Archive for November, 2008
George Washington Memorial Parkway
Posted by Chris | Filed under Northern Virginia, State Parks, Trail Information
This 7,247-acre memorial parkway, running from George Washington’s home at Mount Vernon to just below the Great Falls of the Potomac River protects the natural scenery along the river as a memorial to the celebrated Revolutionary War general and first president of the United States. Numerous places of historic interest and natural beauty lie along the route. From the south to north, they include Fort Hunt, where batteries guarded the river approach from 1898 to 1917; Dyke Marsh, a habitat for birds such as herons, egrets, rails, and ducks; Daingerfield Island, an area with hiking paths, recreational facilities, and the Washington Sailing Marina; Roaches Run Waterfowl Sanctuary, a popular birdwatching area; Gravelly Point, a spot that offers an excellent view across the river to the nations capital; access to Columbia Island, on which are located the Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove, the Navy and Marine Memorial, and the Columbia Island Marina; parking for the pedestrian bridge to Theodore Roosevelt Island; and Turkey Run Park, an area affording views of the palisades of the Potomac.
Mailing Address:
Turkey Run Park
McLean, VA 22101-0001
703-289-2530
Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County Battlefields Memorial National Military Park
Posted by Chris | Filed under Central Virginia, State Parks, Trail Information
This 7,787 acre national military park, comprising numerous scattered units in and near Fredericksburg, protects and interprets four major Civil War battles: Fredericksburg, December 11-13, 1862; Chancellorsville, May 1-4, 1863; the Wilderness, May 5-6, 1864; and Spotsylvania Court House, May 8-21, 1864. The park also features Chatham Manor, Old Sale Church, and the building in which Confederate General Stonewall Jackson died.
Fredericksburg
Following a number of intense clashes between Union and Confederate tropps at Fredericksburg in December 1862, one of the worst military disasters of the Civil War resulted in a devastating defeat for the Union army, with casualties totaling at least 12,500 men. The site of this killing field was below Marye’s Heights, a strategic hill that, as was known to the Union forces, was bristling with Confederate batteries of cannon and infantry. What the Union commanders did not know, however, was what lay hidden at the base of the hill, along a sunken road and out of sight behind the breastwork of a stone wall.
As the first Union brigade of soldiers charged across a 400-yard expanse of open ground in an attempt to storm the hill, they were suddenly mowed down by the massive volley of Confederate musket fire that erupted from behind the wall. From noon until dark, wave after wave charged across the field, but each suffered the same fate. The slaughter continued, with not a single Northerner ever reaching the wall. Feeling from this defeat, the demoralized Union army withdrew northward across the Rappahannock River.
Chancellorsville
Nearly five months later, in early May 1863, the next fierce occurred around Chancellorsville, about ten miles to the northwest of Fredericksburg. Even though the Confederates were greatly outnumbered, they nevertheless achieved another victory. In the final clash of the battle, Confederates opened a withering attack upon a 22,000 man Union force that, earlier in the day, had captured the defenses in and around Fredericksburg. Heavy casualties from those several days of fighting totaled more than 17,000 Union and nearly 13,000 Confederate soldiers.
The Wilderness
A year later, two days at savage, confused, hand-to-hand combat occurred between Union and Confederate armies in an area of dense scrubby pines and oaks known as the Wilderness, about 15 miles northwest of Fredericksburg. The smoke from forest fires reduced visibility further, adding to the chaos of the conflict. Union casualties totaled nearly 18,000 men, while the Confederates sustained more than 8,000 killed, wounded, or captured. Unlike previous Union commanders in the Virginia campaign, Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant refused to retreat. Instead, he ordered his forces on southward, in a campaign designed to wear down and ultimately defeat General Robert E. Lee’s Confederate army.
Spotsylvania Court House
Several days later, the armies clashed again in fierce combat at the important crossroads junction of Spotsylvania Court House. Some of the most brutal combat of the Civil War occurred at a U-shaped salient known as the “mule shoe.” The Union forces far outnumbered and soon overwhelmed the Confederates. As more and more reinforcements on both sides poured into the battle around the jutting angle, savage hand-to-hand warfare erupted, with soldiers using bayonets, knives, clubs, rocks, and bare fists. For 20 hours, the slaughtering raged on, made worse by a downpour of rain and deepening mud, and after midnight, the Southerners finally retreated to form new defense lines. For all the fighting, which continued for the next two weeks, there were no measurable gains for either side. Following the battles of the Wilderness and Spotsylvania Court House, the area around Fredericksburg became an enormous open-air hospital, where surgeons labored around the clock attending to the 20,000 wounded Union and Confederate soldiers.
The park has two visitor centers, providing interpretive exhibits, an audiovisual program, and publications. One is near the base of Marye’s Heights at 1013 Lafayette Boulevard in the Fredericksburg unit, and the other is at Chancellorsville, eight miles west of I-95 on State Route 3. A self-guided auto tour and self-guided walking routes lead to points of interest. Other interpretive facilities include exhibit shelters at the Wilderness and Spotsylvania Court House units.The park headquarters is located in the red-brick, 18th century style plantation mansion, Chatham Manor, to the north of the Rappahannock River. This gran old structure served as a Union army headquarters and field hospital during the Civil War. The park also offers walking tours during the summer, and picnic areas are available at all four battlefield units, Chatham Manor, and the Stonewall Jackson Shrine. Access to the park includes State Route 3, east from I-95 to Fredericksburg and west from I-95 to the Chancellorsville and Wilderness units. One of the accesses to the Spotslyvania Court House unit is on State Route 613, southeast from State Route 3, just to the east of the Wilderness Battlefield.
Virginia Section of the Appalachian Trail
Posted by Chris | Filed under Uncategorized
A fourth of the Appalachian Trail runs through Virginia. It varies from easy hiking to very difficult rock scrambling, from busy national parks to isolated wilderness areas. The Virginia section of the AT has a little bit of everything for all skill levels and close by any area along the western portion of the state.
The trail section within Virginia spans 550 miles and can go from elevations of 265 feet to over 5,000 feet! This will give you a vary wide range of weather conditions depending on the section of trail and time of year that you are hiking.
Where and When To Go:
Northern Virginia: April through early June, September through early November. Summer heat and humidity can be oppressive
Shenandoah: April—June, September, October. July and August are bearable except during a heat wave.
Central Virginia: April—June and September—October. July and August are bearable except during a heat wave.
Southwest Virginia: May—October.
The following comes from the ATC website for the Virginia section of trail:
Northern Virginia
In northern Virginia, the Appalachian Trail follows a long, low ridge, including a notoriously strenuous “roller-coaster” section south of Snickers Gap. It is less heavily traveled and is crossed by fewer roads than the Trail in Maryland. This is one of the best places on the A.T. for “spring break” hikes. Download Spring Break Hiking (PDF) to find out more about hiking on the A.T. in March and April.
The northern Virginia section stretches 54 miles from the Virginia/West Virginia state line south to Shenandoah National Park.
Shenandoah National Park
Shenandoah National Park, with 104 miles of well-graded and well-maintained Trail and climbs rarely exceeding 500 or 1,000 feet, is excellent for beginning hikers and is noted for its many vistas and abundant wildlife. A variety of side trails provides excellent opportunities for one- or two-day circuit hikes.
Nearby Skyline Drive has many waysides and concessions for resupply stops. The park gets very busy during weekends and in late October, during peak foliage-changing season. Park facilities close from late November through March; when snow shuts down Skyline Drive, the entire park may become inaccessible except on cross-country skis or snowshoes. Backcountry permits are required when camping in the park.
Central Virginia
South of Shenandoah, the A.T. parallels the Blue Ridge Parkway. The farther south it goes, the more difficult the hiking becomes; the treadway is well-graded, but includes a number of 2,000- and 3,000-foot climbs. Mature timber, high summits, and spectacular wilderness can be found in the George Washington National Forest, north of Roanoke. The Trail then leaves the parkway and travels west across the Great Valley of the Appalachians through the Jefferson National Forest to the Allegheny Plateau, a splendid wilderness trip.
Central Virginia features many noteworthy points, with views from unusual rock formations and outcroppings and some of the northernmost balds on the Trails. Noteworthy peaks include Humpback Rocks, Three Ridges, the Priest, McAfee Knob, and Dragon’s Tooth. This section is more rugged and remote than the Shenandoah, but easier and more accessible than the Trail in Southwest Virginia.
The Central Virginia section covers 226 miles from the southern end of Shenandoah National Park south to Pearisburg.
Southwest Virginia
Throughout the Mt. Rogers region in southwest Virginia, where the Trail moves into the southern Appalachians, the floral displays of rhododendron and azalea in June and July are outstanding. The state’s highest mountain, Mt. Rogers, an area of spectacular highland meadows, routinely receives snowfall from October to May, making it considerably colder, wetter, and snowier than other areas of Virginia.
The northern portion of this section provides some of the A.T.’s best opportunities for solitude; toward the southern end the open meadows of the Mt. Rogers high country (5,000 feet and above) attract many visitors. At the southern border is the quintessential “Trail town,” Damascus, Virginia.
The Southwest Virginia section of the Trail covers 166 miles from Pearisburg south to Damascus.
For more detailed information about the Virginia section of the Appalachian Trail, then take a look at the ATC website which recommends trail guides and more!
Breaks Interstate Park - Southwest Virginia
Posted by Chris | Filed under Southwest Virginia, State Parks, Trail Information
You can’t go much more Southwest then Breaks Interstate Park! called the Grand Canyon of the South, Breaks Interstate Park is one of two interstate parks in America and encompasses 4,500 acres of woodland.
The Breaks Interstate Park is one of two interstate parks in America and encompasses 4,500 acres of woodland. The Breaks, home of the deepest gorge east of the Mississippi River, also rises to lofty heights where golden eagles make their home. The Towers and other rock formations, caves, flora and wildlife make the Breaks Park a unique tourist destination. History, legend and lore combine with the scenic beauty of the Park which was the reported destination of several trips by Daniel Boone. It is the home of Pow Wow Cave, used by the Shawnee Indians and those who love mystery and adventure can search for the buried silver treasure of John Swift. For active visitors, the park also offers hiking, bike and driving trails, picnic and recreation areas, a lake with pedal boats, a swimming pool, horseback riding and an amphitheater. A rustic lodge, cottages and a large campground are available for extended visits. The Breaks Park also has a modern conference center, restaurant, gift shop and visitor’s center. The folks in Eastern Kentucky and Southwest Virginia welcome you to the Breaks Interstate Park! Having been many times, this is incredibly true!
The park offers so many different activities and things to see/do, including more than 10 hiking trails, that I do not want to bore you with listing them all here. So instead, check out the Breaks Interstate Park website and you can get all the details there.
The park is an amazing place to go if you are in that area and well worth it. On any summer day, expect it to be busy and for crowds to be at the pool!
Belle Isle State Park - Lancaster, VA
Posted by Chris | Filed under Eastern Virginia, State Parks, Trail Information
Belle Isle State Park in Lancaster, VA
Located in the rural Northern Neck of Virginia, Belle Isle is the first state park to be purchased with funds from the $95 million 1992 Parks and Recreational Facilities Bond Referendum. The 733-acre site is a window to the beautiful lower Rappahannock River in Lancaster County. Waterfront in the area has been developed extensively by private landowners with little public recreational access. This fact made the lower Rappahannock a priority for purchasing land for a new state park. The park has seven miles of frontage on the north shore of the Rappahannock, and it borders Deep and Mulberry creeks. It features diverse tidal and nontidal wetlands, lowland marshes, tidal coves and upland forests.
Location:
Lancaster County on the Rappahannock River. From Warsaw, take State Route 3 East to SR 354. Turn right and follow for three miles. Turn right onto SR 683 near Litwalton to the park entrance. From Kilmarnock, take Route 3 West to Lively, then left on SR 201 for three miles, then right on SR 354 for three miles and left onto 683 to the park entrance.
Belle Isle has a lot to offer to visitors including camping, fishing, boat access, and much much more. For full information on all of its services and fees, take a look at the Belle Isle State Park website.
Sky Meadows State Park - Delaplane, VA
Posted by Chris | Filed under Appalachian Trail, Northern Virginia, State Parks, Trail Information
Sky Meadows State Park in Delaplane, VA
Just an hour’s drive from Washington, D.C., Sky Meadows State Park in Clarke and Fauquier counties, offers a peaceful getaway on the eastern side of the Blue Ridge Mountains. With rolling pastures and woodlands, the park boasts beautiful vistas of the foothills and access to the Appalachian Trail. Its rich history is shaped by the development of agriculture and the impact of the Civil War. Activities include hiking, fishing, picnicking, horseback riding, primitive camping, and nature and history programs.
Location: The park is less than two miles south of Paris, Va., via U.S. Route 50 to Route 17 South; or seven miles north of I-66, Exit 23 on Route 17 North. The park entrance is on State Route 710.
Drive Time: Northern Virginia, 45 minutes to one hour; D.C., over one hour; Richmond, two hours; Tidewater/ Norfolk/ Virginia Beach, three hours; Roanoke, two and a half hours
Trails: The park has more than 12 miles of hiking trails ranging in difficulty from moderate to hard. In addition, the park offers access to the Appalachian Trail. The park is a three-day hike from Harper’s Ferry, W. Va., and two days from Shenandoah National Park. To protect our wildlife, all pets must be kept on a leash no longer than six feet. Vehicles and bicycles are permitted only on paved park roads. Horses are not permitted on hiking trails.
The park also has bridle trails; bring your own horse to enjoy more than six miles of challenging, scenic riding on two loop trails.
Here is a little history of the park/area…
Settlement of the area can be attributed to nearby Ashby’s Gap, which gave settlers access to the Shenandoah Valley.
In 1731, Lord Fairfax sold a 7,883-acre tract of land just south of Ashby’s Gap to James Ball. Ball died in 1754, and his land was divided among his daughter and five grandsons. One grandson sold his land to John Edmonds in 1780. Edmonds died eight years later, and his land was divided among his five children.
Isaac Settle of nearby Paris bought land from two of those children and in 1812 built a large brick house called “Belle Grove.” In 1842, he sold Belle Grove farm to his son in-law, Lewis Edmonds, who shortly thereafter sold 148 acres to Settle’s son, Abner, who built Mount Bleak House.
Mount Bleak in 1868 became the property of George M. Slater, who had been in Mosby’s Rangers during the Civil War. Slater and his son lived there for 55 years.
The property changed owners several times in the 1900s. In 1975, Paul Mellon of Upperville, Va., donated a 1,132-acre tract to the Commonwealth for the development of a state park. Another 248 acres were acquired in 1987, thus providing a corridor to the Appalachian Trail. In 1991, Mr. Mellon donated another 248 acres, designated the Lost Mountain Bridle Trail Area.
The name Sky Meadows comes from former owner Robert Hadow, who named the property “Skye Farm” after an island in Scotland.
For more information about the park including camping information and park fees, visit the park’s website.
