Route Description
The western end of the parkway begins at Jamestown, where the Virginia colony was begun in 1607 on the shore of the James River. Some visitors begin their experience by approaching the entire area from the south via State Route 10 to Surry, and then across the James River and arriving by water on the Jamestown Ferry. The middle point of the Parkway is Williamsburg, where the capital of the colony was moved from Jamestown in 1699. The parkway tunnels under the historic district of Colonial Williamsburg. The eastern end of the Parkway is Yorktown, where General Cornwallis surrendered to George Washington in 1781, ending the American Revolution.
The Colonial Parkway is free of trucks and commercial vehicles except passenger-carrying buses. The lower speed limits, enforced by the National Park Service law enforcement rangers, coupled with few exits, combine to help preserve the road for tourists and protect wildlife by making it an unattractive short-cut for most local traffic and commuters. Despite a federal policy instituted late in the 20th century of requiring user fees at many National Parks and Monuments, the Colonial Parkway has remained toll-free.
Since the Parkway is intended primarily for sightseeing, and only secondarily as a through route to the historic points, there are many pull-offs with markers giving brief descriptions of the view. The more popular pull-offs are near the James River and York River ends of the parkway, where there are panoramic views across each river.
The Parkway has no painted traffic lane-marking lines, and some stretches are posted "Pass With Care". The unmarked pavement is made of rounded "river gravel" set in a concrete-mix, providing an unusual earth tone color.
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