WAYNESBORO, Va. (WVIR) – A Waynesboro couple have earned their prime hiker status. That means they’ve hiked in every state park in Virginia.
They only took a year.
“Virginia is very diverse in every way – the people, the atmosphere, the landscape,” says Sam Bosserman.
She and her husband David will know.
“You get a pin for every one, five, 10, 20 parks you visit. Then, when you visit all of them, you’ll earn your primary hiker pin,” says Sam.
The couple have spent 2021 touring Virginia’s parks with their £85 olive car, hanging out together.
“I was excited to see different parts of the state that I hadn’t been to,” Sam said.
The ordeal took them to every corner of the commonwealth in a series of day trips and four overnight trips, where they stayed in the park.
“Had to take a photo of the person who went first. Had to take selfies on the trail,” said Sam.
They hiked a trial in each place, visited local restaurants and toured the local area. Their largest venture is Southwest Virginia.
“We did nine parks in four days for that trip,” says Sam.
That’s where she discovered one of her favorite parks: Grayson Highlands.
“It’s literally the highest elevation state park in the state and it has wild ponies,” she said.
Another favorite of Sam’s is Westmoreland.
“They have cliffs. They have a fossil beach where you can hunt for shark teeth,” says Sam.
David is very fond of High Bridge.
“The High Bridge is an old track that they converted into a walking/biking path,” says David.
He also loves the Nature Tunnel, which runs through it.
“We were lucky enough, we went down, looked at it, was halfway back when we heard the train whistle,” David said. “So I ran back to get some pictures and everything, watch the train go by it.”
When asked where David would like to visit again, he just laughed. He was a bit exhausted after 40 parks in a year, but Sam was thinking about Holliday Lake.
“We were only there maybe an hour, but it’s one I want to go back to,” she said.
But they agree that it is worth it.
“Get a ticket, go out, you know you never know what you’ll see,” David said.
Although the Bossermans tackled Virginia’s state parks for a year, you don’t have to. The Trail Quest State Park Service program lets you track your ride at your own pace, earning some free pins along the way.
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