May 11, 9:00 am - Chippokes Plantation State Park

Chippokes Plantation State Park (http://www.chippokes.com/) is located along the south side of the James River across from Jamestown, about 75 miles from Richmond. Established in 1619, it is the site of one of the oldest continuously operating farms in the nation, and has 14 miles of hiking trails.

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We'll meet at the Shelter #1 parking lot at Bryan Park and carpool from there to the Route 31 Jamestown/Scotland Ferry (http://www.virginiadot.org/travel/ferry-jamestown.asp) at Jamestown. The free ferry crosses the James River, traveling about 2 miles in 15 to 20 minutes. During the time period that we are going, a ferry leaves every 30 minutes.

After the ferry, it's about 6 miles to the park. There is an entry fee of $4 per vehicle. We'll hike along the river and on the park trails for about 5 miles. The trails are easy and sometimes paved. Next we'll drive nearby for a look at Bacon's Castle, which is the oldest house in Virginia. Then we'll have lunch before returning via Route 10 and I-295.