Hemlock Overlook Park - Horse Circuit

The following is a description of the circuit hike at Hemlock Overlook Park. While it is difficult to get an accurate measurement, the hike is somewhere between 3.5-4 miles if you go the way I went today. There are various ways to make the hike shorter, which I will leave up to you to figure out.

Ok, Let's get started. The trailhead is here at the parking area of the park. Note: do not go past the yellow gates to park. There is plenty of parking (most times) in the outside parking area.

Trailhead

Proceed down the trail

To where the Horse Trail breaks off to your left.
Going straight will take you to the river and the Occuquan Trial. I'll show the junction in a bit 

Take the horse trail - more interesting things to see and more cardio!

Cross the stream

Up the hill

And on down the trail

Until you reach the river

There is a branch in the trail here, going left will take you south down the Occuquan trail toward Bull Run Marina. Turning right will take you down the Occuquan north, along the river (and the Hemlock Park) toward the Rt 28 parking area and eventually Bull Run Park). There is a trail at the northern most edge of Hemlock park that we will be taking to return to the parking area (thus the term 'circuit'). So head to the river.

Go past the pile of canoes and kayaks that the Adventure Links folks keep here 

The trail is really lovely along this stretch, any time of the year

Around some really cool rocks

And a Cave (no bats - can't say what else may be in there - once we saw a possibly rabid raccoon hiding there)

Eventually you will come to where the Occuquan Trail joins the trail to the paring lot (the one we didn't take) 

Heading off to your right - don't take it unless you are really tired and want to go home - it is much shorter than the trail we just took.

Go left toward the water and keep going north

Past some more rocks

Along a grassy stretch...

Until you come to the ruins on an old dam

Follow the trail around to the bottom side and you can see that there is an old part, and a really old part...

Follow the trail as it drops to it's lowest point

This is the section of the trail that will be under water when we get really bad rain

And it is perhaps the most lovely part of the park, if not the whole river

Eventually you will come to a point where the trail  splits, the left branch heads down these steps 

To the stepping stones (see the railroad there?), and 

and up the hill, to proceed out of the park and north  toward Bull Run Park

So after playing on the stepping stones, proceed back up the steps to the junction ,
take the right branch, and proceed up the hill - Cardio Time!

(Half way up the hill, looking back down)

At the top of the hill the trail branches again

If you proceed straight here, yo will go through the Adventure links area. Just follow the road which will lead you back to the parking area.

So if you want just a little more challenge take the left, and proceed  down the horse trail.

The trail winds it way back down the hill. Note the trail markers so you will stay
on the trail as it is sometimes hard to discern where it goes.

At the bottom of the hill where the trail crosses the creek is something of a mystery of nature's power

A very large tree trunk spans the creek, laying off the trail to the left. Directly ahead is a tree that is topped off (see Topped Off Tree #1 below). To the right is another large tree trunk. There is another topped off tree to the right further up the hill (see Topped Off Tree #2). This does not look right. The direction and lay of the trees does not make sense. Examine the pictures - can you say what happened? Click HERE for what I think.

Topped off Tree #1

Topped off Tree #2

Proceeding down the trail, it will appear to keep going forward - don't be fooled - it actually branches to the right!

Take the right and head (once again) uphill - More Cardio!

Coming out of the woods, you will see the Adventure Links tee-pee -
in the off season there is no cover on it, it only has the poles there... go past that..

Follow the road past the shed and old garden

Coming to the house. No one lives there as it is now  an administrative building
for the Adventure Links people. There is no need to follow the signs (unless your a horse)
Just walk up the hill to the house and the road

The road leads out to the gate in front of the winery (within sight of the parking area). The horse
trail goes along the electric lines (straight and to the right in this picture) which ends up at the parking area. I usually just take the road, as that part of the trail has long grass and I have picked up ticks on it

Thus ends one of the best hikes in Northern Virginia. I have done this hike in every kind of weather, and have never been disappointed by the experience.