- Highlights: River views, wildflowers
- Distance: 2.3 miles out and back
- Elevation Change: 282 feet
- Trail Surface: Dirt
- Difficulty Level: Easy/moderate
- Trailhead Parking: Laurel Point Trailhead parking area, Route 347, State Park Road, Westmoreland State Park, park entry fee required
- Trail Markings: Orange blazes, signs at trail junctions
- Website: AllTrails and Westmoreland State Park
- Beer Pairings: Colonial Beach Brewing—Monroe Bay IPA & Redeye Coffee Brown
Trail Map:
The Hike:
Westmoreland is one of the original Virginia state parks and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The park is a great location for birdwatching. Bald eagles, ospreys, kingfishers, great blue herons, common terns, and green herons are frequently spotted in the park.
The Laurel Point Trail is well marked and well maintained. The trail passes through several large sections of mountain laurel before reaching Rock Spring Pond. The outbound hike to the river is mostly a gradual descent. The trail becomes much steeper near the river and a series of wooden steps lead down to the Potomac. The small beach is a great place to hunt for ancient shark teeth. The return climb up the steps quickly levels out as you retrace your steps back to the trailhead.
Hike Photos:
Beer Pairing:
Colonial Beach Brewing is about 20 minutes north of Westmoreland State Park. CBB is a small brewery with 12 taps of craft beer, a nice patio, and live music on weekends. They have a nice variety of food including wraps, flatbreads, salads, mezze boards, and greek food.
Kathy really liked the Monroe Bay IPA (6.4% ABV • 90 IBU), a west coast IPA brewed with Mosaic, Chinook, Cascade, and Simcoe hops. Pete’s favorite was Redeye Coffee Brown (4% ABV) an American brown ale made with cold brew coffee concentrate and served on nitro.
Hike and drink responsibly. Never drink and drive. Stay safe, be responsible, and leave no trace.