“The blue bell is the sweetest flower, That waves in summer air;
Its blossoms have the mightiest power, To soothe my spirit’s care.”~Emily Dickinson
f you hang around me long enough, each spring you will notice that I tend to gush over all the flowers around Virginia and Washington DC, especially cherry blossoms and tulips! Today I want to share with you another one of my favorite spring flowers - the Virginia bluebells!
For three to four weeks every spring (beginning late March to early April depending on weather conditions), the vibrant blue hues of the Virginia bluebells blanket forest floors. Experiencing these flowers is truly a magical experience and hiking a bluebell-lined trail is one of my favorite things to do each year. While there are many places throughout Northern Virginia to take a bluebell hike, one of my favorite places to see them is along the Shenandoah River at the Shenandoah University River Campus at Cool Spring Battlefield.
The nearly 200 acres that now comprise Cool Spring Battlefield was once home to the Virginia National Golf Club. The golf club closed down in 2012 and the Civil War trust purchased the land in conjunction with Shenandoah University and the commonwealth of Virginia. In 2013 the property officially became part of Shenandoah University. The university’s main purpose is to preserve the natural and historical aspects of the Cool Spring Battlefield site.
Self-Guided Walking Trails
There are two main paved trails to explore at Cool Spring Battlefield, the Northern Loop Trail and the Southern Loop Trail, and they both start at the welcome kiosk next to the parking lot. The Northern Loop Trail is the most popular and the most scenic. The roughly 2-mile path goes through the woods and along the river. There’s also a dirt trail that leads to a waterfall, as well as an area you can stop and view a heron rookery. The Southern Loop Trail is a mostly level paved path next to the river and the access road. There’s not much to see along this path but it’s a good choice for a quiet walk, especially on busy weekends.
But no matter which loop you choose, you are guaranteed to see bluebells – and lots of them! Since bluebells thrive in moist, shady areas you won’t start seeing bluebells until you get closer to the river. And along the northern loop, that is a little bit of a walk. At first you will start seeing sporadic little clumps here and there, but then all of a sudden you will see carpets of them!
Even though “blue” is a part of their name, it’s interesting to note that bluebells are not always blue! Virginia Bluebell flowers begin as pink raisin-shaped buds that shift to blue as they grow and open.
After just a little while of photographing the bluebells I lose track of time. Once in a while I will pause to take in the magnificence of these beautiful, delicate flowers. Just like cherry blossoms, they are amazing whether I am photographing single clumps with my macro lens or photographing a large are of them with my wide-angle lens.
Once you’ve gotten your fill of bluebells, you can either leave the park or you can continue exploring the trails. Two things we also like to check out when we are there are the heron rookery and the waterfall.
The Great Blue Heron Rookery
If you like birds, one of the highlights of Northern Trail Loop is the Great Blue Heron Rookery located across the Shenandoah River from the hiking path. To see it, leave the path and walk down to the river near marker 3. Every time we go we sit along the river and watch them. Some days they are more active than others. For some reason from this distance they remind me of pterodactyls.
The Waterfall
Now to reach the waterfall you will have to leave the paved path and do a bit of walking. But the views are worth it! At this sign follow the dirt path into the woods. There are also some bluebells along this trail but not as many as along the river.
As you reach the far end of the trail you’ll see waterfall. While it is not very large, it is pretty. And it’s a nice spot to sit and have a snack and drink and just listen to the water cascade over the rocks.
I hope you’ve enjoyed my photos and have the chance to see them one day at Cool Spring Battlefield!
What To Know Before You Go
- Cool Spring Battlefield is at 1400 Parker Lane, Bluemont Virginia. From DC and Northern Virginia, follow Route 7 west and turn right on Route 709 just before you reach the Shenandoah River. Enter Shenandoah University River Campus in your GPS.
- Open daily, dawn to dusk.
- Admission is free and there is a large parking lot. There is a port-a-john at one end of the lot.
- Leashed dogs are welcome.
- Remember to leave no trace and take all trash with you.
- Camping, fires, and hunting are not allowed.
