Chris spends his time photographing and taking video of wildlife and nature. He spent 2 years in high school studying forestry (Gainesville, FL) and is currently studying to be an Advanced Master Naturalist at the University of Florida. His mission is to inspire others to get outside and learn.
This is information on my hike to the Bull Run Mountain historical remains. This mountain has a ton of history and I wanted to hike up and document as much as I could. I was surprised at how much is left from all of these years. Here’s what I found… Chapman’s (Beverly) Mill Chapman’s Mill…
The Seneca Stone Cutting Mill was built in 1868 and was used to cut stone for the Baltimore and Washington, DC area. The mill was in operation until 1901. It’s noted that the mill cut stone for the following C&O Canal Locks: 9 11 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25,…
Park Information Patowmack Canal & Matildaville Trail Map Great Falls National Park Home Page Address Great Falls National Park 9200 Old Dominion Drive Mclean, VA 22102 Hours 7am – Sunset Entrance Fee $10.00 The Patowmack Canal Trail is located in the Great Falls National Park at 9200 Old Dominion Drive Mclean, VA. There is a…
Park Information Matildaville Trail Map Great Falls National Park Home Page Address Great Falls National Park 9200 Old Dominion Drive Mclean, VA 22102 Hours 7am – Sunset Entrance Fee $10.00 The Matildaville Trail is located on the Virginia side of the Potomac River in Great Falls National Park, located at 9200 Old Dominion Drive Mclean,…
Park Information Catoctin Mountain Wolf Rock Trail Map Catoctin Mountain Park Home Page Address Catoctin Mountain Park 6602 Foxville Road Thurmont, MD 21788 Hours Sunrise – Sunset Entrance Fee Free Wolf Rock is a summit located in Catoctin Mountain Park. The park is located at 6602 Foxville Road Thurmont, MD. There is no fee to…
Park Information Cunningham Falls State Park Trail Map Cunningham Falls State Park Home Page Address Cunningham Falls State Park 14039 Catoctin Hollow Road Thurmont, MD 21788 Hours 8am – Sunset (April to October) 10am – Sunset (November to March) Entrance Fee $5.00 I found a great hike at Cunningham Falls State Park located at 14039…
Park Information Bull Run Mountain Trail Map Bull Run Mountain Conservancy Home Page Address Bull Run Mountains Conservancy 17405 Beverley Mill Drive Broad Run, VA 20137 Hours 8am – Sunset Entrance Fee Free The trail head for Bull Run Mountain is located at 17405 Beverley Mill Drive, Broad Run, VA 20137. There is no admission…
While hiking in Green Swamp, FL, I came across an old abandoned mining area. It was called Maynard Mine and was owned by Maynard Ventures Five, Inc. of Sumter County Florida. This mine, in particular, would mine for limestone. Remains At The Maynard Mine A dugout hole near a miner’s camp where I’m guessing they…
While hiking the Manassas National Battlefield Park through what used to be called Pittsylvania (1765), I found an old cemetery from the late 1800s deep in the woods along the trail. It’s called the Carter Family Cemetery and it contains over 70 members of the Carter family. The last burial was in 1903. There are…
While hiking the Manassas National Battlefield Park, I found a small cemetery with a plate that read “Hooe Family Cemetery.” It only had one headstone in it. The headstone read: Bernard Hooe SR Prince William County Militia VA Rev War 1740 – 1825 From what I have read, Bernard was the son of Howson Hooe,…
While hiking the Manassas National Battlefield Park, I came up on a two-story stone house from the Civil War. It was constructed in 1848 and was a hospital for Union soldiers during both the First and Second Battles. The Stone House is managed by the National Park Service today and is listed on the National…
The Henry House is located on the Manassas National Battlefield Park. The house was owned by Dr. Isaac Henry and he lived here with his family during the First and Second battle of the Civil War. On July 21, 1861, Judith Carter Henry (Widow of Dr. Isaac Henry) was in the home with her two…
The Robinson House is located on the Manassas National Battlefield Park. It sits at the bottom of Henry Hill and was built by James Robinson. James was a free African American and built the house. The house was built by James in the 1840s. The house survived both the First and Second battles of Bull…
The Groveton Confederate Cemetery is located just down the road from the Manassas National Battlefield Park on Route 29 (Lee Highway). The cemetery was established in 1867 and it holds 266 soldiers that were killed in both first and second battles in Manassas. The cemetery is maintained by the National Park Service. When I hiked…
Park Information Alafia River State Park Trail Map Alafia River State Park Home Page Address Alafia River State Park 14326 South County Road 39 Lithia, FL 33547 Hours 8am – Sunset Entrance Fee $5.00 Alafia River State Park is located at 14326 S. County Road 39, Lithia, FL 33547 in Hillsborough County. There is a…
Park Information Alderman’s Ford Regional Park Trail Map Alderman’s Ford Regional Park Home Page Address Alderman’s Ford Regional Park 9625 Canoe Launch Road Lithia, FL 33547 Hours 7:30am – 5:30pm Entrance Fee $2.00 Alderman’s Ford Regional Park is located at 9625 Canoe Launch Road, Lithia, FL 33547 in Hillsborough County. There is a $2 entrance…
Park Information The Yearling Trail Map The Yearling Trail Home Page Address The Yearling Trail Latitude: 29.24513 Longitude: -81.64846 Hours Sunrise – Sunset Entrance Fee Free About The Book The Yearling, a book written in 1938 by Majorie Kinnan Rawlings, was a best seller in 1939 and won a Pulitzer Prize the same year and…
Cummer Sons Cypress Company bought up swamp land and named it Cumpressco in Central Florida in 1922. They built a mill (800+ workers) that was the most modern at the time by running on electricity. Their goal was to remove the large cypress trees in the Central Florida swamps and use a railroad to ship…
It looks like an old field never mowed, but deep in the Central Florida woods, you’ll find an old abandoned (1945) Army airstrip. It’s called the Withlacoochee Army Airfield and it was built in 1942 and was designed for chemical weapons testing. It was used by the Chemical Warfare Service Unit (Stationed at Dugway Proving…
You never know what you’ll find while out hiking off trails. This day, I came up on an abandoned Florida tractor. It may be old, rusty and abandoned but just imagine the history that goes along with it. Love finding items like these in the wild. Just wish I knew the story of it’s past….
Christopher