Description
Elevation: 1356 ft.
The woods at Brushy Hills are the perfect spot for an early morning walk. Their location next to Lexington with numerous broad trails that were formerly logging roads, provide direct access to 600-acres of hardwood forest. Birds such as northern flicker, eastern wood-pewee and ovenbird join more numerous denizens such as Carolina chickadee, tufted titmouse, Carolina wren, northern cardinal and eastern towhee. Look for butterflies such as eastern tiger and spicebush swallowtails, silver-spotted skipper, and pearl crescent as they take advantage of sunlight patches resulting from openings in the forest canopy. Dragonflies along the trails include common whitetail and widow skimmer.
Wildlife Sightings
80 species have been reported at this site to date.
Birds Recently Seen at Brushy Hills:
- Red-bellied Woodpecker
- Downy Woodpecker
- Pileated Woodpecker
- Blue Jay
- American Crow
- Carolina Chickadee
- Tufted Titmouse
- White-breasted Nuthatch
- American Robin
- Dark-eyed Junco
Recent Checklists:
| Date | # of Species | Submitted By |
|---|---|---|
| 13 Feb 2026 | 10 | Oliver Griffin |
| 6 May 2025 | 18 | Thomas Franklin |
| 1 May 2025 | 21 | Drew Chaney |
| 6 Apr 2025 | 12 | Laura Neale |
| 28 Nov 2024 | 1 | Brooks Emanuel |
Amenities & Accessibility
Amenities
- No Fee or Permit/Pass Requirement
Other Amenities: Hiking Trails
Accessibility Considerations
This location does not have a Birdability Site Review available at this time
Learn more about Birdability’s efforts to map accessible outdoor spaces
Maps & Directions
Physical Address: 1010 Union Run Road, Lexington, Virginia
From US-11/Lee Hwy in Lexington, continue straight onto VA-251/Link Rd/Thornhill Rd/Collierstown Rd, continue onto SR-674/Union Run, and the trailhead parking will be on the left in approximately 2 miles.
Site Information
Managed By:
- City of Lexington
Access Requirements:
- Free, Daily
Contact Information:
- (540) 462-3702 friendsofbrushyhills@gmail.com
- Visit Website
Sites, or portions of sites, can be closed periodically for management activities. Please always check the site’s website for additional information prior to visiting.