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Trail Talk

A new trail has been marked in the southeast corner of the Bull Run Mountain Natural Area. It will take you through an emerging hardwood forest, across some run-off streams, and alongside Catletts Branch, and we think you'll like it. The only thing we can't figure out is what to call it.

The trail is basically a circle bisected by East End Trail. The southern intersection with East End is just yards away from Beverley Mill Drive, offering an easy access for hikers and a nearby drop-off point for school buses. The trail itself, especially on the west side of East End, offers a few switchbacks that will provide good gathering points where groups can listen to an instructor. The trail is about 1.25 miles, bringing the total maintained trail mileage in the natural area to about 9 miles.

It may in fact be two trails, and in the contest described below, we will entertain entries that find the trail so nice, they name it twice. On the west side of East End, the trail follows a ridge, falls to Catletts Branch, then ascends against the ridge back to East End. On the east side, we will use wooden "lily pads" to help hikers across some marshy areas.

A volunteer stewardship group led by Mike Massey will cut the trail in mid March, and provisional trail markers (pink tape) will remain in place for a few months to help new hikers. Go try it out, then send us your name suggestions. Enter as many times as you like. If two people suggest the same name and that name wins, the first entrant will win the grand prize. Which is: one free admission to a Bull Run Mountains Conservancy event, not including nature camps. We reserve the right to reject all entries.