When we were hiking on Friday on the AT, we saw a sign for the Loudoun Appalachian Trail Festival on Saturday. It was returning for its 6th year. We are only 19 miles from the quaint village of Hillsboro, down in West Virginia; it’s just up and over the Blue Ridge Mountains to get there.
I wondered how the festival would be, as I had only attended ones for the PCT out West.
We arrived a bit early, but found the free parking (located in the large field just after the second roundabout, if heading East-ish). Route 9 runs through the center of town, offering excellent crosswalks and sidewalks.
The first time I drove through Hillsboro, I was smitten with it. It has all the stone houses one could dream of looking at. It’s nestled among the fields, with the mountains behind it.
A pollinator at work in town.
The trails festival was held at the old stone school, which sits in front of the town’s elementary school. I still haven’t acclimatized to the age of the area here. In the PNW, the history of colonization is short. The 1850s are a much shorter time than the 1750s.
The place was packed with tents, full of trail resources. Every group you could think of was there, from state parks to AT groups, to even the Loudoun County trail department. Gear vendors, animal rescues (for animals such as raptors), groups for invasive plants, and native plants – it was a lot to take in, and so many great people to chat with. And a lot of food vendors – one could have had a full tummy. There was live music, and bringing chairs to sit and enjoy it was encouraged. One could make it an all-day event.
They also were shuttling hikers from the AT at Keys Gap down to enjoy a free hiker’s lunch.
My best takeaway was the binder that the PATC gave me. I had gotten into a long conversation with a great volunteer, and she asked if I was looking for more trails. Well…..DUUUHHHHHH! She warned me, “It’s a little out of date,” but that’s the thing – I like older maps and guides because you can learn how things have changed over the years in an area. And for me, for the first time in decades of hiking, EVERY hike is new to me here.
The binder is packed with trails, all featuring topo maps and information, and is printed on waterproof paper. As I read it last night, it already revealed one historical change, which then led me down a rabbit hole of online research for hours.
And….this is exactly what I needed right now. With so much to see, walk, and explore, it has rejuvenated me 100% and reignited my love of hiking in full force. On the island, I felt so tired because I had hiked the same trails over and over. I had done all the “big hikes” and didn’t have much to excite me.
Happy Kirk saw the sign at the trailhead, and we attended. It was a great way to spend some time, learning a lot more about where I now call home.
~Sarah