Whether or not you are in favor of states moving to Green Hill Park in Salem, it is going to happen this November so let's take a look at what it is going to look and run like. Here is the info you should know, based on what we know about the facility.
Atmosphere
The atmosphere here will be very different. The fans will be closer and have access all over the course. Depending on the setup and how similar it is to Knights Crossing this meet will be an exciting one to see. Fans will likely congregate near the start/finish area and watch most of the race right around their area as much of it is visible from that spot.
Parking
Green Hill Park and the city of Salem apparently have been in talks with the VHSL for quite some time as they moved the Knights Crossing course last year in anticipation of larger meets. That change almost doubled the parking to allow for hundreds of cars and tons of buses as well. Annually the Knights Crossing Invitational hosts around 80+ teams and thousands of athletes without any parking issues.
Start Line
The start line is right near the finish line and is quite long. For the state meet, with only 200 athletes, there should be more than enough space for all the athletes in each race. Also it is very spectator friendly.
Finish Line
Just like the start line, the finish line is very centrally location and is very spectator friendly. There is space for spectators on both sides of the finish and there is a 50m long corral where athletes can get water and take their chips off after the finish.
Terrain
The first half mile and final mile to mile and a half of the course is a flat grass surface. Nothing like the Great Meadow grass though, this grass is short and fast. The other half of the course is packed gravel and dirt road. Spikes can be worn but be aware it is very much like a fire access road that hasn't be resurfaced in ten years. It is probably more dirt than rocks at this point.
Speed of Course
This course is fast. It is nearly all flat and for how early Knights Crossing is in the season it is quite impressive the amount of fast times produced. It may be 30-40 seconds faster than the Great Meadow state course.
Bridge
The biggest choke point on the course is definitely the bridge crossing. It can be seen in the photo above and is roughly 1.5 miles into the course. It is wide enough for an ATV to cross and roughly 35 feet long. Though it is not perfect, it is better than the one at Pole Green.