The Dan River Basin Association (DRBA) will host its First Saturday Outing (FSO) on December 2. The outing is a 4.0-mile hike at I. C. DeHart Park’s Woolwine West Trail. Participants are asked to meet at 10 a.m. near the trailhead kiosk at 2631 Charity Hwy, Woolwine.
The coordinator for the outing is Wayne Kirkpatrick, an avid hiker and DRBA volunteer.
“This is a definite moderate hike that climbs a total of about 430 feet but has great rewards,” Kirkpatrick said. “Every season of the year, this trail has a different appeal – a variety of wildflowers in the spring and summer, fall foliage and the open forest in winter.”
The park has benefited from several upgrades – it hosts one of the five Trail Hands artworks, titled Reflections, a VTC LOVE sign honoring the Mountain Biking Championship trails and a new trail head kiosk with a changing facility for mountain bikers. DRBA, the ECO Ambassador Council and a host of dedicated volunteers have been key to the improvements to the park.
All participants are asked to dress in layers of synthetic fabric, wear hiking boots, be prepared for rain and cold, bring hiking stick(s), lunch or snacks, and water, and sign a waiver.
In the event of inclement weather, check the DRBA web site by 5:00 pm on Friday, December 1, for any announcements regarding the hike.
Directions: From Virginia 8 in Woolwine, take Rt. 40 East for 2.6 miles, turn left into the park; From U.S. 220 at Bassett Forks, take Virginia 57 West to Virginia 8, turn right and follow the directions above.
For trip information, contact trip coordinator Wayne Kirkpatrick, 540-570-3511 or email wynbtyk@embarqmail.com.
Outings and meetings of the Dan River Basin Association are free and open to the public.
