26. Upper Difficult Run Stream Valley

This is one of my favorite segments of the Fairfax Cross County Trail, at the top of the Difficult Stream Valley. The red trail on the map below is the Fairfax Cross County Trail, which follows the east  side of Difficult Run. You can make a loop hike by using the yellow trail, a well-established informal trail on the west side of Difficult Run. It ends abruptly at a private property line. At this point you can follow faint foot and game trails to cross over Difficult Run (on stepping stones or tree trunks). If you continue walking a bit further upstream after crossing Difficult Run, you will eventually find a well-established informal trail (marked here as a dotted black lline) that hugs the east bank of Difficult Run, paralleling the Fairfax Cross County Trail.

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 1 mile and after crossing over Difficult Run, turn left and park on Valestra Cir. Follow the Fairfax Cross County Trail (a paved sidewalk leading to an old road segment, at this point) to the trailheads on either side of Difficult Run.