Cool Spring is made for exploration and discovery, and you’re invited to discover the beauty from dawn to dusk. Traverse the paved and mowed paths across the property, which you can appreciate with the help of guides available at the site. Depending where you stand, you can find a front-row view of a great blue heron rookery (nesting colony) or a close-up look at a variety of rock types, including quartzite, which ancient peoples used to make spear points and today are used for kitchen countertops. You can also easily step onto a gorgeous open meadow to touch grasses, seek out butterflies and other insects, enjoy the sounds of nature, and enjoy a picnic. And, on a clear day, you can even gaze across the storied Shenandoah Valley all the way to West Virginia’s Allegheny Mountains.