Jessica Hairfield became a Master Hiker in just one year by completing Trail Quest, a program that rewards you for hiking in Virginia State Parks. Rather than hiking though, she made it her goal to trail run at each park. We have interviewed Jessica to gain insights on her experience trail running at Virginia State Parks. Read our questions and her answers below. 

Jessica Hairfield is presented her Master Hiker certificate at Pocahontas State Park by Park Ranger Caoilinn Turner. 

First of all, why did you decide to do Trail Quest? 

I started this journey just coming off of over a year of training and finishing an Ironman and an Ultra Marathon. After taking a much-needed rest period, I found myself burnt out on following such a strict training schedule and turned to the trails to just run. After falling in love with trail running at my local state park (Pocahontas State Park), I decided I wanted to see what else Virginia State Parks had to offer.  

 
A trail at Pocahontas State Park. 

Being an all-or-nothing person, I decided that if there was a quest, I would conquer it. Then I thought to myself, why not do it all in one year? At the time, it seemed like an easy goal to make to just keep me in shape, but quickly it became so much more than that. I think the Trail Quest is a fun way to enjoy everything Virginia State Parks have to offer at any and all fitness levels.

Bonus: Who doesn’t want to collect the pins and get a Master Hiker certificate?  

Trail Quest is a self-paced program that we do not rush people through. But you impressively visited all Virginia State Parks in the Trail Quest program within one year. How did you manage all those park visits in 12 months?  

It took a village! As a physical therapist assistant, wife and mother, I had to juggle work, family responsibilities, school and schedules. I am not kidding when I say it was a team effort. My husband, parents, friends and coworkers all played a huge role in making this goal possible.  

I started Trail Quest at Pocahontas State Park and then from there would take day trips as often as possible to the next park. Sometimes I would hit two to three parks in one day depending on the distance from home and the routes I wanted to complete. It got trickier the further away the parks were. Sometimes I’d leave the house in the early morning and not get home until after bedtime, relying on my husband and my parents for school drop off/pick up and household responsibilities.

Jessica Hairfield holds sign proudly on benches at the top of Molly's Knob, Hungry Mother State Park.

Visiting the farthest from home parks required scheduling family vacations to the parks and surrounding areas — honestly these were some of the best trips for me.  Watching my husband and son (5-years-old) explore the playgrounds and swimming areas while I was off running made my mommy-heart happy. Kudos to Virginia State Parks for offering something for everyone. 

A photo collage of Jessica Hairfield's photos at Hungry Mother, Douthat and Holliday Lake state parks. 

What are a couple of your favorite Virginia State Parks to trail run at and why? Any specific trails you recommend?

Honestly, I absolutely love every new trail I get to run. Part of trail running for me, is the adventure of exploring and never truly knowing what’s up ahead. The night before my trail run, I would sit and map out a run, usually trying to make it a loop. Loop runs are my favorite because I get to see more than on an out and back trail. Single track trails are also my favorite type of trail! 

Sky Meadows State Park was one of my favorite trail runs and parks on my journey. The uphill start on the North Ridge Trail, with a connection to the Appalachian Trail (AT), paired with the amazing views and overlooks along Ambassador Whitehouse Trail and Piedmont Overlook Trail are hard to beat [see this blog for a similar route, with a ranger’s recommendations]. I ran this route at sunrise on a crisp morning and it was breathtaking both physically and visually. Anytime I have a chance to run on the AT, I take it. How lucky are we that we have state parks that connect to it?  

A highlighted route of one of Jessica's favorite trail runs at Sky Meadows State Parks. Click on the map for the full PDF, or click here for more trail guidance.

Grayson Highlands State Park was another favorite to trail run at. I did a nine mile out and back in this park, starting at the Massie Gap parking area, taking the Rhododendron Trail to Horse Trail North to the Appalachian Trail and on to the summit of Mount Rogers (the highest peak in Virginia). The mix of terrain and elements in this park are second to none. Grayson Highlands offers rock scrambles, vertical and flat single-track trails. [Note: Grayson Highlands is not your average park, before visiting guests should read important information in this blog.]

A view from Rhododendron Trail at Grayson Highlands State Park.

Also, Holliday Lake State Park has a great 6-mile loop around the lake that includes river crossings, hill/stair climbing, bridges and a dam crossing.  

Since it’s my home park that I run on most often, I also have to mention Pocahontas State Park, which has more than 90 miles of trails. Pocahontas’ trails are a trail runner’s dream! A couple of my favorites to run there are Beaver Lake and Co-op trails.  

Which park(s) most surprised you with how much you liked it after you experienced it in person?  

False Cape State Park probably surprised me the most. This day I ran almost 14 miles. Running through Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge to get to False Cape was beautiful. Then running in False Cape was breathtaking. The sandy roads and beach front trail are one of a kind for our state. The beach wildlife and tranquility of the ocean make this park a perfect running destination. P.S. Running in the sand is both difficult and very rewarding. [Note: If you are new to this park, please read this blog before visiting, as there are unique access restrictions due to being connected to the national wildlife refuge.]

False Cape State Park's beachfront.

At Staunton River State Park I was originally only planning to run three miles, but then, to my surprise, I fell in love with this park. I ended up connecting trails and making an 8-mile loop. While trail running at Staunton River, I saw bald eagles, the river, the lake, beautiful wooded sections and even did the obstacles on the fitness trail [more on the fitness trail here]. This park has it all!  

Besides physical exercise, what do you get out of trail running?  

For me, trail running is an escape, a chance to completely clear my mind and connect with nature. The anticipation of what is up ahead fills my soul with joy. With trail running, even if you run the same trail 30 times it will never look or feel exactly the same. The feeling of accomplishment when I finish a trail run is like no other feeling.  

Two runners at Leesylvania State Park during peak fall foliage. 

In the woods, pace doesn’t matter to me, all the metrics and goals fade away and my legs just run, they just run for the love of the adventure. When they can’t run, they just move forward one step at a time while all my other senses take in the amazing surroundings. Trail running is my happy place, the place I feel the most at peace and alive. 

Finally, the state park staff, trail running community and the hikers you meet along the way are all amazing, very encouraging and inclusive. There is no judgment on Virginia State Parks trails, just everyone enjoying the park in their way. 

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A big thank you to Jessica Hairfield for sharing her Trail Quest experience of trail running through Virginia State Parks!

You can find her sharing her trail running journey on Instagram at @trail.running.mermaid.

Are you participating in Trail Quest? Use #TrailQuest when posting on social media and tag @vastateparks so we can see your journey, too!