CAPT. JOHN SMITH'S TRAIL: www.johnsmithtrail.org or 800-932-5827. The trail runs about 75 miles from the Huguenot Bridge in Richmond, Va., to the Route 17 bridge east of Jamestown, near the city of Hampton.

LOOPS: The trail has three sections, the Oxbow Loop, the Cypress Loop and the Oyster Loop. A set of three maps, one for each loop, can be ordered through the Web site for $1.75. The maps describe 40 points on water and land along the trail, including nearby attractions and availability of parking, restrooms, boat ramps, food, fuel and other amenities.

BOATING: The water trail flows west to east, mostly along the James River. Each of the three loops could be traversed by boat in a day. The Oxbow is the westernmost segment of the water trail; as it flows through the Cypress and Oyster segments, the river gets wider and attracts motor boats and freighters in addition to paddlers. Anything below the James River fall line at Richmond is subject to tidal flows. The Chickahominy River, a tributary of the James in the Cypress Loop, is well-suited to canoeing and kayaking. Richmond Raft — www.richmondraft.com — offers raft trips on the Class I to IV whitewater rapids along the James in Richmond.