NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — Indoor exercise spaces are limited due to the coronavirus pandemic, but those looking for a workout outdoors have a new option. An outdoor obstacle course on Norfolk’s Elizabeth River will officially open to the public this weekend.
It’s at the Plum Point Park Trailhead, between the Fort Norfolk and Chelsea areas near the Midtown Tunnel. It’s the first of 11 trailheads planned for the 10.5 mile trail, which runs from the Harbor Park area up to just south of Naval Station Norfolk.
The Double Turbo Challenge Course by KOMPAN has several features, including custom hurdles and steps, a pull-up station, vertical rope net, overhead ladder and balance beams. It also has a TerraSafe surface system, designed to safely cushion falls.
The Elizabeth River Trail Foundation says the project was made possible by grant funding from KOMPAN and the SunTrust Foundation and additional support from ADS, Inc., Ann P. Stokes Landscape Architects, Elizabeth River Crossing, Furniture Classics, Miller’s Energy, Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority (NRHA) and the Virginia Department of Forestry.
The Plum Point Park Trailhead is on the midpoint of the trail and averages about 1,100 users daily. It also includes benches, picnic tables and a new kayak launch, and will soon have new native longleaf pine trees donated by the Virginia Department of Forestry.
“We are thrilled to open the obstacle course when trail usage is at an all-time high,” said ERT Foundation Board Chair Kevin Murphy. “It’s a first-class amenity that sets the standard for future projects.”
The virtual ceremony to open the obstacle course will happen Saturday at 10 a.m. on Facebook Live and the city says the course officially opens to the public at 1 p.m.
For more information on the course and the Elizabeth River Trail, click here.
