Osprey races, Earth Day cleanup set for Smith Mountain Lake State Park
The Osprey 10K and 5K return to Smith Mountain Lake State Park on Saturday.
Smith Mountain Lake State Park will have a full day of outdoor activities on Saturday for runners, walkers and volunteers, beginning with the annual Osprey 10K/5K and followed by an Earth Day cleanup challenge.
The Osprey 10K/5K will begin at 9 a.m., with park gates opening at 7 and packet pickup beginning at 7:30. The race starts and finishes at the beach pavilion overlooking Smith Mountain Lake.
“This is one of those races where people come out to run, but they also stay to enjoy the park,” race director Carla Esarey, a volunteer with the Friends of Smith Mountain Lake State Park, said in a statement.
The Friends group receives 100% of the proceeds from the race. Money is used to support park programs, including education, trail maintenance, events and general improvements.
Awards for top finishers will feature custom, locally crafted prizes. First-place overall winners will receive bluebird boxes hand-painted by Just Random Art, while second-place overall winners get mugs by Kona Clay. All age group winners will receive coasters from Aloha Art Experiences. Additional awards from Aloha include gift cards for all overall and age group winners.
The race course follows paved roads within the park. The 5K route provides a steady climb early before returning on a gradual downhill, making it approachable for a wide range of participants. The 10K follows a similar route with additional distance, including a scenic turnaround near the Discovery Center area with expansive lake views, before rejoining the 5K course for the return to the finish.
The race is named for the ospreys that return each spring to nest atop a tower on the peninsula behind the Discovery Center. These fish-eating raptors migrate south for the winter and typically reappear at Smith Mountain Lake in early March. The timing of the race coincides with their nesting season. Visitors can view the nest from a live monitor at the Discovery Center during park hours.
“Holding the race when the ospreys return to their nest here every spring gives it a sense of tradition. It’s something people look forward to as part of spring at the lake,” Esarey said.
Registration for the Osprey 10K/5K is available at: https://runsignup.com/Race/VA/Huddleston/Osprey10KRun5KRunWalk.
Following the race, the park will host the “Leaf It Clean Challenge” from 1 to 3 p.m., in honor of Earth Day, which was Wednesday. Participants are invited to help keep the park clean while enjoying a friendly competition.
Teams of friends, families or coworkers can collect trash throughout the park and bring it to the Discovery Center Pavilion for weighing at 2:30 p.m. Prizes will be awarded at 3 p.m. for the most trash collected and the most recyclables collected.
The park will provide trash bags, gloves and litter pickers, and rangers will offer recycling-themed activities for all ages. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
