Public Feedback Shows Trails Have Value in Patrick County

There are currently about 12 trails in Patrick County that total over 45 miles of walking, hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding opportunity and ranging in difficultly from easy, handicapped accessible to strenuous. While there are several trails that allow hikers to enjoy the beautiful scenery and wildlife of Patrick county, feedback, acquired through Public Meetings  held in Patrick County this past Spring by the Dan River Basin Association (DRBA) show that local citizens want more miles of walking trails in the town of Stuart, convenient to those who live and work around town.

“The Mayo River Rail Trail was a huge step in the right direction, according to many Patrick County residents. The only complaint being that it isn’t long enough.” said Anna Wallace, Patrick County Coordinator for the Dan River Basin Association. “Due to high population, there has been a more vocal demand for trails in Stuart, however it’s important to consider the smaller, more rural communities also. With support from the Dan River District Supervisor, there has been a push to develop a trail that connects to Dan River Park in Ararat. Similarly, a group of devoted trail-enthusiasts were the driving force behind a small network of trails at IC Dehart Memorial Park in Woolwine.”

DRBA’s Patrick County volunteer committee, the Patrick County Rivers & Trails Group (PCRTG), is leading an effort to develop more hiking and walking trails for Patrick County citizens. The volunteers are currently developing a Recreational Use Plan, which would serve as a road map for future trail building and would improve existing tails, making them more accessible the public. DRBA began by inventorying all of the recreational amenities that Patrick County has to offer; they then held a series of public meetings throughout the county to get input from citizens on the types of recreational amenities they would like to see developed. Currently, the organization is developing a plan to give to the County for future trails and trail improvements based on the inventory and public feedback.  PCRTG also organizes and participates in volunteer activities such as river and trail clean-up events. The Adopt-A-Trail program, launched by PCRTG, allows members of the community to “adopt” their favorite trail, contributing to maintenance efforts and encouraging trail use.

“There is a strong case for developing, expanding and connecting trails of all kinds in Patrick County. One of the most compelling reasons is the potential health benefit,” said Wayne Kirkpatrick, a Patrick County local citizen and DRBA board member. “The adult obesity rate in Patrick County is 30%, which is higher than both state and national rates. Patrick is considered critically medically underserved, with 2,080 residents per 1 physician. Also, 20% of Patrick citizens are uninsured, again higher than state and national rates. To top it off, Patrick County has one of the lowest rates for access to recreational facilities in the state (www.countyhealthrankings.org).”

“Another compelling reason for developing trails in the county is the increased quality of life and economic benefit that comes along with it,” said Tiffany Haworth, DRBA’s Executive Director. “The beautiful scenery and current and future recreational opportunities in Patrick County is a very real attraction for new businesses and their employees. Patrick County is definitely not lacking in opportunities for outdoor adventure, but the accessibility to such adventures could stand to be developed. This could open the door to economic development based on tourism and new businesses.”

DRBA’s PCRTG is recruiting for volunteers. The next meeting of the PCRTG will be Thursday, July 19^th in the Community Room at PHCC at 7pm. Meetings are held bi-monthly on the 3^rd Thursday of the month.  DRBA representatives will be on WHEO to talk about trail development and Recreational Use Planning on Tuesday, July 17^th at 9:30am. Anyone interested is encouraged to tune in to the conversation and attend the meeting.    

Have You Seen What's Blooming on the DeHart Mountain Trail?

If you enjoy native wildflowers, you can probably still catch some Spring blooms along the DeHart Botanical Gardens hiking trail. The trail-head parking area is located on Route 58 West between Stuart and Meadows of Dan. If you're headed up the mountain, the pull-off area and gated drive will be on the right. The mailbox near the gate has a visitor log and trail maps. The preserve is a nearly 200 acre garden that is open to the public as a day use hiking facility.

Last week Dale Swanson joined me on a hike of the DeHart Trail. He works as the Program Manager for DRBA in Patrick & Stokes Counties. We took the opportunity to gather more data that will be useful in the Recreational Use Planning process currently underway in Patrick County.

Fire Pink; silene virginica

The initial climb to the top of the ridge from the parking area is characteristic of the entire trail. It is well worth the effort; the ridge-top where the trail begins provides a breathtaking birds-eye-view of the Smith River Valley and the only complete view of Rocky Knob anywhere along Route 58.

Pendelton home chimney

We crested the ridge and began to descend the side of the mountain. We were thankful for the series of switchbacks, which took us past a series of large boulders that create a small cave in the mountain-side and eventually to the old homesite located on the loop trail near the bottom of the mountain. The original chimney from the Pendelton home bulit in the late 1800's is the only part of the house that still stands.

Red Trillium; trillium erectum

We picked a wonderful time to hike the trail - wildflowers were scattered all over the mountain-side and we were able to identify a few of them. There were several we could not identify, such as this flower which we later found to be a Red Trillium.

Past the old homesite a short spur trail took us to a small waterfall. There are a couple small creeks that bubble up from springs in the mountain and converge into one creek that drains into the Smith River less than a mile from the Dehart Preserve. It's not much of an exaggeration to say that the water in these creeks is probably some of the freshest and cleanest there is. Because there is no development or ground disturbance, rain water is well-filtered before it soaks into the aquifer and chilled to perfection before it bubbles out of the mountain.

Waterfall near the lowest
point of the trail

The climb back to the top of the ridge was a bit strenuous but worth the effort! The Dehart Mountain Trail is great for those hikers who like a challenge and those interested in viewing native flora and fauna.

We hope to spread knowledge about all of the great outdoor recreation opportunities there are in Patrick County and guide the smart development and improvement of our amenities through Recreational Use Planning. If you are interested in joining this effort, please attend one of the Patrick County Rivers & Trails Group meetings. The next meeting is scheduled for May 17th at 7pm at PHCC in Stuart.

Spring has Sprung at Reynolds Homestead!

Tuesday's weather was too perfect to stay inside, so Daryl Kreager and I laced up our hiking boots and headed over to Reynolds Homestead, pausing along the way to admire the beauty of Spring time in Patrick County.

I took the opportunity to gather some GPS data of the Homestead's trails. With the support of many in the community, the Patrick County Rivers and Trails Group is continuing their development of a Recreational Use Plan. We have reached the planning phase in which we are hitting the trails to gather information that will illustrate the big picture of public access trails in Patrick and help us form a vision for the future.

ADA accessible birding trail at
Reynolds Homestead

We first walked the ADA Accessible Birding Trail that diverges from the L.E.A.F. trail near the corner of the upper parking lot. It is a short out-and-back trail that winds through a stand of pine trees, perfect for taking the time to view birds and wildlife. The kiosk at the trail head has a place to record your sightings, a great tool for helping us understand the habits of native fauna.

The L.E.A.F. Trail is a 1.0 mile interpretive trail that combines learning about natural resource use and heritage tourism. The kiosk provides a detailed map and information about the different sites of interest along the trail. We started up the trail and away from the historic home site, passing the old family cemetery, an apple orchard and a restored tobacco barn.

Fiddlehead Ferns
Photo credit: Daryl Kreager

One of the first things to catch our eye was a patch of Fiddlehead Ferns growing along the trail. A telltale sign of Spring, Fiddleheads are the furled tips of fern plants waiting to unroll into new fronds. They are often harvested in rural areas and used as a vegetable in cooking.

Tree identification at historic cemetery
Photo Credit: Daryl Kreager

As we moved along, the paved surface turned into a mowed grass walking path. We spotted several types of butterflies and a few wood thrushes before we stopped to take a rest on the bench near the historic slave cemetery where a stand of native trees have been identified and tagged.

Down the hill from the cemetery the trail takes a right turn down a path that leads to a shallow, crystal clear creek that was teaming with minnows. A bridge takes you across the creek to the Rock Spring, for which the plantation was named.

Continuing on, the trail reaches the banks of the upper research pond, where we spotted a school of fish (and a "no fishing" sign.) We walked around the edge of the pond until the trail turned to go up hill, where it comes out below the Continuing Education Center.

We found ourselves back where we started and took a quick look around the historic home site before heading out. The home itself is very interesting and well worth the time it takes for a guided tour, but I was preoccupied by the ancient tree that still stands in the front yard.

Reynolds Homestead is a wonderful amenity in Patrick County. They offer a variety of classes, workshops, exhibits, performances and recreational opportunities, while preserving and highlighting the history and heritage of the area. Check it out, you're guaranteed to find something that interests you!

The Patrick County Rivers & Trails Group will continue to explore the many recreational and cultural amenities in Patrick. If you have anything you would like to share, please contact Anna Wallace - awallace@danriver.org. To get involved with recreational development or meet fellow outdoor-enthusiasts, attend one of our bimonthly meetings! The next meeting is scheduled for May 17th, 7pm @ PHCC Stuart.

DRBA Members Hike Bull Mountain

Members of the Dan River Basin Association enjoyed a rigorous hike to the top of Bull Mountain on a clear and cold day in late February. The trip, led by Wayne Kirkpatrick, was tough yet rewarding and included stops at a WWII plane wreck site and the 60+ year old lookout tower.

Organized hikes are just one of the perks enjoyed by those who participate in the Dan River Basin Association. First Saturday Outings are held each month and are free and open to the public. If you choose to become a DRBA member you can take advantage of even more opportunities to get outside with fellow outdoor-enthusiasts, such as this hike up Bull Mountain. For more information on upcoming outings, visit DRBA's website.

Last Chance to Participate in DRBA's Recreational Use Planning Meetings

The Dan River Basin Association's last public input meeting concerning the development of a Recreational Use Plan in Patrick County will be held tomorrow. Meeting is scheduled for 7pm on February 21st at Nettle Ridge United Methodist Church in the Moorefield Store area. Don't miss this chance to get involved in the future of Patrick County!

Last week, we had a very successful meeting at the Smith River Rescue Squad Building in Woolwine. There was a good turn out from folks who want to see Patrick's recreational and cultural amenities developed.

There were some really great ideas for the development of new trails in the Woolwine area. Once we get closer to having a solid Recreational Use Plan, we will have narrowed it down to the most feasible projects that will have the largest positive effect in the community.

DRBA's Public Meeting Series Nearly Finished, Please Join Us!

Meeting Schedule:

• Thursday, February 16th - Woolwine Rescue Squad Building @ 7pm
• Tuesday, February 21st - Nettle Ridge Methodist Church @7pm (Moorefield Store Area)

If you haven't made it to a RecreationalUse Planning meeting there's still time! There will be two more opportunities to participate in the Dan River Basin Association's public meeting series. So far, we've visited the communities of Stuart, Critz, Meadows of Dan, and Ararat. We've begun a productive dialogue with people who recognize the important role that recreational and cultural tourism will play in the future economy of Patrick County and the potential it has for increasing standards of living while protecting natural resources.

There is a long list of potential trail-building projects that community members would like to see explored. By the time we get closer to having a solid Recreation Plan we hope to have narrowed it down to a couple do-able projects that will be implemented once we let our local government know that it's important to us! We've also gathered some ideas on ways to improve our existing amenities to make them more accessible to both community members and visitors.

This effort is basically about two things; community health and economic development. Developing more accessible trails, river accesses and parks will provide more opportunities for Patrick County citizens to adopt active and healthy living habits - and help reduce overall health care costs. Making our natural resources available to visitors can be an important catalyst for economic growth in both tourism and corporate recruiting.

We can use our major assets to enhance our community and support a sustainable community, offering our children promising futures.

If you are interested in economic development and feel that you have ideas to offer or just want listen, please join us!

Inventory of Recreation & Culture in Patrick County

As we enter the public meeting phase in the development of a recreational use plan for Patrick, participation from community members will be crucial. Shared in this post is a link to the working inventory of all recreational and cultural opportunities in Patrick County. All are welcome and encouraged to view the inventory. If you have any suggestions, corrections, additions etc., please e-mail them to Anna Wallace at annawallace374@gmail.com.

https://docs.google.com/a/danriver.org/document/d/1tzs-Gw15cJZrMd5A7QvFjBvG5O58c8lxau5Of-uNFgo/edit?hl=en_US

Recreational Use Planning in Patrick County

The Dan River Basin Association’s Patrick County Rivers and Trails Group has been working to gather information and support toward the development of a Master Recreation & Trails Plan for the beautiful county of Patrick. We believe that the pristine natural resources of our county coupled with a rich heritage hold the key to a flourishing and sustainable economic future. Having a recreation plan will help guide future development and encourage cohesiveness when it comes to marketing the assets of Patrick County to visitors and potential businesses. Borrowing from DRBA’s mission statement, we hope to “preserve and promote the natural and cultural resources of Patrick County through stewardship, recreation and education”. The crucial element in this plan will be participation from the citizens of Patrick County. We need your input to identify the assets this county possesses and also to identify areas that need more attention. If there is a mediocre existing trail that just needs some maintenance and signage to become great, let us know! It is these kinds of things that contribute to the over-all quality of life in our county.

So far, we are close to completing an inventory of the recreational and cultural amenities that Patrick has to offer. The PCRTG is gathering information on parks, walking & hiking trials, mountain biking trails, canoeing, kayaking and fishing opportunities as well as heritage and cultural sites, arts, camping and accommodations. This inventory is only phase one in the development of a recreation plan and we need input from the public to complete it. If there is any information you would like to contribute such as locations, descriptions or maps of recreational and cultural opportunities, please send an e-mail to annawallace374@gmail.com.

The next step in the process will be the public meeting phase. Here we will organize meetings to spread community knowledge about the development of a recreational use plan. We hope to gain support for the initiative as well as address questions and concerns from the public. We can use these meetings to identify potential projects, such as constructing a connector trail or improving an existing one. We also hope to get volunteers on board to help us see these projects to fruition. The first public meeting is set for January 19th at Patrick Henry Community College at 7pm. Additional meetings will be held at Reynolds Homestead on February 2nd at 7pm, February 7th at Woodberry Inn in Meadows of Dan at 7pm and February 9th at Boyd’s Restaurant in Ararat at 7:30pm. One additional meeting in Woolwine will be announced when it is finalized.