PRCS to unveil name and branding for Linear Parks and Trails System

Loudoun County Parks, Recreation and Community Services will launch a new name and logo for the Linear Parks and Trails System, an interconnected, countywide greenways and blueways trail system during the Loudoun County Parks, Recreation and Open Space Board meeting on Thursday, Oct. 10, at 5:30 p.m. The name and branded signage will officially be unveiled at Loudoun County’s newest trail at Heron Overlook Park, located at 20570 Heron Overlook Plaza in Ashburn.

The public is invited to attend, and the unveiling will include a short, guided hike along the approximately 1.5-mile loop trail that traverses several tributaries and wetland habitats. The trail is highlighted by cedar, pawpaw and white oak trees and native coralberry shrubs.

Heron Overlook Park will be the first park to utilize the new signage and trail markers that are designed to provide clear and informative guidance to visitors.

The trail at Heron Overlook Park is part of the Linear Parks and Trails plan to build an interconnected trail system that protects natural and cultural resources, honors Loudoun County’s unique sense of place, and connects residents to each other and to the county’s parks and natural and cultural landscapes.

In June 2024, the Loudoun PRCS Trails Program team opened a new trail segment within Goose Creek Pointe that includes a 1.3-mile trail loop with views of Goose Creek and its wildlife. The total out-and-back loop begins at Edgar Tillet Memorial Park and includes 3.25 miles of trail, passing through three different parks, including parts of Reservoir Park operated by NOVA Parks. Goose Creek Pointe Park is accessed only at the trailhead and parking area at nearby Edgar Tillett Memorial Park, located at 21561 Belmont Ridge Road in Ashburn.

The LPAT plan was approved by the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors in July 2021 and will ultimately provide an interconnected, countywide linear parks and trails system. The LPAT plan offers a roadmap for the county and its partners to build out an interconnected system that protects natural and cultural resources, honors Loudoun County’s unique sense of place, and connects residents to each other and to the county’s natural and cultural landscapes, communities, and destinations. The plan seeks to provide multi-use experiences along its corridors for hikers, walkers, nature enthusiasts, runners, equestrians, cyclists, and canoe and kayak paddlers.

The comprehensive trails system will provide a variety of functions and benefits, including recreation, alternative transportation, wildlife habitat and corridors, water quality protection, flood hazard reduction, aquifer recharge, erosion prevention, property value enhancement, economic development, and scenic beauty. The braided trail network will link established routes throughout the county including the Washington and Old Dominion Trail and the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail.

Survey and Community Workshops

In September 2023, Loudoun County PRCS began working with a professional branding agency and launched a community driven survey and workshops seeking guidance to identify values to contribute to the naming and branding of the trails system.

For more information on the Linear Parks and Trails System, visit loudoun.gov/linearparksandtrails.