Sweet Run State Park

With the forecast calling for a fairly nice day on Saturday, let’s take advantage of this late winter thaw and get outside before Old Man Winter comes back. Sweet Run State Park in western Loudoun County, Virginia – less than 10 minutes from Harpers Ferry – opened in 2023 as Virginia’s newest state park. It offers a quieter, nature-focused experience centered on rolling meadows, forested trails, creek crossings and gentle ridge scenery. The park’s trails wind through historic farm landscapes and natural habitats, giving hikers a mix of open Blue Ridge views, shaded woodland paths and scenic streamside sections. The large trail network provides a lot of different hiking options. Our hike will be about 5-7 miles in length with some elevation change and possible stream crossings (note that we can choose alternate routes if a stream crossing is impassable).

For carpooling, we will meet at the Forest Glen Metro Kiss & Ride lot at 8:45 a.m. for a 9:00 departure (we’re meeting at Forest Glen to avoid the single-tracking and reduced frequencies this weekend on the western branch of the Red Line). Parking at the trailhead is limited so participating in the carpool is encouraged. We will make a brief pit stop at Sheetz en route and arrive at the trailhead by 10:15. Hiking boots are recommended for this hike as there are some stream crossings (see note in previous paragraph). Dress appropriately for the conditions and bring water, lunch and sunscreen. You may also want to bring an extra pair of shoes to change into after the hike. There will be an optional stop at the nearby Harpers Ferry Brewing Company – an Adventuring favorite – afterwards. The Adventuring trip fee is $5 and carpool passengers should be prepared to pay $14 to their driver (this includes $3 for the parking fee which is $10 per vehicle – unless someone has a Virginia State Parks pass). We’ll aim to be back by no later than 5:00 p.m.

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