This 4.2 mile (2.1 miles up, 2.1 miles back) day hike took place on Wednesday, October 23, 2024. It was just me on this one.
This is the 100th web page that I have created for this site! I left Manassas, VA around 6:15 AM. Temps were in the 40’s. There was paving on US29 that slowed me down so I didn’t arrive at Azalea Park until 8:45 AM. I was passed by a Tesla Cybertruck and an Acura NSX on the way down. Both looked cool.
So I started the hike at Old Lynchburg RD. This section of trail was different from the rest of the sections that I have done for this trail. There were recently constructed benches along Moore’s Creek that one could sit on and watch the creek flow. That was neat. However, the trail bed itself was eroded and uneven in some spots. And there were three wet stream crossings. In other words, there were no bridges. My feet got wet!
The trail itself was easy as there were no major elevation changes. There was a .3 mile road walk at around mile 1.4 along Sunset DR. And there was a wet stream crossing right after it. It was a small tributary so I had no issues.
Around mile 1.7 I had to cross Moore’s Run. It was a good sized creek. There were stepping stones laid across it. Both of my feet still got wet. Coming and going. At least I didn’t fall in.
Around mile 1.8 there was a detour. The trail was closed at one point because they are expanding UVA Fontaine Research Center. So I had to wet cross another small stream, then hike another .4 miles to Natural Resources DR. This was the point that I had walked to last July. You can see that trip log
Here.
I found a nice elevated sewer cap to sit on along Natural Resources DR so I took a 15 minute break there around 10:00AM. I drank an energy drink, ate a granola bar and then started the trip back.
At one point going back they take you off of an old road and march you around a field where the trail is uneven and rocky. Then you return to the old road right after (or before) crossing Moore’s Creek. I took the new trail on the way up but stayed on the old road on the way back. It was much better.
I was getting into the groove on the way back. I made it back to Azalea Park by 11:15 AM. That was 1 hour and 15 minutes for the “up” portion and only 1 hour for the “back” portion. I saw a number of abandoned electric scooters on or near the trail. Strange.
Finally, I hit the road, encountered fiber construction on Bristow RD in Manassas, VA and did not get back home until about 1:30 PM. I was very happy to get outside on what may be one of the the last warm days this year. I really enjoy exploring new trails. It was a beautiful day to do so. I only saw two female runners and two male hikers on this trail today.
OK, so I have done about 12 miles of this trail so far. My gameplan is to do from the Woolen Mills Bridge to Jordan Park as an up and back either late this year or early next year. This section is 2.6 up, then 2.6 back. Then, for the grand finale, sometime in 2025, I will drop off my vehicle at Barracks and Emmett in Charlottesville, take an Uber to the intersection of River RD and Coleman ST and hike 6.5 miles back to my vehicle. Then I will have completed my section hike of the Rivanna Loop Trail.
If anyone is interested in hiking with me and bringing a second vehicle, I could avoid the up & back between the Woolen Mills Bridge/Jordan Park section and/or avoid the Uber for the 6.5 mile section between River & Coleman and Barracks. If you are interested, please let me know.
Mike C
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