Walking Trails

Montpelier is blessed with a variety of beautiful walking trails surrounded by national historic attractions, virgin timber, and archaeological sites. Plan to spend some time strolling within view of the rolling Piedmont and Blue Ridge Mountains on one or all of our colorful walking trails.

The Historic Core Paths

You can view all of the Montpelier attractions located in the historic core of the property through two short walking loops. The first begins at the Visitor Center, takes in the mansion, the Hands-on Restoration Tent (April – October), the Annie duPont Formal Garden, the Madison Exhibits at the Education Center, and the Farm Complex and ends at the Visitor Center.

The second loop starts at the Visitor Center, goes to the Madison Family Cemetery, the Mount Pleasant site, the Slave Cemetery, and ends up at the Visitor Center.

Visitors can get a property map at the Visitor Center.

The Landmark Forest Trails

The James Madison Landmark is an old-growth forest, grown without significant human intervention, consisting of native plants and trees that have reached their maximum lifespan. The Landmark Forest is a managed wilderness area where non-native plants are removed and trees are only cut to keep the interpretive trails open. There are three trail loops that can be taken separately or together.

The Turkey Foot Loop (.3 miles) begins at the trailhead to the east of the Annie duPont Formal Garden, and ends at the Mountain Mill Road Trail. It is shaded with towering tulip poplars and marked by akebia, a non-native plant that is being brought under control.

The Poplar Run Loop (.5 miles) begins where the Turkey Foot Loop ends at the Mountain Mill Road Trail. It winds down a ravine to Poplar Run, a small stream that drains the nearby hills.

The Spicebush Loop (.2 miles) begins where the Poplar Run Loop ends, and ends at the Mountain Mill Road Trail. It is marked by tall oaks and hickories, and tulip poplars. A fragrant spicebush is the predominant understory shrub here.

Mountain Mill Road Trail (.5 miles) is part of the original road used by James Madison. Montpelier slaves led grain-filled wagons on this road to the mill and returned with barrels of flour.

The three loops total 1.5 miles.

The Confederate Camp and Freedman's Farm Trail

The Confederate Camp and Freedman’s Farm Trail at Montpelier links a massive Confederate Camp site to the restored Gilmore Cabin and Freedman's Farm, allowing visitors to learn about the transition in this country from the Civil War to Emancipation.

The self-guided walking trail features four interpretive panels explaining the details of Confederate camp life and the progression from slavery to citizenship for Orange County African Americans, as personified by the Gilmore family.

These two features of Montpelier are major historic sites of national importance. The Gilmore Cabin: A Freedman's Farm appears to be the first Freedman's site in the nation to be restored and opened to the public—the first historic place to preserve and portray the transition from slavery to freedom for African Americans across the south. The Confederate Camp is equally significant. According to the National Park Service, the encampment at Montpelier is easily the largest and most pristine encampment in the nation on protected land.

Visitors enter the .75-mile trail at a trailhead near the gravel parking lot located across from the Montpelier Station Post Office on Route 20. About .25 mile into the woods, lies the Confederate camp where, in the winter of 1863 and 1864, as many as 4,500 Confederate troops camped. Continuing through the woods along the trail, there is a clearing where the Gilmore Cabin and Farm is located, adjacent to Route 20. Along the return path to the parking lot lies the Gilmore family cemetery, where several members of George Gilmore's family are buried.

The Confederate Camp and Freedman’s Farm Trail is open year-round and the terrain is relatively flat with one stream crossing by a pedestrian bridge. As part of its series of quarterly walking tours offered at 2:00 pm on Sundays, Montpelier offers guided tours in February, May, August, and November. For more information, check the Calendar of Events on the web, or call 540 672-2728.