Marine Corps Base Quantico -- Long before Quantico became a Crossroads of the Marine Corps, horseback riding was a big activity on the base. The trails aboard the installation were a passageway for travelers on horseback. Over the years those trails have grown to adapt to the community. Today, 23 miles of recreational trails are open for use on the Mainside of Quantico.
Training Area 1, also known as the Mainside, features all of the current recreational trails, which are specifically designated for physical training and recreation. The old government-operated horse stables off Purvis Road were converted into a parking area for trail access in 2015.
“Horseback riding has diminished since the stables were torn down, and many visitors use the trails for mountain biking,” said Robert Stamps, Fish and Wildlife Section Head.
The trails run through a “beautiful woodland area” with up and down terrain. Some of the tallest and largest trees are the tulip poplars, which are well over 100 feet tall. The trails are shaded in the summer time, so even if it gets hot travelers are not in the direct sun, he mentioned.
Approximately two years ago a large portion of Stadium and Sewer Trails were improved through funding from The Marine Corps Marathon for one of their prime annual events. Maj. Peter Baker, deputy director for Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs branch (NREA), said this $100,000 effort was “huge,” because those efforts made it possible for essential trails and services to be accessed by vehicles.
The trails began to improve over time to make the area more inviting to travelers.
“I first discovered the trails in 2008, and one of the things I was confronted with was poorly marked and poorly maintained trails. Getting lost was a bit of an issue,” said Baker, who made it his mission to solve the problems so that the trails are easier to use.
In general approximately 50 active members of the NREA Conservation Volunteer Program are instrumental in maintaining the Mainside Trail network of trails. Their contributions include, for example, included installing bridges and supporting upgrades on Northbank Trail, behind The Raymond G. Davis Center, as well as many other things to keep the trails available to users. Their efforts are shared with approximately 50 members in the Quantico Mountain Bike Club (QMTB), 10 of which are chainsaw certified members who help to clear downed trees.
“Most recently, I have worked with the [QMBC] to improve two bridges on Beaver Pond Trail,” said Stamps, who described an aged bridge that was made from an old ladder.
After 11 years of using the trails on base, QMTB has increased its commitment to trail building and maintenance, although access on base is limited.“They are perfect,” said QMTB vice-president Becky Barkett.
“We love the trails, and so the club takes pride in its maintenance. They are special to us,” said Barkett.
The cyclist explained that the trails provide some of the “best riding in Virginia.” The diverse terrain provides levels of difficultly in its steep slopes for both intermediate and beginner bikers.
An anonymous retired Marine responded to a recent trail survey in reference to his three-year experience riding on the trails next to the Child Development Center. The Marine rides the trails daily and even keeps a small handsaw to clear small branches that block the trails.
“I’m old,” the rider noted in the survey. “I have shed 25 pounds, decreased my blood pressure and overall I am as healthy as I was as a 30-year-old Marine.”
He also noted that there is a lack of signage for restricted bike areas. More than 200 trail signs were added to roughly 50 signs in the past 20 months to help people to navigate the woodlands.
“I am impressed with how the Marines clear the trails and double-track roads right after storms. [The recent storms] have shown how quickly they maintain the area,” the biker said.
There are no pre-established recreational trails on the West Side of the base open to the public for recreational use. According to Baker, The Range Management Branch has authorized two specific training areas where volunteers are in the process of building open recreational trails on the West Side of the base. There is a plan to open the trails in 2016.
“Recreational trails on the West Side will provide a safe place for Marines to [conduct physical training] and recreate,” said Baker. “Currently residents west of I-95 have two choices: run on a road, which can be unsafe, or drive over to the east side of the base to use the trails.”
It takes a team of specialists to establish trails. The process begins with examining historical or archaeological areas that could be disturbed, as well as surveying the area for endangered species. Many areas on the base contain unexploded ordnance (UXO) from firing ranges used from 1919 to 1943. Mortars that haven’t detonated could go off at some point, but rest easy; all UXO has been cleared on designated recreational trails.
Quantico’s newest trails are located at Geiger Ridge and Whiskey Gulch. Currently, these teams are working to link Whiskey Gulch Trail into Stadium Trail with the Mainside Trail network.
“We cherish the trails and we want the Marines and their families to enjoy them. After 10 years, I see it as a jewel. I work and play on the installation, and I help to maintain them,” said QMTB President, Ramirez.
The historic recreational trails woven into the landscape aboard the base would not exist without the continued maintenance. There are no people or resources set aside for trail maintenance. Volunteers continue to clear trees and over growth that hides signs to keep the trails rideable and walkable for all users.
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