Park Authority to Open New Recreation Areas in Laurel Hill

The Fairfax County Park Authority will officially mark the opening of more than 153 acres of recreational areas, preserved open space and amenities at the southern end of the sprawling 1,200-acre Laurel Hill Park complex in Lorton, VA. This land, which came to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in 2002 under the Lorton Technical Corrections Act, passed by Congress in 1998, already includes $18.5 million of site and park improvements including a championship 18-hole golf course and clubhouse, the Laurel Hill Greenway Trail which is a portion of the 41-mile Cross County Trail, and ball fields.

This is the initial phase of the transformation of the former D.C. Department of Corrections Lorton Correctional facility and represents an area that has not been accessible to the public for over 100 years. This area is commonly referred to as section G and H on Laurel Hill master planning documents and is now named the Central Green and Giles Run Meadow, respectively.

The Park Authority held ribbon cutting ceremonies on Saturday, October 20, 2007 at Giles Run Meadow.

Proposed signage and wayfinding for Laurel Hill

The event will highlight the completion of a pedestrian and mountain biking trail; improvements to the Laurel Hill Greenway/ Cross County Trail; renovations/stabilization at the Barrett House; a new disc golf course; picnic areas; a small play area; a pond side trail and platform; installation of over 2000 feet of fencing and parking lot improvements; installation of interpretive signage, as well as improvements to the historic barrel bridge and invasive exotic plant removal.

Example of interpretive sign
at Orientation Pod in Giles Run Meadow

Directions: Take I-95 S to exit 163 toward Lorton. Turn Right at Lorton Road. Go 0.5 mi and arrive at 8400 Lorton Rd on your right. Follow the road up the hill to the parking lot on the left.