Have you explored The Sensory Explorers’ Trail at Sky Meadows State Park? Not only is it the newest trail at the park, having been constructed in summer 2019, but it is now a Bronze Medal winner of the prestigious Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award. 

This award recognizes the Sensory Explorers’ Trail for its implementation of the Virginia Outdoors Plan, which provides guidance for Virginia’s land conservation, outdoor recreation and other planning related to outdoor spaces.

Laure Wallace and other supporters of the Sensory Explorers’ Trail at the ribbon-cutting in August 2019.
Photo credit: Marie Majarov

This unique trail is the result of over 1,150 volunteer hours put in by members of the Shenandoah Chapter of the Virginia Master Naturalists, in addition to the work done by the Sky Meadows’ 2019 Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) crew and park staff who contributed to the construction and ongoing maintenance.

Special thanks go to Virginia Master Naturalist Laure Wallace, the project manager for the trail, who submitted the award nomination. Ms. Wallace said this of the trail and her passion for it: 

“By making this trail easily accessible and providing adaptations for the blind, visually and hearing impaired, we also paved the way for our next adaption for those on the autism spectrum. We believe that the benefits of the time we spend in nature are profound and that we should all be able to share in them."

Park Manager Kevin Bowman with Virginia Master Naturalists Kelly Macoy and Laure Wallace,
with the Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award Bronze Medal.

The Sensory Explorers’ Trail offers visitors of all ages and abilities the unique opportunity to explore with their senses. Its 0.3-mile loop is easily traversed and includes learning opportunities posted at eight designated stops. Highlights include The Witness Rock, The Tree of Life and The Vernal Pool, all inviting explorers to pay close attention to the natural world that surrounds them.

Highlights of the trail include The Witness Rock (pictured here). 
Photo credit: Marie Majarov

Accompanying the trail is a free audio tour downloadable from the izi.TRAVEL app. We invite you to “know before you go” and visit the park website ahead of your visit. There you can find instructions on how to download the audio tour to your smartphone. There is also a printed text version of the tour available at the trailhead for the hearing impaired.

Stop number six along the trail invites you to greet the Tree of Life.

For further reading on this amazing and award-winning trail, check out this previous blog by Troy Young and this one by Ryan Selove. Keep an eye on the park website for coming adaptations to the trail, including plans to make it more accessible for visitors on the autism spectrum.

This sensory explorer is learning about vernal pools at stop number seven.

The Sensory Explorers' Trail has the added advantage of being conveniently located next to the picnic area, pit toilet restrooms and the Children's Discovery Area. Whether you're looking for a quick "point of interest" to break up your car trip or a place to spend the day exploring, Sky Meadows State Park's Sensory Explorers' Trail is a must-see, hear, smell, feel and even taste (if you happen to visit when the wild raspberries are ripe).