Lake Anna !

Trail Running Field Trip!

Destination: Lake Anna, Spotsylvania, VA

Lake Anna State Park TRAIL MAP

My hubby and I took a perfect mini-getaway to Lake Anna this weekend with my big bro and his wifey. 36 hours of sun, sand, good food, great wine and questionable company were just what this gal needed. The pretty little 7-miler that I squeezed in with my pup was the icing on the cake.



View of Lake Anna from Glenora Trail



I've been to Lake Anna State Park a few times, but its been a while. This was our first time staying overnight, and other than a brief run-in with the PO-lice (open container law in VA, folks...and they mean it!), we had a perfect little trip.





Saturday morning was gorgeous; I couldn't wait to hit the trails. After coffee and a little Ibuprofen (dang wine) I was ready to rock. My navigational skills are iffy at best, so I harnessed up my pup, packed a trail map and hit the dirt, just as the rest of my camping crew was about to grill up a breakfast feast (fatties! haha).

The first trail I headed down was Glenora. Nice trail, with a mix of grassy areas and flat dirt-packed terrain with majestic oak and maple trees lining the path. It came to an end with an awesome view of the lake, with the morning sun shining and a few boats already cruising around.



 I tried to coax Val into the water, but she opted for the bench instead.

After a quick water break, a moment to soak in the view and contemplate jumping in the water (nah...), we headed back up the trail, in search of our next great overlook.

Next we took the Big Woods Trail to Turkey Run Trail, which popped us out at one of the trail-head parking areas. With plenty of muddy areas along the way for her to romp in, Val was a happy camper.

 

1832 Original Smokehouse, Glenora Plantation. Check out that beautiful Oak!

After a jaunt down the Sawtooth Trail, along which we saw a cool old Sawmill well site, we headed over to the paved connector-path that took us to the Railroad Ford Trail. There's so much history in and around this park and this part of the state; I was stoked to see a lot of historical markings along the sides of almost every trail.

 

The Railroad Ford Trail was my favorite of the bunch, as it winded along the bank of the lake, offering amazing views and a cool breeze.

 

 

We finished our little adventure with a quick swing around the campground. I was drooling over the thought of jumping in the lake at the sandy beach area; the July heat and humidity were starting to settle in for the day. Waving to a few little kids on scooters and spotting my hubby hanging out on the porch of our little cabin, I couldn't help but feel happy, lucky and totally ready for that breakfast feast.

Railroad Ford Trail, named for the abandoned railroad grade that it sits upon. Built in 1916, the path was built to carry lead and zinc ore from the nearby mines for use during World War I. Pretty rad, huh?

 

Lake Anna Winery. Now THAT'S what I'm talking about.