On Saturday, Nov. 2, the DC Department of Parks and Recreation opened the District’s first unpaved trail in the DPR park system. Located in Ward 7, the Pope Branch Trail is approximately one mile along the Pope Branch of the Anacostia River. During the summer of 2018 and 2019, DPR hosted two Student Conservation Association crews consisting of 12 high school students and two adult crew leaders working to establish a hike-worthy trail. The crews transformed the space by cleaning the park and cutting a new trail. Aside from making inconvenient elements more accessible, the crew also prioritized making the trail safer installing eight bog bridges to allow hikers to pass over wet spots. Additionally, the crew built a turnpike out of logs, small rocks, and mineral soil to elevate the trail out of a long mud puddle. dpr.dc.gov.
