AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Seneca Regional Park

Beech Island–Driftwood Island, 7 sights

4.8 mi · ▲ 421 ft · 1 hr 49 min

Beech Island–Driftwood Island, 7 sights is a 4.8-mile out-and-back in Seneca Regional Park near Lowes Island, VA. The route passes Overlook rock, lower, Overlook rock, high and Beech Island before reaching Driftwood Island at the turnaround, 2.2 miles in. It climbs 421 ft. It scores 12/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi180 – 335 ft5.9 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 39.04610, -77.35474
Nearest town Lowes Island, VA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Beech Island–Driftwood Island, 7 sights

4.8 mi · ▲ 421 ft · 1 hr 49 min

Elevation 180–335 ft

Out & Back · Seneca Regional Park

Trailhead: 39.04610, -77.35474

Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:56 AM · sunset 7:12 PM

Transit-accessible: Lowes Island Front stop 655 m from the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading W.
  2. 0.6 miTurn right, heading E.
  3. 500 ftSharp left, heading W.
  4. 0.2 miTurn right onto Potomac Heritage Trail, heading N.
  5. 0.1 miTurn right, heading N.
  6. 100 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  7. 400 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  8. 0.7 miContinue straight onto Connect unblazed trail to Green Trail North, heading NE.
  9. 500 ftSharp left onto Unblazed, no color, heading NE.
  10. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Potomac Heritage Trail, heading SE.
  11. 150 ftPass Overlook rock, lower.
  12. 200 ftBear left onto Unblazed, connector to Green Trail North, heading SE.
  13. 50 ftTurn right onto Potomac Heritage Trail, heading SE.
  14. 200 ftPass Overlook rock, high.
  15. 350 ftPass Beech Island.
  16. 50 ftPass Driftwood Island.
  17. 100 ftTurn left onto Unblazed, road to bench by river, heading N.
  18. 450 ftTurn right onto Potomac Heritage Trail, heading E.
  19. 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
  20. 50 ftBear right onto DCWA, heading E.
  21. 0.1 miBear left, heading SE.
  22. 150 ftTurn right onto Yellow Trail to West Gravel Road, heading E.
  23. 450 ftReach Beech Island, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  24. 450 ftTurn left, heading N.
  25. 150 ftBear right onto DCWA, heading N.
  26. 0.1 miBear left, heading SW.
  27. 50 ftTurn left onto Potomac Heritage Trail, heading SW.
  28. 50 ftTurn left onto Unblazed, road to bench by river, heading SE.
  29. 450 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  30. 350 ftContinue straight onto Potomac Heritage Trail, heading W.
  31. 300 ftTurn left onto Unblazed, connector to Green Trail North, heading SE.
  32. 50 ftBear right onto Potomac Heritage Trail, heading SE.
  33. 350 ftContinue straight onto Unblazed, no color, heading E.
  34. 0.2 miSharp right onto Connect unblazed trail to Green Trail North, heading NE.
  35. 500 ftContinue straight onto Potomac Heritage Trail, heading W.
  36. 0.5 miBear left, heading NW.
  37. 0.1 miTurn left, heading SW.
  38. 400 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  39. 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  40. 0.1 miTurn left, heading N.
  41. 0.2 miSharp right, heading W.
  42. 0.1 miTurn left, heading W.
  43. 0.4 miArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/beech-island-driftwood-island-out-back-7-sights-8-km-a5fa

Trail surface

58% dirt18% grass13% paved4% gravel3% boardwalk4% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:56 AMSunset 7:12 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.4 mi in (~9 min). Leave by 6:42 PM for the 7:12 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:36 PM — 2 min before dark.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Lowes Island Front stop 655 m from the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Lowes Island, Virginia