State of the Trail Report
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Assessment by County
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 | King George, Virginia |
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General
No existing or planned public access trails within the PHNST corridor have been identified in King George County other than those within Caledon Natural Area. There are no connecting trails existing or planned and public lands other than the natural area are small or not available for access.
Existing Trail Segments
The existing trails within the Caledon Natural Area (1) are within the PHNST corridor and provide good access to scenic and natural resources in this section of the Potomac River. Due to the presence of sensitive Bald Eagle habitat, however, there is no direct access to the water at Caledon Natural Area. The Potomac River Water Trail (2) provides views of the King George County shoreline, but no public landing points have been established.
Planned Trail Segments
Although not officially addressed in King George County plans, trail promoters envision a trail along the abandoned Dahlgren Junction Railroad (5). If developed, this trail could connect to a CSX Railroad right-of-way trail that could eventually extend through Spotsylvania County, Fredericksburg, and Stafford County. Water trail spurs are planned for Caledon Natural Area (3) and Wayside Park (4).
Issues and Concerns
The population of the county is modest, and concentrations of new development are occurring near Dahlgren and King George. There is little active interest in trail planning or designation amongst elected officials.
The Naval Surface Warfare Center and the US 301 bridge present obstacles to routing a trail along the eastern third of the county's waterfront, but more accommodating conditions occur from the bridge to the Stafford County line. A single major bay at Potomac Creek occurs at the western boundary of the county and otherwise the shoreline is low lying along the base of a bluff and clear of major physical barriers. Although the abandoned Dahlgren Junction Railroad runs west and east through King George County, it moves far from the river and crosses to the south of Virginia Route 218 (a designated Virginia Byway) near Caledon Natural Area. A trail developed along this railroad would be clearly suited as a connecting trail but may not meet the PHT criteria due to a lack of historic or river-related natural resources. A trail close to the river from Caledon Natural Area to the Stafford County line would require acquisition of right-of-way through private property for approximately 10 miles. This route would also cross numerous creeks, some of which are confined in rather steep valleys.
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