Fall 2009 1p Fairfax County Park Authority • Fairfax, VA 22035 • 703-324-8695 • FAX 703-324-3996 • TTY 703-803-3354 • www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/resources

continued on page 11

INSIDE . . .Get Ridof JunkMail

NATURE, HISTORY AND HORTICULTURE IN FAIRFAX COUNTY VOLUME 9, NO. 3 FALL 2009

W hen it comes totranspor tation,there’s no better

way to go green than bicy-cling, and what’s good for theenvironment is good for you,too. A 150-pound adult canburn nearly 300 calories on aleisurely half-hour ride. Whileit’s fun to take a spin aroundyour neighborhood, if you’reready for something new thereare plenty of trails to discoverin Fairfax County parks thissummer and fall.

Ride to the parks,not just in them.

Fairfax County is bike friendly thanks to a comprehensive bicycleinitiative passed by the Board of Supervisors in 2006. Because ofthat initiative, maps are being drawn up, biking is part of planning,and roads are being studied for bike lanes. The county offers morethan 500 miles of trails that range in width from six feet to thenewer ten-feet standard.

There’s a countywide bicycle route map. Bike lockers have poppedup at a couple of park-and-ride lots. There’s even a program todistribute helmets to children whose families cannot afford them.

The parks are full of bike trails that give riders a chance to dodgewildlife instead of traffic and hear the sounds of woodpeckers andbullfrogs instead of the blare of car horns.

Burke Lake, Lake Accotink,Wakefield Park, Holmes Run,Sugarland Run and Cub Runare among the county parkswith major bike trails. If youwant a longer challenge, youcan tour the county end-to-endalong more than 40 miles ofthe Cross County Trail. It runsthrough some of the county’smost scenic areas.

There’s a catch, however,to riding bikes in the parks.You have to be nice. The ParkAuthority is responsible forstewardship of the parks andso are you. There are guidelines

in place to protect our natural and cultural resources.

In the parks, stick to the established bike trails, bike only whenunpaved trails are dry, obey any signs, share the road and keep naturalplaces natural. And wear a helmet. You’re a county resource, too. Fireand rescue personnel urge bikersto remember to carry ID — justin case!

Keep in mind the trails are formore than biking. Walkers andrunners have the right-of-way. Ifyou should happen to spot ahorse along the trail, dismount

You’ll feel like a trailblazer on park bike paths.

WHEELS IN THE PARKSBy Carol Ochs, Park Authority Volunteer

Next time someone tells you to take a hike, think about getting on a bike instead.

2 ResOURces www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/resources

NATURAL RESOURCEAND HISTORIC SITES

BURKE LAKE PARK7315 Ox Road, Fairfax Station

Call 703-323-6600

COLVIN RUN MILL10017 Colvin Run Road, Great Falls

Call 703-759-2771

ELLANOR C. LAWRENCE PARK5040 Walney Road, Chantilly

Call 703-631-0013

FRYING PAN FARM PARK2709 West Ox Road, Herndon

Call 703-437-9101

GREEN SPRING GARDENS4603 Green Spring Rd., Alexandria

Call 703-642-5173

HIDDEN OAKS NATURE CENTER7701 Royce Street, Annandale

Call 703-941-1065

HIDDEN POND NATURE CENTER8511 Greeley Blvd., Springfield

Call 703-451-9588

HUNTLEY MEADOWS PARK3701 Lockheed Blvd., Alexandria

Call 703-768-2525

LAKE ACCOTINK PARK7500 Accotink Park Rd., Springfield

Call 703-569-3464

LAKE FAIRFAX PARK1400 Lake Fairfax Drive, Reston

Call 703-471-5414

RIVERBEND PARK8700 Potomac Hills Street, Great Falls

Call 703-759-9018

SULLY HISTORIC SITE3650 Historic Sully Way, Chantilly

Call 703-437-1794

HISTORIC PROPERTIES RENTAL SERVICESwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/weddings.htm

Call 703-827-0609

Need directions or more information?VISIT www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks.

E V E N T S

Editor/Writer: David OchsPhotos: Don Sweeney, FCPA

David OchsProduction: Innovative Projects, Inc.

Published quarterly by theFairfax County Park Authority,

12055 Government Center Parkway,Fairfax, VA 22035-1118.

Available at park sitesand Fairfax County libraries.Visit ResOURces online at

www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/resources.

c ResOURces is printed on recycled paper.

FALL EVENTSMaster Gardener TrainingTuesdays and Thursdays,September 10 to November 19, 1-4pm,Green Spring Gardens, 703-642-0128(TTY 703-803-3354)Master Gardener status is attained in the firstyear by completing the training and 50 hoursof volunteer service. $250

Sully Quilt and Fiber ArtsShow and SaleSeptember 13, 10am-4:30pm,Sully Historic Site, 703-437-1794Our 36th annual fall event features new andantique quilts, other fiber arts and merchandise,antique linens and sewing tools, books and fab-ric on the grounds of the 1794 home of RichardBland Lee. Quilting demonstrations, lectures anda door prize quilt, quilt appraisals, children’sactivities and food. Rain or shine. House tourincluded. $9/adult, $8/senior, $6/child

Catch the Buzz at Colvin Run MillOctober 4, 2-4pm, 703-759-2771Beekeepers Toni Burnham and Pat Standifordwill talk about and demonstrate harvestinghoney. Sample honey on cornbread made fromour stone ground cornmeal. See a hive withlive bees at work and take home a recipe usingfresh ground cornmeal. $2

War of 1812 Living HistoryOctober 10, 11am-4pm,Sully Historic Site, 703-437-1794Drill with troops, watch cannon fire, learnabout early 19th century medical practices, seefoods cooked on the open hearth and learnthe role of slaves in the War of 1812. Housetour included. $8/adult, $6/senior or child

Scarecrow Making at Colvin Run MillOctober 10, noon-2pm;October 11, 1-3pm, 703-759-2771Make a new friend for your garden or lawn.Bring an outfit and a pair of old pantyhose forhead and body. We’ll supply the stuffing. $6per scarecrow

Farm Harvest Day at Kidwell FarmOctober 17, 10am-3pm,Frying Pan Farm Park, 703-437-9101Fall fun on the farm. Milk a goat, shell corn,peel apples and meet farm animals. Paint a smallpumpkin, play farm games and see traditionalfarm demonstrations. $5

50th Anniversary ofSully’s RestorationOctober 25, 3pm, Sully Historic Site,703-437-1794Restoration Specialist and former Park Author-ity Special Projects Manager Michael Riersontells the story of Sully’s total restoration duringthe 1970s. Reservations suggested. Refresh-ments included. $6

Colonial Day at SullyNovember 7, 11am-4pm,Sully Historic Site, 703-437-1794Experience a day in the 18th century andwitness Revolutionary War soldiers in camp.See British and Colonial troops skirmish. Learnabout textile production, cooking, tobaccotrade and farm skills. House tour included. $8/adult, $6/child

Color is entwined throughout Sully’s annualQuilt and Fiber Arts Show.

Knock the stuffing into somebody atColvin Run Mill.

Fall 2009 3

P A R K F O U N D AT I O N

Shop for ParksBy Paul Baldino, Executive Director, Park Foundation

Help Fairfax County’s parks as you shop!

You can support Fairfax County parks as you shop forclothing, books, electronics, home and garden products,music, sporting goods, tools and hardware because the

Fairfax County Park Foundation has linked with two of America’stop online retailers.

Whenever you shop on Amazon.com, start your trip onthe Park Foundation’s web page. When you sign on to Amazonthrough the Foundation website, a percentage of your purchasegoes to the Foundation to improve parks and provide recreationprogram scholarships for low-income kids.

Likewise, when you sell on eBay, go to the Park Foundation’seBay Giving Works web page and designate 10% to 100% ofyour sales price as a donation. The amount you donate is taxdeductible, and eBay will give you a credit on your selling feefor using the program. When you shop on eBay, look first on thefoundation website for items that benefit the Park Foundation.

The Other Government Buy-Out Plan

Buy it and send someone out to a park.

The Fairfax County Park Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit organizationthat helps pick up where tax dollars leave off in meeting communityneeds for park land, facilities and services. Contributions to the ParkFoundation are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

For more information on these programs and other ways that youcan support Fairfax County’s parks, visit the Park Foundation’s website,www.fairfaxparkfoundation.org or call 703-324-8581.

Here’s the place to start. Bookmark www.fairfaxparkfoundation.org/Shop-for-Parks.html and use it whenever youshop on Amazon.com and sell or buy on eBay.

If you’re thinking about selling or trading in a vehicle, usethe same link to find out how you can donate your old car,truck, motorcycle or boat to the Park Foundation. The processis hassle-free, and you’ll get a tax deduction and the pleasure ofsupporting your beautiful parks.

Start here: www.fairfaxparkfoundation.org/Shop-for-Parks.html

4 ResOURces www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/resources

V I S I T T H E P A R K S

40 and FitCelebrating 40 years at Hidden Oaks Nature Center

By Lori K. Weinraub, Park Authority Volunteer

where children are encouraged to touchthings and get their hands dirty.

Most visitors then were local schoolchil-dren and scouts, but over the years HiddenOaks has become multi-cultural. Writtenmaterials are translated into Korean. Vietnam-ese and Spanish are spoken to reflect thedemographics in the community. ManagerMichael McDonnell says it’s “very gratifying”to see children explain nature to their non-English speaking parents.

Another big change has been the notionof stewardship of nature, notes AssistantManager Suzanne Holland, a firm believerin nurturing a lifelong connection to nature.Holland is the driving force behind thecenter’s Nature Playce, an outdoor play area

While Hidden Oaks has grown, it is notimmune from financial realities. Programs areno longer free, and the programs themselvesreflect different times. In the 1970s, youcould learn about raising a raccoon or keep-ing a pet skunk. Today’s visitors are taughthow to create wildlife habitats for butterfliesand to test soil for an organic garden.

There is a lot to celebrate this year. Thanksto a $3,500 donation from the Bailey’s Cross-roads Rotary Club, Hidden Oaks is getting akid-proof microscope that children can useto make real slides. A children’s public artproject is being sponsored by The Friends ofHidden Oaks. Children are drawing eight-by-eight-inch pictures of a nature theme,their handprint or name, and the art is beingreproduced as a ceramic tile to be added tothe permanent wall in the foyer. The $20 costfor the tile supports Nature Playce.

Holland says Hidden Oaks also hopes tohave the National Wildlife Federation certifythe greater Mason District Area as an officialcommunity backyard habitat this fall.

The big party will be October 17. Anenchanted trail walk will incorporate thebest of Hidden Oaks (think Fearless Fest, onlyduring the day). Staff also will be taggingthe last of the monarch butterflies that willbe migrating to Mexico, and then they’ll belooking ahead to the site’s next 40 years asan urban oasis of nature.

Ahidden gem in the Fairfax CountyPark Authority family is celebratingits 40th anniversary this year. Tucked

inside the Capital Beltway off Little RiverTurnpike in Annandale, Hidden Oaks NatureCenter has seen a lot of changes since itopened in October of 1969 as the first ofthe county’s five nature centers.

Hidden Oaks opened with one building,two paid employees and four parking spaces.More space was added over the years, alongwith more paid employees, more than 50parking spaces and a low impact develop-ment parking lot.

Visitors in the early years enjoyed freeprograms and got close to nature. They couldactually handle blind owls and flying squirrels.

Fall 2009 5

S T E W A R D S H I P / N AT U R A L R E S O U R C E S

Have a comment foror about ResOURces?

Our email address isresources@fairfaxcounty.gov.

Reprint ArticlesPromote stewardship. Reprint ResOURces articles in your association newsletter.

Go to ResOURces Online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/resources/printpub.htm to pull articles.Let us know, and include “Reprinted courtesy of the Fairfax County Park Authority” with the article.

Sticky, PurpleThings

Have you seen one of these purple thingshanging in a tree? It’s a glue trap used todetect the emerald ash borer, an insect thatkills ash trees. The traps help monitor thepest’s presence. For more information, callthe Fairfax County Forest Pest Branch at703-324-5304 or go online to www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/environmental/eab_general.htm.

New Barns Make Horse Sense atFrying Pan Farm Park By Lori K. Weinraub, Park Authority Volunteer

It’s usually people who have all the fun when a Fairfax County Park Authority facilitygets a new building. But this time, the horses win with the construction of two newbarns at Frying Pan Farm Park.

The barns will replace four old structures. The $3 million project was approved byFairfax County voters in 2004. Chris Monson, the site’s assistant manager in chargeof equestrian operations, says the facility should be completed in October, in time forthe park’s biggest equestrian event of the year in November.

Horses aren’t boarded at Frying Pan, but the stallsare essential for animals that travel to Herndon for aseries of horse shows throughout the year.

The old barns were over 40 years old, open airand built on a slope. The stalls would often flood.“It was no secret that people didn’t like thestalls,” Monson said. “We would always hearcomplaints like ‘the ground’s too hard’ or ‘it’salways flooded.’”

The new barns arebeing built on flat land and

will be totally enclosed.Monson said they will con-tain 150 padded stalls withhot-and-cold running waterand mats instead of rocks,

as well as changing roomsand meeting spaces. Thenew stalls also will bebigger than the old ones.

That means larger horsesthat couldn’t compete at Frying Pan

before will now be able to do so.

Monson expects the new barns to bringin more shows, and thus more revenue, for

the park and its surrounding communities. Thecounty plans to do a lot of advertising to get the

word out that “Frying Pan Farm Park is the placeto come for your horse show,” Monson said. Headded that it will be a “positive experience” andthat “this is a big deal for the horse world.”

6 ResOURces www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/resources

H I S T O R Y / S T E W A R D S H I P

DIG INTO THE PASTBig farms, lots of dairies and cows, and a tight-knit community.

That was Fairfax County, and not too long ago.

You can peek into history and step,carefully we advise, into the shoes ofearly 20th century dairy farm fami-

lies through a new interactive, multi-mediaexhibit at Frying Pan Farm Park’s Visitor Center.“Dig into the Past,” which opened in June,shepherds you into the life of a Floris com-munity farm in the 1930s. It was a time whenfarms depended heavily on family andcommunity to survive. Frying Pan HistorianYvonne Johnson calls the exhibit “a blueribbon showcase for the community stories.”

The exhibit is a great opportunity for thepre-television generation to hook up withthe social media generation and comparetales of “how we did it” with tweets of “howwe do it.”

The exhibit takes you through the stepsof moo-ving milk from the cow to the

Phyllis Coates-O’Neill, 88, looks at Frying Pan’s new exhibit, which includes a photoof her in sixth grade.

The Frying Pan Visitors Center, a converted 1890s dairy barn, houses the new exhibit, “Dig into the Past.”

Fall 2009 7

H I S T O R Y / S T E W A R D S H I P

market, a process of long hours, heavy cans,boxes and bottling. Family members allplayed key roles in a farm’s success, and theduties of family members are detailed.Everyone had jobs, from the five-year-oldwho cleared the dining room table and theten-year-old who helped milk cows to thewife who ran the house and the husbandwho marketed the farm’s products.

The items in the exhibit that help show-case seasonal life on the farm range fromearly 20th century milk pails and washtubsto videos on a 21st century high-definitionscreen. Along the way, you’ll learn the properuse of the words cow, bull, calf and cattle,and you’ll learn there’s a lot more to gettinga glass of milk than just opening the refrig-erator door.

The exhibit portrays the common man’shistory in Fairfax County. “People who makehistory seldom recognize the significance ofit while they’re doing it,” said Frying PanFarm Park Manager Tawny Hammond at theexhibit opening. That’s certainly true of 88-year-old Phyllis Coates-O’Neill, who was onhand for the exhibit ribbon-cutting ceremony

Did you know that membership in the Friends of Frying Pan Farm Park is free?

http://fryingpanpark.org/

Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova (fifth from left) is joined by other countyofficials and dignitaries for the ribbon-cutting ceremony at Frying Pan Farm Park’s newexhibit, “Dig into the Past.”

Learn about cows and the marketing of their milk at Frying Pan’s new exhibit.

75 years after she attended the Floris com-munity school. Her sixth-grade class photo,now a piece of the park’s history, is on displayin the exhibit.

Hunter Mill Supervisor Catherine Hudginsnoted that the exhibit connects people toboth history and themselves if they recog-nize what is in it. “It gives you time to justrelax and breathe and enjoy,” she said.

So come take a breather by visiting thenew exhibit at Frying Pan Farm Park, andtake a moment for a reminder of who andwhat we were.

Dairy farms were a major part of FairfaxCounty in the early 1900s.

8 ResOURces www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/resources

R E S O U R C E P R O T E C T I O N

Before there were Blue and Red states,there were Blue and Gray ones.

The Civil War Sesquicentennial is coming.Fairfax County will mark the 150th anniversaries of localwar events from 2011 through 2015. There’s informationabout preparations online at www.virginiacivilwar.org.

Dispersing StewardshipLike Pollen

The newest addition to theFairfax County Park Authority’sstewardship brochures is noth-ing to sneeze at. Learn whatmakes every flower unique bypicking up the Pollen brochureat a county RECenter, naturecenter or historic site.

Explore our WebsiteYou love the outdoors and want to reduce your carbon footprint.

You want to know how to be a good steward of the environment and to learn about county parks and nature.WE’VE GOT A WEBSITE FOR YOU!

You’ll find an inventory of Civil War sites that are inFairfax County at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/

resources/civilwarinventory.pdf.

Some of the pages on the Fairfax CountyPark Authority website may surprise you.Come explore them.

Go to www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/ andtype the keywords listed below into theSearch box.

Did you know that you can find biking, jog-ging, equestrian, nature and hiking trail mapsonline? Keyword: “Trail Map”

How many have you seen? Download andprint a checklist of 191 species of birds that

have been observed in Riverbend Park.Keyword: “Bird Checklist”

Learn about the Accotink Creek watershed,the effect of storm runoff on Lake Accotinkand the Chesapeake Bay, and about the smallsteps you can take to make our water cleaner.Keyword: “Accotink the Bay”

RememberingtheCivil War

See the other stewardship brochures at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/resources/stewardshipbrochures.htm

You can check an immature or femaleRed-winged Blackbird off your list ifyou see one of these.

There’s a page called Worms! It’s all about,well, worms! Keyword: “Worms”

All back issues of ResOURces are online.Keyword: “Resources Newsletter”

Colvin Run Mill’s website has a puzzle forkids. Keyword: “Kidz”

Everything you wanted to know about Farm-ers’ Markets. Keyword: “Farmers Markets”

Explore farmers’ markets online.

County trail maps are online.

Fall 2009 9

V O L U N T E E R I N G

Think or DoYou’ve thought about volunteering. Maybe you’re not sure what youcould do. There are plenty of opportunities in Fairfax County parks,where volunteers gave over 196,000 hours of time in Fiscal Year 2008.

There’s likely something in the parks you’ll love to do, and it couldeven be your idea and your dream job.

Check our website for volunteer opportunities.www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/volunteer.htm

After almost 200 years, a late Federal-period looking glass haswound its way back to Sully Historic Site, the former home ofRichard Bland Lee. Records indicate the mirror was owned bythe family of Northern Virginia’s first congressman. Its where-abouts were unknown until a gentleman from South Carolinapurchased it recently at auction and donated it to the Park Authority.

You can see the mirror, and see yourself in it as the Lee familydid, in the parlor at Sully Historic Site. You can see it online atwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/sullymirror.htm.

Fishing in County ParksThe Spring/Summer issue of ResOURces carried an article about fishing in county waters,including such flood control lakes as Braddock, Huntsman, Mercer, Royal and Woodglen.Be aware that there is no public access to Lake Braddock as there is at the other lakes.

Volunteers make thingshappen in the parks.

Here are some of the things our volunteers do:

❦ Teach about county heritage

❦ Care for animals

❦ Help with archaeological digs

❦ Lead nature programs

❦ Preserve history

❦ Cultivate park gardens

❦ Protect natural resources

❦ Write

❦ Sing

❦ Help others stay fit

❦ Manage golf play

❦ Greet park visitors

❦ Beautify park grounds

❦ Office operations

❦ Teach swimming

See a need? Want to help? Contact a park manager and proposean idea or ask what needs to be done — or call 703-324-8750.

A Reflection of HistoryMost mirrors reflect what is.This one reflects what was.

10 ResOURces www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/resources

R E S O U R C E P R O T E C T I O N

Look What One Person Can Do!Teri Tucker eliminated over 60% of the unwanted mail at her Park Authority office.

In the spring of 2008, Frying Pan Farm Parkadministrative assistant Teri Tucker waslooking for a stewardship project she

could, in her words, “do in my little corner.”Unwanted mail caught her attention. Sheasked staff to put all junk mail in a box forher with an X through the address label.

Tucker contacted the vendors who weresending the unwanted mail and asked thatthey remove Frying Pan from their mailinglists and that they not share or sell the site’sinformation. She tracked the results, and thechart below shows that her efforts are pay-ing off.

By the end of the junk mail project’s firstyear, she’d reduced unwanted mail at FryingPan by 30 pieces and almost seven poundsper month. That’s a 61% drop in the num-ber of unwanted mailings and a 66% dropin material weight.

New Rain Garden Guide AvailableHad enough rain this year? Put a little of that water to good use.Make life, your landscape and the environment a little betterwith a rain garden.

Learn how to plan, design, build and maintain one with the new booklet, Rain GardenDesign and Construction: A Northern Virginia Homeowner’s Guide. It’s free and availablefrom the Park Authority’s Resource Management Division in the county’s Herrity Building,Suite #936, 12055 Government Center Parkway in Fairfax. It’s also available through theNorthern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District and at special events.

The guide is online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/nvswcd/raingardenbk.pdf.

You can see rain gardens at Riverbend Park, Green Spring Gardens, Hidden Oaks NatureCenter and in other county parks.

Teri Tucker with the 81 pounds and 486pieces of junk mail Frying Pan Farm Parkreceived during the first year of her junkmail project.

Photo by Tawny Hammond

This graph shows how the number ofunwanted pieces of mail at Frying Pan FarmPark declined during each quarter of thejunk mail project’s first year.

Tucker said her time commitment to theproject was minimal, “maybe a half-hourweekly, and not every week.”

How about you at your home or office?Looking for a way to be a good steward ofresources? Start a junk mail project!

Time Frame Pieces PoundsReceived Received

Mid April 2008 – 174 36.6July 2008

August 2008 – 159 21.0October 2008

November 2008 – 85 11.2January 2009

February 2009 – 68 12.3Mid May 2009

JUNK MAIL SUMMARY200 ________________________________________

180 ________________________________________

160 ________________________________________

140 ________________________________________

120 ________________________________________

100 ________________________________________

80 ________________________________________

60 ________________________________________

40 ________________________________________

20 ________________________________________

0 ________________________________________1 2 3 4

Approximate Quarter

174

36.6

159

21

85

11.5

68

12.3

Pieces of Mail

Pounds of Mail

Fall 2009 11

Signs of Good Work in the ParksS T E W A R D S H I P / L E A D E R S H I P

BIKING continued from page 1

Kathy Frederick, the Park Authority’sInvasive Management Area volunteercoordinator, received a Director’sLeadership Award from Park Author-ity director John Dargle for her com-mitment to the annual Volunteer Fest.

The Park Authority’s handbook aboutinvasive plants has won a top-levelAward of Excellence in the 2009Communicator Awards sanctioned bythe International Academy of theVisual Arts.

The Non-native Invasive ID andControl guidebook is available atFairfax County Park Authority naturecenters for $9.95 plus tax or by phoneat 703-324-8580.

Colvin Run Mill’s Mason Maddox isone of the first three people in thecountry to complete the millertraining program sponsored by theSociety for the Preservation of OldMills. Over the past three years,Maddox has been involved in a cur-riculum of history, interpretation,power sources, food productionand professional standards ofoperation for historic gristmills.

On The Web:Bike trail guidelines and major county trails: www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/bikes2a.htm

The county’s bicycle page of maps and information: www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fcdot/bike/

Burke Lake trails and trail map: www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/burkelake/burketrails.htm

Browse for county biking classes: www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes.htm

Park signs and how to find your way around the parks: www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/TrailManagement/trailmanagement.pdf.

Commuting by bicycle: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fcdot/bike/bikecommute.htm

Major Bicycle TrailsBURKE LAKE PARK BICYCLE TRAIL — Lakeside trail, 4.68 miles, gravel. Entrance fee for non-FairfaxCounty residents on weekends and holidays, March – November. Call 703-323-6601 for more information.

ACCOTINK CREEK TRAIL — Stream valley trail, 2.5 miles of gravel and asphalt from Arlington Blvd/Rt.50(0.8 miles east of Fairfax Circle) to King Arthur Road. Plans call for this trail to be extended to complete acontinuous trail link to the Wakefield Accotink Trail system south of Little River Turnpike.

WAKEFIELD PARK/LAKE ACCOTINK PARK TRAIL — Gravel trail, 5 miles, extending from the north side ofWakefield Park at Little River Turnpike/Rt. 236 to Highland Street just south of the park. Call Lake AccotinkPark (703-569-3464) or Wakefield Park (703-321-7081) for information.

HOLMES RUN TRAIL — Stream valley trail, 1.3 miles, gravel and asphalt. From Annandale Road (at the endof Hockett Street) to Sprucedale Drive (near Sleepy Hollow Road).

LONG BRANCH TRAIL — Stream valley trail, 1.0 mile, gravel. From Braddock Road at Wakefield ChapelRoad to Queen Elizabeth Blvd. (across from Candace Lane).

SUGARLAND RUN TRAIL — Stream valley trail, 2.2 miles, asphalt bikeway. From Sugarland Road southwardto Herndon Town line and Runneymead Park.

SOUTH RUN TRAIL — Stream valley trail, 1.6 miles, asphalt bikeway. From Burke Lake dam southward,crossing Lee Chapel Road, leading to South Run RECenter.

CUB RUN TRAIL — Stream valley trail, 2.1 miles, asphalt bikeway. From Rt. 29 northward to Honsenna Drive.

Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride. 

– John F. Kennedy

and walk your bike. Bikes can scarehorses and make them bolt.

The county offers a variety ofclasses to help bicyclists get a betterfeel for their wheels. Check ParkTakesfor classes on fitness, BMX andmountain biking.

Still not sure whether biking isright for you? You can get a taste ofthe sport without making a majorinvestment by renting a bike at LakeAccotink. Call the park for details at703-569-3464.

Park Authority Director John Darglepresents a Director’s LeadershipAward to IMA Volunteer CoordinatorKathy Frederick.

Mason Maddox inhis element atColvin Run.

Laurel Hill Golf Club is ranked#15 in Golfweek magazine’s listof the top 50 municipal golfcourses in the United States.

12 ResOURces www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/resources

S U B S C R I B E ! H I S T O R I C P R O P E R T I E S

SOMETHING SIMPLE YOU CAN DOTO BE A GOOD STEWARD:

Skip the car ride.Walk or ride your bike to get there.

PRST STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDPERMIT 45FAIRFAX VA

12055 Government Center ParkwayFairfax, Virginia 22035-1118

A Fairfax County, Va., publication

EQUAL ACCESS/SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONSThe Fairfax County Park Authority is committed to equal access

in all programs and services. Special accommodations will be providedupon request. Please call the ADA/Access coordinator at 703-324-8563,at least 10 working days in advance of the date services are needed.

ADA/Access Coordinator 703-324-8563 • TTY 703-803-3354www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/ada.htm

p

HISTORIC PROPERTIESRENTAL SERVICES❑ Please enter my FREE subscription to RESOURCES.

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Tell us what you’d like to read about!

MAIL TO: Resources/RMD, Suite 93612055 Government Center Parkway • Fairfax, VA 22035-1118or: subscribe through our website atwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/resources

Apt. #

❑ Nature centers

❑ Local history

❑ Kids’ projects

❑ Hiking

❑ Birds

❑ Archaeology

❑ Events

❑ Historic sites

❑ Gardening andhorticulture

❑ What else?

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The Other Government Stimulus PlanStimulate someone to visit a park!

For costumed or contemporary weddings, family reunions,meetings or any gathering, rent one of Fairfax County’s beautifulhistoric properties.

Cabell’s Mill in Centreville ❦ Clark House in Falls ChurchDranesville Tavern in Dranesville

Great Falls Grange in Great Falls ❦ Hunter House in ViennaOld Schoolhouse in Great Falls ❦ Stone Mansion in Alexandria

Wakefield Chapel in Annandale

Call 703-938-8835 or visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/weddings.htm.

Cabell’s Mill is one of eight historic sites in Fairfax Countyyou can rent for any social occasion.