Claude Moore Park, Sterling

2:35P.M. for 18 minutes

16 April 2017

Claude Moore offers a nice variety of amenities: grassy fields for kids to run around in, a covered area for grilling, a pond, several sports fields, and a long hiking trail.

The trail winds through quiet woods, with never a sign of civilization. While a few paths criss-cross near the entrance, you'll soon settle into a long trail that would take a good hour to follow, crossing the quiet Vestals Gap Road (watch out for traffic) into a wooded area that is nevertheless closer to housing developments.

Multiple low spots on the trail get muddy very easily, so you'll typically want to come to Claude Moore during dry spells, like this one. The trail is flat and curves easily; I even passed a family with a stroller.

Unfortunately, many path intersections are poorly marked (if at all), so it's easy to get a little turned around. It's hard to get truly lost, but you may want to keep to the right or the left consistently as you explore.