Breathe in the fresh air as we embark on a journey through Horsepen Run Stream Valley Park. This modest stream winds through Northern Virginia. It flows through Loudoun and Fairfax Counties. Locals sometimes call it Horsepen Creek.
Horsepen Run Trail offers a simple escape. It is nestled in Oak Hill between the Dulles Toll Road and Interstate-66. The paved trail runs alongside the creek for about 1.5 miles.
Now I want you to know there aren’t stony crags or waterfalls here. Some might say this area is featureless. Dulles Airport is a significant sight nearby. But Horsepen Run provides a calming natural respite.
Our walk begins near Lake Shore Drive. It is just off Centreville Road in Floris. Entering from Centreville Road look for a paved path. It goes into the woods on the right. You can park along the curb. The path dips then climbs over small humps. Soon we will pass over a tributary of Horsepen Run.
After about a quarter of a mile the path edges toward the creek. Horsepen Run ripples at a quick pace here. Fairfax County Parks provides information about riparian buffers. Look for it about 100 yards into our hike.
Around 4/10 of a mile the level trail splits. A playground and picnic tables are on the left. We will stay right. We’ll follow the path around a bend to the first creek crossing. Sixteen concrete stepping stones assist us here.
Beyond this the Horsepen Run Trail bears sharply left. We’ll pass a dense pine grove on the right. A short wooden bridge is coming up ahead. A little over a half-mile from the start the path climbs. It rises about 15 feet above the Horsepen Run drainage. A clear meadow is visible up the hill on the right.
At three-quarters of a mile the trail returns to creek level. We’ll cross Horsepen Run again. This is perhaps the prettiest part. The water glistens in the sun. A small bamboo stand is visible to the right. At the next fork bear right. We will pass through a tunnel under McLearen Road. It’s dark but still light enough.
Just past McLearen Road the trail crosses Horsepen Run a final time. We’re again in the full sun here. At 9/10 of a mile an access trail enters from the right. An interesting wayside maps out the watersheds of Fairfax County. This is the Horsepen Creek watershed. It flows into Broad Run and eventually the Potomac River.
For the next quarter mile the trail runs straight. The creek narrows on the left. Two-story houses are on the right. At 1.2 miles Horsepen Run naturally dams up. A spur trail crosses the creek heading left. We will stay right. We’ll pass behind a yellow bench. Soon the paved path thins. It becomes about two-thirds its original size. It remains level as it bears southeast. Stay left at the next trail fork.
The noise of Fairfax County Parkway grows louder. The Horsepen Run Trail ends abruptly. We’re now 1.5 miles from Lake Shore Drive. A social trail continues down to the creek. Continuing onward is discouraged. The underpass below the Parkway is dark damp long and cramped. There isn’t rewarding scenery ahead.
So, we will turn around here. We will return the way we came. The three-mile round-trip takes about 1 to 1.5 hours. This depends on our pace. Much of the path is wheelchair-accessible. The three creek crossings are not.