Lake Anna State Park..............

Lake Anna State Park, located in Spotsylvania, VA, was highly recommended to us as an area to explore. For more information, click here. Besides the beautiful lake with lots of water activities in summer, there are also numerous hiking trails to navigate in the park. Just getting back into hiking after a couple of months off, we decided to walk on the "easy" trails...about 5 or 7 miles total. Well, all I can say is that "easy" in Virginia really IS easy! There have been some "easy" trails in the Tetons, or the Oregon Coast which were far from easy. Hahah! Here, there were no cliffs or shear drop-offs next to the trail to worry about either, so it really was an easy day! As a bonus, we enjoyed the early stages of the leaves changing colors, and had the place pretty much to ourselves even though an ultra triathlon was going on.

Too bad my camera was on the wrong settings, which I didn't realize. Many of my pictures did not come out-especially the pictures of the lovely lake reflecting trees in fall color. Also, the pictures of the swimmers competing in the ultra triathlon! Wow....those athletes really made me feel like a big loser. Hahah. For more information as to what THEY were doing, check this website and look under Oct. 8-11 to see the description. Now do you see why I feel like such a loser?

We hiked an easy two miles near the lakefront (where the triathletes were swimming). The trails were exceptionally well-marked. We walked the Railroad Ford Trail (1.5mi) and Old Pond Trail (0.3mi) before enjoying our lakefront picnic lunch.

well marked trails

wait....we are doing both!

my camera settings were not right...the lake is right besides the trail here....where its really really bright

too bad my photos didn't turn out...it was really pretty

the "easy" trails really ARE easy

looking up for more color grandeur

the leaves are starting to fall

gotta pay attention to my feet! Don't want any accidents!

love the mix of yellow and green

can you see the spider web? its huge! and they are everywhere! we were getting covered in webs!

back in the day, this was a railroad track

nature's art

lots of character in this tree..looks like its marked to go 

not sure what kind of disease that it

After our sandwiches by the lake, we headed out to a different part of the park and walked the Turkey Run Trail (1.9 mi each way) and then took the Cedar Run Trail (a 0.9 mi side trail). Very enjoyable! And actually, probably a bit too easy. Ahem. We should have picked the more difficult trails, but we were just getting back into hiking after quite a stretch.

very well marked trails

wonder if there are any turkeys in there

heading back into the woods

pretty

a last glimpse of summer

things are looking more like fall though

After walking through a meadow, the Turkey Run trail led us back into the woods. Eventually, the trail wrapped around near the lake again, and we had some more nice water views. A very pretty lake! I wonder how much boat traffic there is on a Sunday in the summer though. I have to say....we enjoyed a very peaceful day!

another easy trail

ummmm...okay, which way?

the 'shrooms are looking a bit like golf balls or baseballs

another split in the trail...but very well marked

okay...that's a new one

what have we here at the dead end?

looks like the remnants of a lakeside cottage

pretty fungi

another trail....again, well marked

having fun?

a bit muddy here

I'm right behind you Tom

staying on the "white" trail

nice!

so peaceful here today

fall is coming, but the water is still really nice

heading back

so peaceful....

you never know what you will see

Fall colors starting up

We may have to come back to Lake Anna State Park and check out the more "moderate" trails, especially now that the weather is more conducive to pleasant hiking conditions! We really enjoyed our day in the park - getting back on a trail and just paying attention to our surroundings. Enjoying the journey. Nice! We even spotted a bald eagle!!

Now...to see about my camera!