The Adventurer Itinerary

Park at the base of Monticello Mountain and hike 2 miles on the Saunders-Monticello Trail to the visitor center. Pass through lovely forests with glimpses of views over Charlottesville on a well-maintained trail with a 5% grade. 

Catch your breath at the Monticello Café in the visitor center. With seasonal menus, desserts, and a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, it's the perfect spot to refuel before heading up the mountain. 

Explore the outdoor spaces of the historic mountaintop with this day pass. Walk or ride the shuttle to the historic mountaintop and check out historic displays under and around the main house.

Explore Monticello's restored flower gardens, vegetable garden, and surrounding grounds at your own pace or join a guided Gardens and Grounds Tour. 

Explore Mulberry Row to learn more about the experiences of the enslaved people who lived and labored on the Monticello plantation. 

Walk down the hill from Mulberry Row to see Thomas Jefferson's gravesite and continue on the trail back to the visitor center.

Round out your visit with a stop in our gift shop to pick up a memento of your visit, or grab a snack to enjoy on the walk back.

Make your way back to the base of the mountain along the Saunders-Monticello Trail. Be sure to watch for bluebirds, orioles, deer, and other wildlife along the way.