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!