Latest / Virginia Outdoor Adventures: Hiking, Camping, Kayaking, Local Travel and more! / Virginia’s Adventure Towns: King George – Rivers, Rail Trails, and Recreation between the Potomac and Rappahannock with Jenna and Warren Veazey, Friends of Caledon State Park and Dahlgren Railroad Heritage Trail (Ep 79, Part 2)

Transcript

Virginia’s Adventure Towns: King George – Rivers, Rail Trails, and Recreation between the Potomac and Rappahannock with Jenna and Warren Veazey, Friends of Caledon State Park and Dahlgren Railroad Heritage Trail (Ep 79, Part 2) · Virginia Outdoor Adventures: Hiking, Camping, Kayaking, Local Travel and more!

• 0:00
  Jessica Bowser: Announcer, from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Chesapeake Bay, Virginia is a mecca for outdoor travel and adventure. Virginia outdoor adventures Podcast is your local guide for hiking, camping, kayaking, travel and so much more. Get the information and the inspiration to plan your own adventure right here in Virginia, I'm your host. Jessica Bowser, nestled between the Potomac and Rappahannock rivers, King George County is a destination that offers adventure on land and water. Our guests, Jenna and Warren Veazey, members of the Friends of Dahlgren railroad Heritage Trail and the friends of Caledon State Park lead us on an exploration of this Northern Neck community's hidden gems. Hike, run or cycle. The Dahlgren railroad Heritage Trail, a converted railway where you'll find everything from smooth, accessible pathways to more rugged terrain along the Dahlgren trail, you'll discover poetry on the trail, featuring works by Virginia poets paired with nature facts, inviting trail users to connect with the landscape. We'll also explore Caledon State Park, known for its old growth forests and abundance of bald eagles.
• 1:13
  Jessica Bowser: Caledon offers primitive Riverside camping, guided kayak programs and wildlife viewing.
• 1:21
  Jessica Bowser: King George provides multiple river access points for kayaking, fishing, boating and more, and when the adventure winds down, you'll find waterfront dining and local breweries and wineries serving up the best of the region Jenna and Warren. Help you plan the perfect King George weekend getaway full of natural beauty and unforgettable Potomac River sunsets. Find it all between the rivers in this Virginia adventure town. Let's go. This is part two of a two part episode. We talked earlier about campgrounds and camping at Caledon, so I think this is a good segue into talking about the other gem of King George, which is Caledon State Park. Can you describe the park for us?
• 2:06
  Jessica Bowser: Sure?
• 2:08
  Unknown: It was created in 76 I think from Mr. Smoot, she donated to the state. And at first it was a national wildlife area because of the bald eagles.
• 2:18
  Unknown: It was a very high percent, you know, I think it was 10 or more nesting bald eagles there. So for many years, it was a wildlife preserve and didn't have what you would normally expect with, you know, state parks. But just recently, with the bald eagles getting off the endangered species list, things have opened up a little bit more. So they now have the the six campsites, you know, with a two and a half mile hike down a gravel road to get to it from the visitor center. And you know, more and more things are opening up around the park for the friends group. Our big fundraiser is the first weekend in November. We have a two day art and Wine Festival events all all year round, from trunk or treats and Halloween to different races they're holding.
• 3:00
  Unknown: Obviously, all the outdoor events, fossil finding down on the Potomac, you'll find, what are they? 10 million year old shark's teeth from when the bay was under was, you know, 100 feet of water. So amazing, different things that all the people who work at the visit at the Visitor Center can help you out.
• 3:17
  Unknown: Yeah, they have a wonderful park. You were talking about the friends fundraising. For years, friends have been working towards creating a all natural children's play area, and that has been completed now for a couple of years. It's really gorgeous. All of the play structures are completely natural, and that's a really cool and unique feature of the park where you can bring your family and recreate stay off of the super hot slides of a typical play place, or the real plasticky ones. So that's that's a fun added feature of the park.
• 3:55
  Unknown: I think the Riverside camping is particularly gorgeous. It is buggy and a little humid down there, because you are right on the water. You do have a beautiful view if you walk down to the to the shore, and you can do your own fossil finding there, it's about a three mile walk, as we've covered before, or hike to get there, and you have to bring all your water with you. Another consideration that I want to make sure we mention, but it's a really, I think, a really luxurious primitive campsite. If you can put those two words together,
• 4:33
  Jessica Bowser: it is absolutely primitive camping. There's no water available down there. It's two port, a pot a potties. There are portals, yes, but otherwise, it's just six camp pads. And I camped there during our visit, and it was amazing. It was the middle of the week, and there was only one other person there on the campground, so otherwise, I had it almost completely to myself, waking up in the morning to the sound of bald. Eagles screeching overhead, and a belted kingfisher was looking for its breakfast in the swampy area, and you can hear the water. It was just lovely. I mean, we talked about how gorgeous the sunsets are, so I got to experience several while I was there. I have done the sunset paddles, and those are epic. But while I was camping there. There was a completely stunning sunset that I could see from my campsite. And there's benches there too, so you can sit on a bench right next to the water. You can walk up and down the beach and experience it. And then also Warren, you and I did some stand up paddle boarding on my last night there. Sunset was epic then too. But the campsites are fantastic, and they're huge.
• 5:42
  Jessica Bowser: They're huge campsites. And if you're just looking for that primitive backpacking experience, I think Caledon really offers something that a lot of other parks don't, because you have to hike in several miles to get to the campground. You're not going to get lots of people there like you would in other places, where you can drive your car right in.
• 6:04
  Jessica Bowser: So you get that primitive nature experience, and then, of course, pack it up and hike it all back out. So I did an episode about primitive backpacking, and these hiking campgrounds in Virginia state parks and Caledon is just a it's a really special one because of all the things I just mentioned, I think it's really unique. And and I had a great time when, when I visited,
• 6:30
  Unknown: yeah, it also has the kayak camping. And as you mentioned, I'm getting ready to try to do the kayak from the PC all the way down to the mouth, and I think it's wide water. And Masonic, or Pennsylvania, has camping too, where you can pull in off on the shore and walk right up to the campsite and you're good to go, which really helps, because it's hard to hard to unload from a kayak and having to hike a long way away to a campsite.
• 6:54
  Jessica Bowser: Yes, I'm so excited for your big adventure, Warren, you're going to have to tell me all about it when you're done, but I think it's really neat that you're taking advantage of these state parks that are on the river and paddling into camp and then paddling back out on your way again. It's really cool. Did you know your local park depends on people just like you? The Virginia association for parks connects volunteers, neighbors and outdoor lovers to support the parks we all enjoy. When you join your local friends group, you're not just giving back, you're helping to protect trails and natural resources, create educational programs and keep our outdoor spaces thriving for generations to come. Becoming a volunteer is a fun and rewarding way to meet new people, make a difference in your community and ensure that future adventurers have the same opportunities to enjoy Virginia's incredible parks. Whether you have a few hours a month or a few days a year, your time and energy can make a lasting impact. Join today, support your local park and be a part of something bigger than yourself. Visit Virginia parks.org. Or tap on Virginia association for parks in your show notes to find your local friends group and start making a difference. So for people who are planning a visit to King George, they're going to want to know about lodging, dining and attractions, and King George County has put together a weekend itinerary, which I will link in the show notes, which recommends 48 hours of unforgettable outdoor adventure in King George County. So could the two of you maybe introduce us to what a weekend in King George would look like?
• 8:36
  Unknown: So the King George has helped put together some sample itineraries for the county. We have two bed and breakfasts in the county Belle Grove plantation, which is actually the the house of our nation's fourth president, James Madison.
• 8:50
  Unknown: And then if you want to be on the Potomac side, we have a little fairy Inn. It's a lovely new house that you can also rent boats and things right on the water there. And then, in the morning, if you want, you can head over to Caledon to check all the the different trails and events we have there. We have several restaurants in the county, grand ronchetto down my dog run, galleys, cafe, Lala fusion, fusion in the center of the county. Taste the Himalaya right in the middle, also off of 301 then if you want to put in on the Rappahannock side, you can boat out of Wilmot landing or hop yard landing. And then in the afternoon, we have two wineries in the county right now, back porch winery and White White Hall winery. One near the back porch is right next to wellmont, and White Hall is right near the Mile Zero of the dog and trail. And then in the evening, if you want, you can try out Vinny Italian grill, which is right next to our, one of our two breweries, high mark two, and on Route three. And then we also have a new brewery called Creekside, which is down near the Wilmot landing.
• 9:55
  Unknown: And on your second day after you've rested and recharged, you can. Have breakfast at Uncle Dave juniors, a little breakfast spot, and then you can take yourself on the new Native American Heritage Trail, which is located in spots all over the county. They have geocaching and informative signs throughout the county. For lunchtime, you can go to the machoodic Creek Marina and cafe, or you could eat at one of the Fairview beach spots.
• 10:29
  Unknown: Tim's two both of them are really great food choices for overlooking the Potomac River, catching a little wildlife sighting while you're eating.
• 10:38
  Unknown: And then the the the afternoon, you continue doing the Native American Heritage Trail. And of course, I'm going to say, check out the dog and railroad Heritage Trail, because there is one of those locations there, and the poetry on the trail as well. And at for dinner, you can finish up at King's pizza and sip on the micro winery, two dogs wine, which is right next door to wrap up your lovely weekend getaway in King George.
• 11:10
  Unknown: This is
• 11:13
  Jessica Bowser: such a great itinerary. I used this itinerary when I was visiting and it was it was great be to actually have something to give me an idea of what I wanted to do and where to find something to eat in between. Sadly for me, I did not get to do any of the wineries because I was there in the middle of the week, and the wineries are mostly open on the weekends. But there was no place I went to eat that wasn't fantastic. So I thought that was really nice that there were great food options. We went out to dinner, a taste of Himalayan and oh my gosh. Oh, good, right?
• 11:44
  Jessica Bowser: Yeah. I mean, they obviously have won some awards for excellence, for being an excellent restaurant. And you could just tell, because even in the middle of the week, it was getting kind of busy there as the evening was going on, it's clearly a favorite of all the locals. And then also, like the the waterside dining I was really impressed with as well, which is machio de Creek, Marina and cafe. And then Tim's two.
• 12:11
  Jessica Bowser: Tims two felt like a party place to me. Weren't you two telling me that you had some like, earlier day for sure experiences? We have a Taylor Swift
• 12:25
  Unknown: story, oh my gosh, way back in the day with the aquapalooza and Taylor Swift did, in fact, as a as a young Taylor Swift, she was one of the headliners for that.
• 12:38
  Jessica Bowser: So that's so wild to me. A little local lore.
• 12:41
  Jessica Bowser: Yeah, Warren, you were telling me about it before we got there, but then you showed me the picture on the wall, and I was like, Oh my God. I mean, first of all, she's so young, but then also, like, she's playing to all these people who are floating on boats and stuff out of the water. It's like, Wait, what was Taylor Swift doing here in King George again, it's just so
• 12:58
  Unknown: wild. Played on a floating stage off the off the restaurant, Tim's, has a knot on the fourth fireworks, usually the Saturday after the fourth, and it'll be hundreds of boats anchored, and, you know, three feet of four feet of water, so people can just stand, you know, anchor the boat, stand right next to it, and then watch the fireworks. Or, you know, we were lucky that year, watched the band play. Or, you know, mini bands, and which Taylor was the headliner. It's definitely a party, party every Saturday with with boats coming down and just anchoring and hanging out on the river. And then they actually have a water taxi, a little small boat will come around and pick you up and take you to 10s or down to fairy beach Marina, let you get around and get ashore if you needed to, or probably deliver a pizza to you.
• 13:38
  Unknown: I think even to your boat,
• 13:42
  Jessica Bowser: it was certainly a unique place and beautiful as well. And I thought machota Creek Marina and cafe kind of had a little bit of everything too. Because, remember, that's where you can run kayaks and stand up paddle boards, and they have an accessible boat launch there. Looks like a lot of people launch their their boats from that area. And then, I mean, why not? Like, come off the water and have a drink, or, you know, get your lunch before you go out. And the food was excellent.
• 14:09
  Unknown: Yeah, macho de Creek has got so much to offer. They have fishing tours. It'll take start from there the summer, there's pot of dolphins. It's been coming up every year and swimming around the area, raising their babies, even a shark a couple years ago that's right under the mouth of the river, as long as the base is not shooting that day. But also, it's, you know, fairly long creek where you can paddle up and just be completely covered with, you know, you don't even see a house on this creek.
• 14:33
  Unknown: You'll just just giant trees on both sides, and, you know, otters and muskrats all over the place. It's, it's, you know, it's an amazing place just to escape and and see so much wildlife on one end, but also out to the river and seeing, you know, a two mile wide river at that point, you can choose your adventure when you when you launch from the show to
• 14:53
  Jessica Bowser: Creek. You mentioned that little ferry Inn is relatively new, and I was on their website. And it turns out they're. To be offering glamping really soon, like they've got a picture of this huge glamping tent, and it's got furniture in it, and it's like super luxurious looking, and that should be opening in the next few months. So for anybody who's looking for a unique overnight experience, I think, keep an eye on little ferry inn, because that's on its
• 15:20
  Unknown: way and that's right in between Caledon and Fairview beach. So it's a great place to be your base station and kayak down to fairy beach or down to Caledon, and, you know, do a little day trips with restaurants or hiking in between. So it's, it'll be a lovely option,
• 15:35
  Jessica Bowser: and not mentioned on this itinerary, but something that the three of us did was gardening gays,
• 15:40
  Unknown: yeah, it's this wonderful farm that's been created where they've got a market where they sell all sorts of locally sourced meat and milk products, ice cream and fresh produce, of course, and all kinds of fun stuff locally made, yes, yes. And, I mean, it is a working farm. They've got geese and chickens, and I think lambs.
• 16:10
  Jessica Bowser: Was it a baby goats or baby sheep that were, like, run, they were sheep.
• 16:13
  Jessica Bowser: Okay, I It wasn't goats too. Did I think we also saw goats, yeah, but there were, like babies that had just been bottle weaned, or something like that. So we walked up and they thought they were going to be fed, and oh my gosh, it was like an all out commotion, like babies crying everywhere. And then we heard something else, and we were like, What is that noise? And we looked under a crate, and there was, like a litter of kittens that like it just like just opened their eyes living underneath this crate, and it was just like animals everywhere. It was definitely a fun place to visit. It was fun.
• 16:46
  Jessica Bowser: Fall is here, and Virginia state parks are calling your name.
• 16:52
  Jessica Bowser: Experience the breathtaking beauty of autumn, with vibrant foliage, crisp air and endless outdoor activities, from hiking through golden forest to cozying up by a campfire, there's no better place to enjoy the season capture the magic of fall with family and friends in a stunning State Park. From the shores of the Atlantic Ocean and Chesapeake Bay to the Blue Ridge Mountains and Cumberland Gap, adventure is never far away.
• 17:19
  Jessica Bowser: Start planning your adventure by tapping on Virginia state parks in your show notes, or by visiting Virginia State parks.gov what are some of the upcoming events in King George County that folks might want to plan their visit around?
• 17:38
  Unknown: Oh yeah, we have our annual Fall Festival. We have an Oktoberfest at St Paul's church calendar, art and wine. Yeah, yeah, that's the big one. That's a two day event. And then we'll have, you know, marathons and half marathons all through the year, February, May, August and October as well. So, yeah, that's a lot of outdoor stuff.
• 17:55
  Unknown: And there's a lot of fun, crafty and old Americana fall festival and events like that.
• 18:04
  Jessica Bowser: Is the Caledon art and Wine Festival, the biggest event in King George.
• 18:06
  Jessica Bowser: I've heard that it is, oh, yeah,
• 18:10
  Unknown: we think we have said over 4000 people. Um, now, since it's a two day event, I don't think there's usually seven wineries, sometimes a brewery, and then, I don't know, 40 or 50 crafters and six or so food trucks,
• 18:24
  Jessica Bowser: and me, I was there last year for the first time.
• 18:28
  Unknown: Yeah, indeed, yeah. So it's, it's definitely the, we like to say the premiere event.
• 18:31
  Unknown: I don't want to put down anybody else's, but it's, I think it's by far the biggest festival in the county. We're trying to start a few new ones, so the Tourism Committee, uh, different other events coming up that we're trying to grow, but it is by far the premier one of the county right now.
• 18:45
  Jessica Bowser: I've been hearing about the art and Wine Festival for years, and I was so excited the last year I finally got to go, and I went as a vendor too, so I had my own tent. And the one thing I noticed right away is that you can tell this is like a huge highlight in the community for folks, because they come out in groups, and they're with their friends, and they have, like, those little, I don't know what they're called. I've never seen them anywhere else before, but they're like a knitted necklace that they can put their wine glass inside of, so that they could wear it around their neck.
• 19:15
  Jessica Bowser: And they were bringing their own. I mean, there were some vendors that were selling them, but clearly people have done this before, because they brought them back. And I was like, Where are you getting those from? I've never seen anything like it. I thought it was so funny, but also so unique. And so folks were wearing those around their necks, and they come and they make a whole day out of it.
• 19:33
  Jessica Bowser: There was live music, and you get to try different wines from the local wineries in the area.
• 19:37
  Jessica Bowser: And I love small craft vendors.
• 19:42
  Jessica Bowser: I just think it is so unique to find something that you're not going to find anywhere else, and that it's made by somebody locally. Like I love to support local artists and local businesses and local vendors. So something like the Caledon art and Wine Festival is just like right up my alley Potter's.
• 20:00
  Unknown: And woodworking, yeah, and then, like, a llama farm, is there many years
• 20:05
  Jessica Bowser: or a pack? Yes, I bought a couple pairs of alpaca socks because those are so great for hiking, and they're and, like, supposedly they're anti microbial. So, like, when your feet start sweating and getting gross, the socks don't get gross. They are the softest, right? Yes, exactly. And I think I got a pair of bird earrings that were handmade. And I just, I had a really great time. There were great food trucks there, and the people who come are just like, so excited to be there. So it's a great vibe too.
• 20:38
  Unknown: And you mentioned the glass, the people wearing the glass holders, wine glass tasting holders. I just wanted to mention that every year, Caledon issues special wine glasses, and I think that now they do also like beer glasses or or additional shaped glasses.
• 20:57
  Unknown: But there's a local artist that they choose to actually create special artwork that's etched into the wine glass. And each year it's different. So sometimes it's a flower or a bird or, I think one year it was a box. So those are kind of a cool collectible thing to have.
• 21:20
  Jessica Bowser: I thought it was great. Last year's had a hummingbird on it. I have my glass, and I use it regularly at home. So yeah, it is cool. And then usually they have some glasses from past years. So if you miss last year or the year before, you can pick one up from a previous year. Very cool. And then, as far as the other events go, there is a calendar of events on the visit King George website, and I can drop that in the show notes for anybody who's looking for other upcoming events in the county. So Warren and Jenna, we're going to be wrapping this up pretty soon. I think we did a great job covering all of the outdoorsy things there are to do in and around King George. But is there any parting advice for future visitors,
• 22:02
  Unknown: come on down and check out our rivers and our small little boutique restaurants and wineries and that we have and breweries. So I think we actually, hopefully we have a third brewery opening up soon, makes my heart happy, and come and enjoy the water in a slow, slow little town only an hour or two outside of the cities, bring your binoculars, bring your appetites and your adventure, yeah,
• 22:29
  Jessica Bowser: and your adventure. That's right, I would just say, from my own experience, since I was there on a weekday, that if you are hoping to visit some of the wineries, you check the hours online, because most of most of those are open on weekends, and also some restaurants are closed on Sundays or Mondays. So if you're planning a visit, you might want to think about those things and just check the hours before you come. Okay, Warren and Jenna, how can listeners connect with you?
• 22:56
  Unknown: You'll see us out on the trail all the time, or at one of the events we do, and in Jenna poetry on the trail, you can check out poetry on the trail.org.
• 23:07
  Jessica Bowser: Okay, so I will put links to visit King George as well as the Dahlgren railroad Heritage Trail and Caledon State Park and the friends of Caledon State Park, because if anybody is interested in joining a friends group, I think it is a wonderful opportunity to give back to your community, to give back to outdoor spaces and your local parks. So not all, but most state parks have friends groups. Trails have friends groups. It's just a great way to show your appreciation for the outdoors in Virginia by pitching in or even just joining and donating, because all of those actions help support our public space, our public outdoor spaces. So Warren and Jenna, thank you so much for being guests on Virginia outdoor adventures and sharing your love and expertise of King George with my listeners.
• 23:59
  Unknown: Thank you for having us. Had to do it adventure on, keep adventuring.
• 24:05
  Unknown: Hey, I'll see you outdoors.
• 24:09
  Jessica Bowser: Virginia, outdoor adventures is inspired by and supported by listeners like you, which is why your messages and feedback means so much to me. You can text me directly by clicking on Send Jessica a text message in your show notes, I answer questions, respond to comments and share your feedback on the show. Never miss a new episode. Sign up for my email newsletter and receive my listener resource guide with the top podcast episodes, a Virginia outdoor bucket list and exclusive brand discounts for my listeners. Click on newsletter, sign up in your show notes or visit virginiaoutdoor adventures.com thanks for listening until next time.
• 24:51
  Jessica Bowser: Adventure on you.