In the James River, under the Atlantic Coastline Railroad Bridge, lie the ruins of its predecessor. The Belt Line Bridge was built in 1889 and demolished in 1920 to make room for the massive A-Line bridge we all know and love. But not all of the Belt Line bridge was taken away. The pilings remain. And sometime in the past few decades — no one but the perpetrator knows when — someone lashed a ladder to one of those pilings. 19th-century railroad structure, meet 21st-century river culture.
What exists now is the epitome of a “True Place.” It’s provenance is murky. It thrives entirely via word of mouth. It’s too hard to reach ever to be thronged, but in the summer the Belt Line Jump Piling sees steady traffic from those in the know. You could put in at Pony Pasture or above and paddle down to it, but most river rats wade and swim to it from the south bank. Most of the year that’s not possible due to river level, but in the summer it’s very doable — if you know what to look for.
The leap is maybe 12-15 feet above the water, perfect for kids and adults alike, and there’s a deep section of water to plunge into.
