Mount Vernon Trail Cleanup Events Planned Through New Partnership

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Seven volunteer cleanup events of the Mount Vernon Trail are planned as part of a new partnership between the National Landing Business Improvement District and the Friends of Mount Vernon Trail.

Weekly trail improvement events will begin Saturday, Dec. 11 into January. Cleanup areas will focus on the Crystal City Connector in Arlington, areas at the 14th Street Bridge Trail in Arlington and trails south of the Marina Towers in Alexandria. Volunteers will trim vegetation, remove invasive plants, and clean and repair bridges and the trail surface. The events will also include a day of service for Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Jan. 17 near Marina Towers in Alexandria. There will not be an event on Christmas Day, Saturday, Dec. 25.

The National BID's partnership adds support for the Friends of Mount Vernon Trail's regular trail improvement events. The Friends of Mount Vernon trail partners with the George Washington Memorial Parkway to improve the trail and promote safe use.

"The BID's sponsorship of our 2022 trail improvement events is providing vital support to purchase equipment and supplies for our volunteers,” said Judd Isbell, president of the Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail. "We've had over 800 volunteers so far in 2021 and there have been times where we've had more volunteers than tools at our events. Thanks to the support of the BID, our volunteers will be able to do even more to improve the trail in 2022."

Here are the upcoming volunteer opportunities:

• Dec. 11: Crystal City Connector Cleanup, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., Crystal City Water Park, 1601 Crystal Drive, Arlington
• Dec. 18: Trail Bump Repair Near Marina Towers, 9:30 p.m.-12:30 p.m., Between Marina Towers and Power Plant Bridge, 615 Slaters Lane, Alexandria
• Jan. 1: Crystal City Connector Cleanup, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., Crystal City Water Park, 1601 Crystal Drive, Arlington
• Jan. 8: 14th Street Bridge Trail Edging, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., Columbia Island Marina, George Washington Memorial Parkway, Arlington
• Jan. 17: MLK Day of Service - Invasive Removal on the Mount Vernon Trail, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., 615 Slaters Lane, Alexandria
• Jan. 22: 14th Street Bridge Trail Edging, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., Columbia Island Marina, George Washington Memorial Parkway, Arlington
• Jan. 29: Crystal City Connector Cleanup, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., Crystal City Water Park, 1601 Crystal Drive, Arlington