Your next walk in Rocky Mount Community Park might come with a few surprises.

Today, community members gathered at Rocky Mount Community Park to celebrate something new along the trail — more than 30 nature-themed signs designed to turn an everyday walk into an outdoor learning adventure.

Installed throughout the wooded paved trail, the new interpretive signs invite visitors of all ages to slow down, explore, and discover more about the natural world around them. Along the way, walkers can learn about local wildlife, habitats, birds of prey, pollinators, raccoons, caterpillars, and other species commonly found throughout our region.

The project was made possible through funding from the Monford D. and Lucy L. Custer Foundation secured by United Way of Virginia’s Blue Ridge.

These signs are part of a larger effort to continue growing Rocky Mount Community Park as a place for recreation, wellness, and family-friendly experiences. Recent park improvements have also included updates to the dog park with new agility features designed to create a more engaging experience for pets and their owners.

This project also builds on earlier improvements to the trail focused on connection, mindfulness, and outdoor engagement.

Last year, families helped launch the Butterfly Mindfulness Trail — an experience featuring colorful wooden butterflies painted by local children and displayed throughout the trail. That project encouraged visitors to slow down, take in their surroundings, and enjoy moments of creativity and calm in nature.

Now, visitors can experience something new with every walk.

Whether you’re looking for a family outing, a place to exercise, a quiet moment outdoors, or simply a chance to learn something unexpected, Rocky Mount Community Park offers a little more to discover.

The paved trail is free and open year-round.

Take a walk. Look a little closer. You never know what you might find.