Marl Creek Trail

Distance: 0.6 miles (Out and Back)

Drive Time: 18 miles/25 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Hike Time: 45 minutes

Views: Wild & Developed

* from Lexington Visitor Center, 106 E. Washington St.

DIRECTIONS

Turn left onto East Washington Street. Proceed 0.3 miles to the stoplight and turn left onto East Nelson Street. Continue 2.5 miles to I-81 and head north toward Staunton. Continue on I-81 to exit #205. At the stop sign, turn right on Raphine Road (CR 606). Travel 0.6 miles to McCormick Farm Circle and turn left. Proceed 0.4 miles to a parking area on the right.

TRAIL DESCRIPTION

From the parking area, walk toward the old mill. Walk uphill between the buildings and look for a gap in the split rail fence in front of the mill. Cross the road to the kiosk. The trail has a second kiosk on the right with information flyers.

It turns slightly to the right and makes an easy descent on a gravel path to Marl Creek. The trail crosses the creek. There is a bridge to make the crossing easier. After the crossing, the first interpretive sign is on the left. The creek is on the left as well. The forest is composed of small hardwoods, including sycamore and red cedar.

There is a right bend followed by a left bend at 900 feet. The pond is visible after the left bend. Just past the left bend,d the trail passes under a grove of stately white and red oak. There is a memorial bench to sit and enjoy the beauty. After the bench, the trail parallels the pond for several hundred feet. Along the way, look for the tree that extends out into the water. On warm days, turtles can be seen sunning themselves on the log.

There is a split in the trail on 0.25 miles with an arrow that points to the left. The forest's complexion changes with large older trees in the canopy. There is another bridge at 0.3 miles. This is followed by a hard right bend around a big white ash. There is a short, easy climb followed by a short, easy descent back to the main trail. Follow it back to the parking area.

TIPS

1. The trail winds through the scenic and historic McCormick Farm, birthplace of Virginia-born inventor Cyrus McCormick. If you're a fan of history, be sure to check out the farmhouse if you're interested in taking a glimpse into 19th-century innovation.

INSIDER'S TIPS

1. If you're looking to camp overnight before or after your hike, the Swedish Lilac Campground is a convenient and peaceful option nearby, but if you prefer a hotel stay, the Comfort Inn & Suites Raphine is just a short drive away.

KIDS IN PARKS, TRACK TRAILS

Marl's Creek is a part of Kids in Parks, which is a FREE, national program that connects families to the outdoors through hands-on exploration. Self-guided TRACK Trail activities and smartphone e-Adventures turn any outing into a fun-filled, discovery-packed adventure.

Brochures

Every TRACK Trail location is stocked with colorful, engaging brochures that offer fun, educational activities for all ages. The topics of the activities have been specially selected to help guide kids and families to the features of the trail. Some topics can be found at many different TRACK Trail locations, while others have been custom-designed to explore the unique features of the site. With dozens of activity brochures across hundreds of trails, every visit to a TRACK Trail becomes a unique adventure full of discoveries. Choose your favorite topic or try something new. Whether you want to search for wildlife, learn about plants, or burn off some energy, there's a TRACK Trail brochure for you.

E-Adeventure

Kids in Parks has converted some of our most popular TRACK Trail brochures into e-Adventures that kids can do on a smartphone or tablet. Kids can complete these e-Adventures in their backyard, schoolyard, local park, on an official TRACK Trail, or anywhere in between.

Information about the Kids in Parks trail can be found here, https://www.kidsinparks.com/ma...