The Future of Martinsville & Henry County

Throughout our community, local government, the Dan River Basin Association (DRBA), Activate, Friends of Philpott, and other groups are working together to create trails and bike lanes that will provide connectivity and enhance the quality of life here. With the future completion of 20 miles of trail around Philpott Lake and 45 miles of trail along the Smith River, we are on the way to creating a recreational destination!

Having long trail systems allows places for residents to walk near their homes, allows for alternative forms of transportation such as biking or walking to work, and creates opportunities for events such as bike touring, adventure racing, and charity walks/rides.

Three DRBA members recently experienced a taste of bike touring as they embarked on a 320 mile journey that took them from Washington DC to Pittsburgh. Along the way they camped in campgrounds, visited tourist attractions, and supported businesses.

Read their adventure, and image the possibilities here!

September 20-27th, three DRBA members, Ellen Jessee, Emma Parcel, and Mignon Smith joined Adventure Cycling to bike 320 miles on the C&O Canal Towpath Trail and the Great Allegheny Passage Rail Trail.

We started with a tour of the National mall in DC...

Passed by Canal Locks, Lock Houses, and Dams...

Camped by the river...


Toured Fort Frederick...

Visited Cumberland MD...

Biked 22 miles uphill on the Great Allegheny Passage...

Visited Ohiopyle State Park...

Enjoyed rivers and peaceful wooded trails, til it was time to load our bikes on the Budget Truck and ourselves on the bus for the return trip to DC.

Introduction by Jennifer Doss

Photos by Emma Parcel
Captions by Ellen Jessee

Paddling Survey

Attention Fellow Paddlers!

The Dan River Basin Association is conducting a short (10 question) survey about boating on the Smith River in Henry County Virginia. The results of this survey will assist in the planning and funding of future river access points, as well as the enhancement of existing access points.

Click HERE to proceed to the survey.

Please forward this link to all your friends that paddle the Smith River!

Thank you for your time, and happy paddling!

Jennifer Doss, Rivers & Trails Project Manager
Dan River Basin Association

It's Growing!

For many in the Martinsville and Henry County area, a walk along the Fieldale Trail is part of their daily routine. Soon walkers, joggers, and cyclists will have even more trail to enjoy with the new extension of the Fieldale Trail! Thanks to funding from The Dominion Foundation, the existing trail will be extended by one mile downstream along the Smith River towards Kohler.

On Sunday, volunteers gathered to begin work on the trail by clearing the trail corridor of limbs, rocks, logs and other obstructions. This work is neccesary before larger equipment can come in to construct the trail surface. The trail will be completed by early spring 2009, although several sections will be open to the public within the next few months.

Special thanks to all who helped on our first day of work: Jim Frith, Joe & Ellen Jessee, Danny & Martha Smith, Darrin Doss, Eldridge Turner, Wayne Kirkpatrick, and Susan Kanode!

Two more volunteer workdays have been planned for Wednesday, October 22nd and Saturday, November 2nd. To register for one of these workdays or for more information on the Fieldale Trail, contact DRBA Project Manager Jennifer Doss at 276-634-2545 or jdoss@danriver.org.

Article and photos by Jennifer Doss

Master Gardeners Explore Gravely Nature Preserve

Members of the Martinsville-Henry County Master Gardeners recently celebrated Fall with a cook-out and tree identification hike at the Richard P. Gravely, Jr. Nature Preserve in Ridgeway, VA. Approximately 30 of the club's members gathered to enjoy each other's company while roasting hotdogs and S'mores.

At the outing, Jennifer Doss of the Dan River Basin Association (DRBA) presented Aileen Bourne and Barbara Winn with a certificate of appreciation and DRBA t-shirts to thank them for their efforts in creating a brochure on the fern species found at the preserve. The ladies also have plans to develop a brochure on winter tree identification later this year.

Master Gardeners learning about trees from hike leader Barbara Winn (in hat).

Article and photos by Jennifer Doss