1: First Landing State Park, the Rainbow Swamp
Details
What a fun 1st hike to start off our trail quest!
After a brief potluck lunch to meet new friends, we'll head off on the short 1.8 mile Bald Cypress Trail in hopes of seeing the magical "Rainbow Swamp". Then we'll take the Cape Henry trail around the park (6.1 miles) and enjoy views of the Atlantic and Chesapeake Bay, sandy dunes and maritime forests! (And yes, if you only want to do the first trail with us - you can do that.)
LUNCH: I will bring assorted sandwiches (& paper towels), based on the number of RSVPs. Please bring a side to share (chips, nuts, granola bars, fruit, etc.). Nothing fancy - we will be eating with our hands, no plates or silverware. Bonus points if they are things we can take with us to munch on during our hike. Drinks will be BYOB.
HIKE: Expect to walk about 8miles. This journey is not intended to be a race, but we do need to be out of the park by dark, so we will expect to be moving at 2-2.5 miles per hour (this is a typical walking pace for most healthy adults). See the trail map here.