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Rocky Run Stream Valley Park
Fairfax County Park Authority
Centreville, VA
This trail follows Big Rocky Run bounded by Fairfax County
Parkway on the east and Ellanor C. Lawrence Park on the west.
The trail mostly consists of dirt and gravel, passing through
Greenbriar Park, which contains water, rest rooms, and sporting
fields along Stringfellow Road.
Approximate Distance: 4 to 5+ miles
Surface: About 1/2 dirt trails and 1/2 asphalt trails
Location
of trailheads
Eastern
trailhead - ADC Map 12, H-11
Western
trailhead - ADC Map 12, H-9
I would frequently run this trail when I worked in the Fair
Lakes area. The trail offers about 5 miles of shaded running,
with water stops during 3 seasons.
The eastern point of this trail starts at Fairfax County
Parkway, a few hundred yards north of the intersection with
Fair Lakes Parkway. The trailhead is not marked, but can be
found directly across from Monument Drive, which offers a
good place to park.
Along this first stretch, heading east to west, you find
flat terrain, wooded and gravel paths, and lots of shade.
You run along the southern border of the Greenbriar residential
community and begin to see homes after a while. Side paths
to the right lead you into this neighborhood.
After about 2 miles, you come to Stringfellow Road. Before
getting to Stringfellow Road, you find a stream crossing to
the left, comprised of circular, cement blocks. To enter the
back of Greenbriar Park, cross the stream and turn right the
crossing.
Otherwise, the trail continues for a short distance and exits
the woods just north of Greenbriar Park. Turn left on Stringfellow
Road and head about a hundred yards to the south to the gravel
parking lot. You can stop at the park for rest rooms and water
during most of the year.
Cross Stringfellow Road to locate a trail head marker. Follow
the gravel path marked Big Rocky Run trail system. The trail
takes you into the open for a while until you pass Poplar
Tree Elementary School on your left.
About this point, the trail turns to asphalt for a little
over 1 mile, until you get to Cabell's Mill in Ellanor C.
Lawrence Park. (Historical note: This section used to be totally
woods and swamp until about 1997. The trail system was connected
as part of a housing development project.)
Cabell's Mill, located on Walney Road, consists of several
buildings used by the Park County Park Authority. The main
building can be rented for events such as wedding receptions.
More important, the small house has a water spigot, usually
equipped with a hose, that I have used to get water.
Across Walney Road you find a small pond with a walking bridge
and small fishing piers. Cross the road and bear to the right
of the pond to an entrance into the woods and another series
of wooded, dirt trails.
 Once
a farm called Walney, Ellanor C. Lawrence Park provides several
well-maintained loop trails through shaded woods. If you wish
to add extra mileage, cross the bridge and enter the South
Loop Trail which leads to the Visitor Center.
Follow this trail either to the left or the right and follow
signs to the Visitor Center. If you bear to the left, you
run along Walney Creek. If you prefer hills, bear to the right.
Walney Visitor Center was originally a farmhouse built about
1780 and now features exhibits that detail the property's
long history of interaction between the land and its people.
In 1875, James Machen enclosed a time capsule in a small wooden
box and set it in a wall of the stone house he was expanding.
That stone house is now the Visitors Center that contains
a small nature center, rest rooms, and a water fountain. You
will also find an outdoor water fountain behind the visitor
center. For more information:
The gravel parking lot at the pond marks the western access
to this trail, but you can also park at either the Visitors
Center or Cabell's Mill.
If you wish to continue running trails to the west beyond
Cabell's Mill, follow the Big Rocky Run upstream from the
pond:
Other sources of information for this trail:
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