Botetourt County and the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation’s Kids in Parks program will open a new kid- and family-friendly trail at the Cherry Blossom Trail on Saturday, August 17, at 10:30 a.m. Parking can be found at the trailhead off of International Parkway in Daleville by the Botetourt Beekeepers Association Bee Hives. Additional parking can be found further down the trail. The community is invited to the dedication.
The grand opening will be held in conjunction with National TRACK Trails Day, an annual event celebrating the Kids in Parks program’s national network of kid- and family-friendly TRACK Trails. This year’s celebration marks the 15th anniversary of the program.
The Cherry Blossom TRACK Trail is the newest TRACK Trail in the Kids in Parks network. TRACK Trails are a type of environmental scavenger hunt for young children and their families to get unplugged and active outdoors, offering a series of self-guided activities that turn an ordinary hike into a fun-filled, discovery-packed adventure. At the TRACK Trail’s trailhead, four brochure-led activities are available that help kids learn about topics such as Hide and Seek, Bug Out, Tracks and Traces, and Pond Life.
Kids who participate in the program can register their TRACK Trail adventures at http://www.KidsInParks.com to earn a series of prizes designed to make their next outdoor adventure even more fun and meaningful.
With this new TRACK Trail, Botetourt County is joining a network of 300 TRACK Trail sites in 18 states and Washington, D.C. Collectively, these sites are working across state and agency boundaries to get kids excited about spending time in nature. Over the past decade, kids have completed more than 1.4-million adventures on TRACK Trails.
“With each of our TRACK Trails, we hope to engage children in the joys of outdoor exploration,” said Jason Urroz, director of Kids in Parks. “Our ultimate goal is to help families fall in love with nature, so they can recognize the value that public lands hold for their lives and become future stewards of natural spaces like the Greenfield Recreation Park and surrounding area.”
Within Virginia, the Cherry Blossom TRACK Trail is the 31st location, joining other regional locations found in Roanoke, Lexington, Buena Vista, Lynchburg, and along the Blue Ridge Parkway. This statewide network will allow families to learn about Virginia’s amazing natural, cultural, and historic resources.
“We are very excited to join the growing network of TRACK Trail locations in Virginia,” said Victor Morales, director of Parks & Recreation for Botetourt County. “This new TRACK Trail will provide educational opportunities for local kids and families, and encourage families from other regions of the state to visit Botetourt County and discover what the region has to offer.”
“Botetourt County greatly appreciates our partnership with Kids in Parks and the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation,” said Steve Clinton, chair of the Botetourt County Board of Supervisors. “We understand the importance of outdoor activities and creating lasting family memories for our community.”
To learn more about TRACK Trails, visit http://www.kidsinparks.com
To learn more about the Cherry Blossom TRACK Trail, visit http://www.kidsinparks.com/location/cherry-blossom-trail
