Archive for the ‘State Parks’ Category
Delaplane Strawberry Festival Recap
Posted by Chris | Filed under State Parks
This past weekend Courtney and I headed down to Sky Meadows State Park for the Delaplane Strawberry Festival. It turned out to be an absolutely beautiful day out and a perfect day to eat some strawberries!
The festival featured the National Strawberry Eating Contest, lots of food vendors, all sorts of craft vendors and tents set up with goods for sale, games for kids, and more. Below are some pictures and a short (~15 second) video of the bagpipe band from Winchester that was there.
Delaplane Strawberry Festival this weekend!
Posted by Chris | Filed under State Parks
Just a quick note – I’ll be heading to the Delaplane Strawberry Festival this weekend. The festival is taking place at the Sky Meadows State Park .
With things on the agenda like children’s games, live entertainment, hayrides, crafts, puppet shows and raffles, you don’t want to miss out. Oh, and I better not forget the National Strawberry Eating Championship offering an amatuer and professional round. View the full list of activities on their website.
Hopefully we’ll come home with some good pictures, videos, and maybe a story or two. The weather for the weekend looks good during the days so it should be a great time.
It’s a bit pricey in my opinion to get in – $20 per car for a one day pass (it runs Saturday and Sunday) – so it better be worth it and not rain! Get the full low down on the festival at the Delaplane Strawberry Festival website!
George Washington Memorial Parkway
Posted by Chris | Filed under State Parks
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 State Parks
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.
Breaks Interstate Park – Southwest Virginia
Posted by Chris | Filed under State Parks
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 State Parks
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.
Sky Meadows State Park – Delaplane, VA
Posted by Chris | Filed under State Parks
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
Kiptopeke State Park
Posted by Chris | Filed under State Parks
Located near Cape Charles, three miles north of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, this 590-acre park has several short trails along the beach and through maritime forest. Sunken, concrete-filled ships form a protected area for swimming in the Chesapeake Bay, and a 1,000-foot pier offers some good fishing opportunities. Stroll along the 1.5-mile Baywoods Trail and connect with the southern beach via a series of interconnected boardwalks that thread through the dunes.
Since 1963, Kiptopeke has been the site of bird population studies. Sponsored by the Coastal Virginia Wildlife Observatory and licensed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, volunteers capture, examine, weigh, band and release resident and migratory birds each year from mid-August through November. In the raptor research area, hawks, kestrels, osprey and other birds of prey are observed and banded from September through November. Kiptopeke’s hawk observatory is among the top 15 nationwide.
Comer's Creek Falls Trail, Mt. Rogers NRA
Posted by Chris | Filed under State Parks
The main attraction of this short trail is the small Comers Creek waterfall, as well as the beautiful forested area. While you are on Homestead Road, look for signs of where the old homesteads used to be. Clues include stone foundations and “old timey” plants such as lilac, forsythia, roses and apple trees.
Length:
0.3 mile each way
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Elevation:
3,350′ to 3,450′
Blazes: Blue
Uses:
Foot only
How to Get There:
From I-81 (Interchange 45), take VA 16 south. At 16.5 miles (the top of Iron Mountain), take VA 741 (Homestead Road) to the right. In about half-a-mile, you will spot a small pull-off on the right side of the road for a couple of vehicles.
Beartree Lake Trail, Mt. Rogers NRA
Posted by Chris | Filed under State Parks
This leisurely trail winds around Beartree Lake, a popular area for fishing, swimming and other relaxing activities. This trail receives moderate to heavy use. About half of the trail is paved and suitable for wheelchairs. It gives access to two wheelchair accessible fishing docks. The lake is well-stocked with trout. All state fishing regulations and license requirements apply.
Length:
0.8 mile
Difficulty:
Easy
Elevation
: 3,000′
Blazes:
None
Uses:
Foot, wheelchairs only, no bikes
How to Get There:
The Beartree Recreation Area is north of U.S. 58, 8.2 miles east of Damascus. From U.S. 58, turn north (left) onto FS 837. Watch for the Anglers Parking Lot on you right. Or you may continue on, pay a small fee per car and drive to a parking lot near the beach and bath house.
