Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship (BRCES)

The Appalachian foothills of northwest Loudoun County are full of surprises. One such surprise is the Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship (BRCES) (map). It's a unique natural area with an interesting story - the 900 acre property is privately owned by the environmentally-supportive Leggett Foundation. The foundation has opened the Blue Ridge Center to the public - operating it as both an outdoor recreation playground and an environmental classroom.

Blue Ridge Center trail sign on the Farmstead Loop

For the Birds

The protected forest landscape of the Blue Ridge Center is a hotspot for birds and birders. Joe Coleman of the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy (LWC) delivers the BRCES lowdown on all things bird-related. Equipped with a list of 130+ identified birds, Joe leads early morning bird walks on the fourth Saturday of each month. For those without the luxury of an expert guide, the Blue Ridge Center developed the Birds of the Ridge Trail - a self-guided trail complete with a series of educational interpretive plaques.

Hiking the Blue Ridge Center

Perhaps birding is not your bag - what does the Blue Ridge Center offer if you do not share a passion for yellow-bellied sapsuckers? The Blue Ridge Center's nine miles of natural surface hiking trails, designed as a series of manageable loops, satisfies hikers uninitiated to the "Aves" class. With your map in hand, link up some loops, starting with the Farmstead, for your preferred mileage.

Farmstead Loop (1.3 miles): Part of the self-guided birding trail - highlights include homestead ruins and trail extensions for Jonathon's Rock and the Mountain View Vista.
Little Turtle Trail (0.25 miles): The connector trail to Legacy Loop and Sweet Run Loop from the Farmstead Loop - fun bridge crossing over Piney Run.
Legacy Loop (1.2 miles): A less traveled (i.e. duck for spiderwebs) path passing Gordon Pond in the northwest corner of the park.
Sweet Run Loop (1.9 miles): A lively stream valley trail following Sweet Run - the southern portion of the trail is accessible for equestrian parking.

Park & Trail Stats: Approximately 900 acres; nine miles of natural surface trails
Map: http://www.brces.org/pdfs/BRC_map_8x11_w_contours.pdf
Administration: Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship
Donate: Donate to the Blue Ridge Center