Posts Tagged ‘Bull Run’
Bull Run Mountain Conservancy
Posted by Chris | Filed under Northern Virginia, Trail Information
Description: The Bull Run Mountains Conservancy manages 800 acres of forest on the southern end of Bull Run Mountains. Despite its small size this venue has a fairly interesting network of trails. I rate most of the trails as easy although segments of the trails that follow the ridge can provide a pretty good cardio-vascular workout. For this reason I rate the overall hike as moderate. The primary loop is only about4.6 miles in length but additional out-and-backs to visit graveyards, mill and homestead ruins, quarry sites, a fantastic view of Fauquier County and a pretty unique trash dump puts the total mileage at about7.4 miles. This was also the scene of a very important Civil War military engagement, the Battle of Thoroughfare Gap, the results of which had major implications for the Second Battle of Manassas. Visit The Bull Run Mountain Conservancy Site for more information.
Trail Notes: The conservancy uses a unique trail marking system designed and installed by Boy Scouts. Each trail intersection has a post with colored discs. Note that there are still blazes on the trees. These are from previous management and may not match the color on the post. Post color has priority! Also, as of 11/05 the color coding of some trails have been changed andd some trails have been combined. Unofficial, unsigned or blazed trails are shown as orange on this map. The following description uses these changes.Some, but not all, of the intersections have signs. What is there is correct. Also note that the section of Ridge Trail north of the BRMC boundary is not under the Conservancy’s jurisdiction and is not blazed or maintained. Finally, the map shows an “un-named” trail that parallels the Old Quarry Trail (Blue) and follows the northern portion of Cattlet’s Run. This is not an official trail but one worth exploring.
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Bull Run/Occoquan Trail
Posted by Chris | Filed under Northern Virginia, Trail Information
Originally Written by Andy Hiltz
The word ‘Occoquan’, translated from the Doag Indian dialect means ‘at the end of the water’.”
“Early colonial settlers adhered to the English custom of naming water courses by the tidal characteristics, A broad tidal stream was called a river and a small tidal stream, a creek. The water channels above the tidal level, however, flowed in one direction only and were named ‘rundles’ or ‘runs’.”
“The Bull Run-Occoquan stream valley was originally inhabited by the Taux and Doag groups of the Powhatan Confederacy which were rapidly diminished during the early years of European settlement. During this time the Run served as a wilderness highway and surveying landmark. Although virtually untouched by the American Revolution, the Bull Run-Occoquan stream valley was the site of the first and major Civil War battle fought over the defense of the Orange and Alexandria Railroad crossing. During the reconstruction years, this same railroad line brought prosperity briefly to the town of Clifton, famed for the ‘paradise springs’ and the first location in the county to be serviced by electricity. The power plant remains standing below Hemlock Overlook.”
“During the Civil War, Bull Run was the site of military medical, supply and evacuation units during the first battle of the Civil War, the Battle of First Manassas. That battle is re-enacted at Bull Run every year on Memorial Day to help keep alive that sad part of our country’s history.”
(Excerpt from Happy Trails, a guide to Northern Virginia Regional Parks published by the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority (NVRPA)) (more…)
