves a neighborhood's lifestyle profile in ways that translate to buyer demand over time. The mechanism is real: buyers increasingly factor walkability, bikeability, and outdoor access into their decisions. When a neighborhood gains a direct connection to a regional trail network, it becomes more attractive to a broader pool of buyers, and broader demand supports stronger pricing over time. That's not a guarantee; it's a pattern. Your specific home's value depends on condition, location within the corridor, and timing.
For context on where the broader market stands right now, recent Zillow market data shows area-level medians across the neighborhoods I work in:
Area | Median Sale Price | Median Days on Market |
|---|---|---|
Midlothian | $469,687 | 22 |
Henrico | $435,000 | 14 |
Rosemont | $835,000 | 3 |
These are area-level figures — an individual home's value varies by condition, street, build year, and timing. But the context matters: Henrico's 14-day median days on market tells you that well-positioned homes in that corridor are moving fast. As trail connectivity improves through 2027, that demand dynamic is worth watching closely.
For a deeper look at where Richmond-area values are heading, see my post on whether home values are rising or falling in Richmond.
Lifestyle Benefits Buyers Actually Talk About
When I'm working with buyers in Midlothian, Henrico, or Chester, the Fall Line Trail comes up in a specific way: it's not just about exercise. It's about connectivity. A trail that links Chesterfield to Richmond to Hanover opens up car-free commuting options, weekend recreation without driving, and a sense of place that newer subdivisions without that infrastructure simply can't replicate.
Buyers who prioritize outdoor lifestyle — cycling, running, walking — often treat trail proximity as a non-negotiable. That's a real segment of the buyer pool, and it's growing.
If you're a seller in a neighborhood that gains direct Fall Line access in the next 12 to 24 months, that's a feature worth highlighting when you go to market. If you're a buyer, understanding which segments are funded and under construction versus which ones are still waiting on money is the difference between buying into a near-term amenity and a longer-term bet.
For buyers considering Midlothian specifically, the lifestyle infrastructure picture extends well beyond the trail. My post on luxury amenities in Midlothian homes covers what else makes this corridor compelling.
The Investor Angle
If you're thinking about this from an investment perspective, trail corridors have a documented history of driving long-term appreciation in comparable markets. The Fall Line isn't finished, which means some of the value uplift in connected neighborhoods is still ahead of the market rather than already priced in. That's worth a conversation.
My full breakdown of Richmond as a real estate investment market in 2026 gives you the broader context for that decision.
Every situation is different, and the only way to know whether a specific property benefits from trail proximity is to look at its exact location relative to funded, under-construction segments — not just the completed trail map. If you want to know how the Fall Line Trail affects the value or appeal of a specific home or neighborhood, that's exactly the kind of question I dig into with clients before they make a move.
Schedule a call with me and we'll look at the real numbers together.
You're also welcome to read what past clients have said about working with me on Google, Zillow, or Realtor.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Fall Line Trail finished in Richmond yet? Not fully. As of August 2026, approximately 20 miles are under some phase of active construction or completed, according to the Fall Line Trail status page. The contiguous Ashland-to-Richmond corridor, including Henrico's segments, is expected to be open for all users in 2027. The Bryan Park section in Richmond is moving into construction in 2026.
Is the Hanover portion of the Fall Line Trail open to the public? Yes. The Fall Line Trail updates archive confirms the Hanover section is open to trail users. If you're considering property near the northern end of the corridor in the Ashland area, that access is available now.
When will the Henrico section of the Fall Line Trail be complete? The official project status page says the 13-mile contiguous segment from Ashland through Henrico into Richmond should be complete and open for all trail users in 2027. Henrico's segments are among the most advanced in the project.
What parts of Chesterfield County are still unfunded for the Fall Line Trail? According to the July 2026 Friends of the Fall Line recap, approximately six miles in Chesterfield remain unfunded, including the major segment between Route 10 and Route 1. About 1.5 miles are completed or under construction, and another 1.5 miles are funded with construction running through 2028. Buyers in Chesterfield should understand which specific segments are funded before factoring trail access into a purchase decision.
Will the Fall Line Trail raise home values in Richmond? There is no Richmond-specific study that quantifies a precise price premium from the Fall Line Trail. What research in comparable markets consistently shows is that trail and greenway connectivity improves neighborhood desirability and supports buyer demand over time, which tends to benefit values. The effect varies by how close a property is to a completed, funded segment. If you want to understand what trail proximity means for a specific address, that's a conversation worth having before you buy or list.
About Mike Boone
Mike Boone is the Owner and Broker of Boone Residential, a Richmond, VA real estate brokerage where he serves as a trusted advocate for buyers and sellers and has fueled the company's growth through authentic, client-first service.
Boone Residential · 804-409-8655 Equal Housing Opportunity. Boone Residential is licensed by the Virginia Real Estate Board.
This article is general information only and is not legal, tax, or financial advice. All information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed and should be independently reviewed and verified. Readers should confirm their own numbers with their attorney, tax advisor, lender, or closing officer.
