This trail starts in Fairfax County from Fountainhead Regional Park and extends for 18 miles passing through other parks such as Hemlock Overlook Regional Park and past Bull Run Marina to Bull Run Regional Park. I have run there twice now, still never covering the entire trail. As usual, I picked the harder direction each time. I was assured that "the trail leveled off" shortly after I turned around on both trips.

The first time I started from Fountainhead (off Route 123 south of Burke Lake) with an intrepid group of first-time marathoners and trail runners. This was to be their longest run to date in preparation for the Marine Corps Marathon. My plan was just a two hour run. The run’s organizer had hoped we could give water bottles to our personal Gunga Din on a bicycle, who would venture out and plant them at designated intervals. However, she got stopped by the rangers, since they do not allow bicycles on this trail. (There is a separate mountain bike trail from this park). Most of the trail is well marked, with a few choices, at least two points of this end of the trail. Either choice got you to where you were going. The plan for the day was to include regular walking breaks, especially for those going up to 20 miles. Definitely not a problem. The trail provided challenging enough terrain that you could choose to walk at regular intervals, even if you had not planned it! Mercifully, there were enough runable surfaces between climbs that it worked out well. I never made it as far as Bull Run Marina before turning back (which is where they tell me the trail levels off). They also tell me that there are facilities (water, restrooms) at the Marina. Those of us who ran less mileage got water for ourselves and gathered the abandoned water bottles into a truck. We headed out on the roads for a place we could reach the trail. I think the other runners thought we were mirages, but did partake of the offerings. We also carted a few of them back in the truck (fatigue mostly). At the run’s end we had one swollen ankle and a few blisters and lots of sore, tired muscles. The consensus was that this run turned out to be harder than the actual marathon a few months later.

The next time I went to these trails, I met with The Virginia Happy Trails Club at Hemlock Overlook Regional Park (approximately the halfway point on the trail). Again, we avoided the Bull Run Marina segment, this time heading northwest. They informed me that they staged the Bull Run 50 miler from this area, and that we were doing one segment of the figure-eight course, (the HARDER segment). Shortly after beginning, we were required to cross a stream with stepping stones most of the way. I tried not to get my feet wet. Moot exercise . . . more mud and streams were to follow, and I quickly resigned myself to just plowing through them (and enjoying it!). We broke into smaller groups due to pace, and it was easy to see your footing and the trail markings. That is, until two of us decided to turn back. There is development impinging upon the park, and we ended up missing a sharp turn across a creek to follow a blazed trail for trucks. We soon figured it out, and retraced our steps, providing ourselves with a few extra hills (just what we needed!). When starting from Hemlock Overlook, you need to be alert to the turnoff to that park, since it diverges from the main trail. Yep, you guessed it. We missed that one too. Again they informed me that "just past the point you turned around" the trail got easier for a long stretch. Oh well. I guess the moral of the story is, always run farther than I do, and you will find the easy paths.

Barring the complaints of the first-timers, I feel this trail is one of the more challenging, but easy to follow trails around. You can reach it from several different locations, making it feel like a different run each time. There are facilities (I am told) at the Marina and at the parking area at Fountainhead, but otherwise it is a bring-your-own water and PowerGel type of run. Taking the novices’ comments to heart, it probably is not the place to initiate both your longest run and first trail run together. Take it in smaller doses, get used to the terrain and trail running overall, and this could be a delightful experience. Much of the park’s parking areas close during the winter, but the trails are still open and the Park Police welcome adventurers.

Overall, I give this Park System a "4" MUDDY SHOES RATING.