Matoaka Trails in Williamsburg

Matoaka Trails

With more than 10 miles of trails surrounding Lake Matoaka, the College Woods are a recreational and educational outlet for the community. The Civilian Conservation Corps developed a majority of the trails in the early 1930s.  If you can approach the run as an adventure and you have a flexible timeframe, then park at New Town and pick up the trail off Monticello or the entrance that’s just down from the William & Mary Athletic Center. Some sections are well maintained, others are not. This is by far the most challenging of the soft-surface runs in the area (imagine the twisting hill of Mill Neck Road, then add mud, roots, logs….). Parts of the trail are deeply rutted and you’ll pick your way across fallen logs if you loop around the lake, but the sections of the trail offer a great view of Lake Matoaka, so it’s worth a try. There are many places to access this trail, click to see a map.