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The National Park Service announces significant improvements to the trail system at Appomattox Court House National Historical Park. The recently opened Tibbs Trail is a 1.2 mile long trail which connects with the Stage Road that runs through the village to create a 2.2 mile long loop hike. The Tibbs Trail is a wide and mostly grass-surfaced trail with partial shade. The trail also connects to the historic Tibbs House site and traverses through fields planted with wildflowers and native grasses to create a pollinator habitat. Trailheads are located at the Confederate Cemetery parking lot and Appomattox River Wayside parking lot.

Additionally, a park volunteer recently improved and expanded the wooden footbridge on the Southside Connector Trail. Past flooding eroded the streambank, making it difficult to access the staircases on the bridge. The current expansion now eliminates the stairs and spans the eroded streambank. The bridge work was completed by Jeff Mailley, retired Administrative Officer, who traveled from Michigan to complete this service project for the park and visitors.

The park’s Five-Year Strategic Action Plan (2017-2021), targeted a primary goal to improve visitor circulation and access in order to increase interpretive and recreational opportunities. Appomattox Court House National Historical Park provides ten miles of trails for visitors and community members. The trails are rated as easy to moderate hikes. The park currently receives an average of 15,000 trail uses annually. Pets are welcome on the trails but must be kept on a leash and picked up after.

Additional information, including trail maps, is available online at: https://www.nps.gov/apco/planyourvisit/hiking-trails.htm.