Lorton, Virginia
Some trails are better after a little rain.
For us, the Great Marsh Trail is one of those places.
When we’ve had a good stretch of rain and many of the trails around Northern Virginia are still muddy and messy, Great Marsh is one of our go-to choices. It’s short, paved, mostly flat, and ends at a marsh overlook where you can sit, watch the birds and enjoy the scenery.
It’s not a big hike.
It’s not a challenging hike.
But sometimes that’s exactly what we’re looking for.
And when you’re finished, there’s always the possibility of finding some good food and a cold beer nearby.
On this trip, that meant Bunnyman Brewing in Springfield, where we found the Killer Tomato food truck and, more importantly, discovered that the Fennel Sausage pizza absolutely stole the show.
🥾 The Hike: Great Marsh Trail
The Great Marsh Trail on AllTrails is a short, paved trail of about 1 mile.
That’s one of the reasons we like it so much after it rains.
When the weather has been wet, a lot of our favorite trails can become muddy, slippery and generally less enjoyable. Great Marsh gives us an easy alternative.
The paved surface means we can get out, walk a little, and enjoy nature without worrying about what the recent rain has done to the trail.
And at only about a mile, there’s no huge time commitment.
🐦 The Marsh Lookout
The best part of the trail comes at the end.
The trail leads to a marsh lookout, where you can sit down and take your time.
This isn’t one of those hikes where you reach the end and immediately turn around.
There’s actually a reason to stay.
Sit for a while.
Watch the marsh.
Look for birds.
Listen to the sounds around you.
It’s a simple thing, but it’s one of the reasons we enjoy this trail so much.
Sometimes the destination doesn’t need to be spectacular.
Sometimes it’s just a peaceful place to sit and watch nature for a few minutes.
🍺 Post-Hike Stop: Bunnyman Brewing
After our walk, we headed over to Bunnyman Brewing in Springfield.
Because naturally, a little exercise calls for a little beer.
And maybe some pizza.
On our visit, the Killer Tomato food truck was there, so we decided to give their pizza a try.
We ordered three:
🍕 Fennel Sausage
🍕 Chicken Pesto
🍕 Big Daddy Roth
All three were good.
But there was no question about the winner.
The Fennel Sausage pizza was our favorite by a mile.
There was just something about the combination of flavors that really worked.
The Chicken Pesto was solid.
The Big Daddy Roth was also a good choice.
💰 Budget
| Expense | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| 🥾 Great Marsh Trail | $0 |
| 🍺 Beer for two | $15 |
| 🍕 Pizza for two | $50 |
| 💰 Estimated total for two | $65 |
Walks With Bear Budget Rating: 🐻🐻🐻🐻◯
The trail itself is free, so most of your spending will be at the brewery and food truck.
🥾 Quick Trail Facts
| Trail | Great Marsh Trail |
| Distance | Approximately 1 mile |
| Surface | Paved |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Best Time | After rain 🌧️➡️🌿 |
| Highlight | Marsh overlook & bird watching |
| Cost | Free |
| Post-Hike Stop | Bunnyman Brewing |
| Food Truck | Shut Your Pie Hole |
| Our Favorite | Fennel Sausage Pizza 🍕 |
🐻 Walks With Bear Rating: 4½ / 5
Walks with Bear the Dog 
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