Fountain Head Park is a suburban-proximate park operated by the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority (NVPRA). NVPRA maintains a trail system within Fountain Head Park that is popular with cyclists, trail runners and hikers. Applied Trails Research partnered with IMBA’s Trail Solutions to implement a GPS trail inventory and mapping effort for creation of a trail system update plan. Applied Trails Research conducted an inventory of existing trails (formal, and user created) on the site using sub-meter accuracy GPS units to collect trails and trail features. These data were used to create updated maps, and aid in Trail Solutions planning efforts for a trail system update. Applied Trails Research created several site-specific datasets to visualize regionally mandated Riparian-Protection Areas (RPA) within the park, and to visualize the landscape for planning efforts.
The map above shows the RPAs and the existing trail system at Fountain Head Regional Park. Trail Data were collected using a sub-meter accuracy GPS unit. Additional data RPAs, archaeological locations, and archery range were digitized from other data sources for the project.