2nd Saturday Breakfast and Hike

We met at for breakfast at McLean’s at 7:00 a.m., 3500 West Broad, Richmond VA.  We then drove to Westmoreland State Park up I-95 then switching to Hwy 301 for a more direct and relaxed drive to the park. We arrived at the visitor’s center at 9:30 a.m. but noticed parking near the trailhead (which isn’t on the maps) so drove back to the Laurel Point Trail trailhead and parked.

We headed down the Laurel Point Trail with lots of Mountain Laurel everywhere.  And spider webs.  Lots and lots of spider webs.  Apparently we were the first people that morning on the trails!  We walked down to Rock Spring Pond and picked up the Rock Spring Pond Trail (all asphalt) and headed back up to the main road, crossed the street and picked up the Conservation Corps Fitness Trail for a short hike until we picked up the Turkey Neck Trail.  We took the southern loop on the Turkey Neck Trail which brought us to the closed section of the trail (the sign alerting us to the closure was not there.

We climbed over a half-dozen trees that had come down due to a hill-slide from the heavy rains this area had several weeks ago.  We finally came to the Beaver Dam Trail whereupon we found the trail closure sign.  We climbed back up a plateau and rested at a bench conveniently located at the top.  We picked up the return loop of the Turkey Neck Trail which brought us to the lookout platform just a few yards from the beach.  We walked down to Fossil Beach, enjoyed the water views and breeze off the water  Finally, we’ll pick up Big Meadow Trail to head to the  Visitor’s Center and then back to the Laurel Point Trailhead parking lot.

Optional Breakfast at McLeans at 7:00 a.m. (3500 West Broad, Richmond VA).

We’ll meet at the Westmoreland State Park visitor’s center at 9:30 a.m. and park.  We’ll walk toward campground B and pick up the Rock Spring Pond Trail which is a short one-way trail that ends at Rock Spring Pond.  We’ll then pick up the Laurel Point Trail and at the end walk south towards Campground C where we’ll pick up the Conservation Corps Fitness Trail for a short hike up to Turkey Neck Trail which will bring us to Beaver Dam Trail before resuming back on the Turkey Neck Trail.  Finally, we’ll pick up Big Meadow Trail towards Fossil Beach and try our hand on finding some fossils. 

Total hike will be 3.5 to 4 miles and about 4 hours.  Bring at least a liter of water, snacks, a hat, sunscreen, bug spray and sweat rag.

About the park:  On the Potomac River's Northern Neck, this park offers many opportunities for family fun. It's listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has an Olympic-sized swimming pool and an adjacent bathhouse, meeting area, snack bar, camp store and power-boat ramp. You'll also find a visitor center, campgrounds, camping cabins, cabins, a playground, a fishing pier, boat rentals and 6 miles of trails. Fossil collectors enjoy hunting for ancient shark teeth along the Potomac. Offshore breakwaters are great for fishing. Birding enthusiasts find the park an excellent site for spotting American bald eagles, ospreys, kingfishers, great blue herons, common terns, green herons and gulls, as well as wintering waterfowl.