25. Difficult Run - Leeds Road

Directions: From I-66, take exit 60 and go south toward Oakton on Chain Bridge Road (Rt. 123). Turn left at the 3rd light on Hunter Mill Road, go 2.2 miles and turn left on Vale Road (SR 672). Go 0.7 miles and turn right on Leeds Road. In 0.3 miles, Leeds Road makes a sharp bend to the right and becomes Hunters Valley Road -- at this bend turn left on a gravel road, and park at the end of the road, just before reaching Difficult Run (you will see a sign for "Gabrielson Gardens Park." Walk across the bridge over Difficult Run and follow the Fairfax Cross County Trail to the right.

The Fairfax Cross County Trail follows Difficult Run downstream for 0.4 miles, then turns left, and heads up a ridge. At this point you can hike a loop by continuing on the Fairfax Cross County Trail. It follows the ridge behind a couple of large houses on Polo Pointe Drive and then descends to the Little Difficult Run tributary. Just before crossing Little Difficult Run, turn right onto an informal trail that follows Little Difficult Run downstream toward Difficult Run [NOTE: a property owner is now trying to block public access to this trail]. The trail crosses Polo Pointe Drive and bears right, across an open meadow, going parallel to Difficult Run and back upstream.  At the far end of the meadow it continues through the woods along Difficult Run, bringing you back to the beginning of this loop.