Day 1 was a great start with armoring crossings on Brushy Hollow Trail at Douthat. Brushy Hollow is one of those trails that really exude the essence of Douthat State Park. However, there’s some erosion issues and water crossings that are hazardous we like to work on when we get some much needed extra help. We then put rocks across the water crossing to help with erosion and filtration of the water as it moves across the trail corridor. This may look like easy work, but believe me, it isn’t, and it makes a big difference for the aesthetics of the trail not to mention overall water quality in Douthat’s watershed.
Day 2 was spent doing some odd projects on trails like building the stone bench and armoring other crossings that needed work. The different projects added some variation and really kept everything interesting. Douthat has lots of wonderful rockwork everywhere, so trail users have come to really appreciate details such as stone benches at scenic places on the trails.
The rest of the week we worked on projects like trail widening. Also, we rehabilitated an area of a trail that had become impassible a few years ago. The before and after of this project was really remarkable and we created a destination point on a trail that is loved by many of our mountain biking enthusiasts. The students then helped to plant over 70 large balled-and-burlap trees.
These 7 students from Boston, Mass had an impact upon Douthat State Park that will last for decades. Their selfless service to Virginia State Parks is much appreciated.
If your College or group is interested in volunteering at a Virginia State Park, please contact our volunteer office at 703-583-5497.