Trip/Event Location: Delaplane, VA
Trip Leader(s): Eupatorium
Max # People: 10
Trip Guiding / Event Fee: No, I will not be asking participants for money
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Let’s stretch our legs and enjoy beautiful views of Virginia’s piedmont from the trails at Sky Meadows State Park, in Delaplane, Just south of Paris VA. The Park has 20 miles of trails
The Park entry fee is $10.00.
DIRECTIONS TO VISITOR CENTER PARKING LOT
Head north from Rt. 66 or south from Rt. 50 on Rt. 17 , Winchester Road, turn onto road #710. Follow 710 to the parking area. We’ll meet at the visitor Center.
Its address is 11012 Edmonds Lane, Delaplane, VA 20144-0710. GPS Coordinates: Latitude, 38.988703. Longitude, -77.968913.
Four of us enjoyed a leisurely hike through a little over 5 miles of the trails at Sky Meadows. Though a chilly day in the Old Dominion, the sun made for spectacular views at various points along the way.
Several areas we kiked through had significant numbers of standing and fallen ash trees discovered by the emerald ash borer. The park has initiated a program, however, to plant American chestnut trees that are hybridized with the Chinese chestnut tree. Checking back in 50+ years would be interesting! Cedar waxwings, cardinals, bluebirds, juncos, white-throated sparrows, robins, and a pair of woodpeckers kept us looking up as we hiked trails ranging from snow and ice to mud.
The sun, still low in the early February sky, cast long shadows in the woods. Visibility was so good that we could see the skyines of Reston and Tysons Corner, VA. And looking north, we could see Paris, Virginia that is. ;-)
Outdoor Fitness Level: Moderate
