Walking the Trails

Even after living here for two years, I am still learning about what's around Alexandria. I did know about the Mount Vernon Trail, which runs from Roosevelt Island to Mount Vernon in the green space between the George Washington Memorial Parkway and the Potomac River. I've driven past the Belle Haven Park several times, but I went there for the first time this afternoon. Dennis and I went down after lunch to walk the trail.

Lots of bicyclists ride the trail, which was designed with them in mind., but joggers and walkers also use it. For the most part everyone is respectful of everyone else on the trail. Cyclists are supposed to warn people on foot as they approach from behind. About half of those that passed us today either called out "On your left," or used a bell. Some did both. Many did not. Most of the time I could hear them coming, but once in a while one would come whizzing by unexpectedly and startle me. I'm a once and future cyclist, so I understand the issues of riding in urban areas. However, you need to respect others who use the same trails.

As we neared the Alexandria/Fairfax line we passed a piece of concrete. Or pieces. When I see things like that I wonder what was once there. An old sidewalk that once accessed the river front? Part of a front or back yard? What might be left for an archeologist to find in another two hundred years? It's also a reminder of how quickly nature retakes its ground when we abandon it. Or work with it to restore important environments.

Adjacent to the park sits the Dyke Marsh Preserve. During the early 1800s farmers tried to create grazing land by building retaining walls. Because the resulting land proved unsuitable for grazing, the marsh reclaimed the area. But that was not the end of  human impact on the marsh. For many decades in the last century companies dredged the marsh for sand and gravel, and even after the dredging stopped, erosion has continued. For 40 years federal agencies and organizations have worked to develop a plan to restore the marshlands. One of the factors that has focused renewed attention on the restoration process is the number of coastal storms that have hit the area over the past few years. Marshes serve as natural protection for coastlines.

To see the marsh you walk on the old Haul Road, which now serves as a walking trail into the area. Bicycles are prohibited, and pets must be leashed. We passed several folks with binoculars engaged in bird watching. We also saw some of the non-native invasive plants that the National Park Service and the Friends of Dyke Marsh are working to remove from the area. Lots of English Ivy, which I know first hand how difficult it is to eradicate.

At times it is hard to believe how close this is to a major urban area. Then you walk around a bend in the trail, and there's the Woodrow Wilson Bridge crossing the Potomac.

One day I hope to bike from my apartment to this area and even all the way down to Mount Vernon itself. For now, however, it's a short drive to a beautiful area for walking. I logged over 11,000 steps this afternoon.

And there's still a lot to explore.