Great Falls Loop, including Difficult Run Trail (Great Falls Park, VA)

Most outdoor types in the Washington, DC area will know the famously rugged Billy Goat Trail on the Maryland side of Great Falls. Across the river, however, is an equally—if not more—scintillating loop hike around Virginia’s Great Falls Park, featuring stunning vistas of the namesake falls and Mather Gorge, as well as a lovely meander …

Continue reading Great Falls Loop, including Difficult Run Trail (Great Falls Park, VA)

Lubber Run Trail (Lubber Run Park, VA)

Far from Arlington’s finest, the Lubber Run Trail nonetheless offers a pleasant, paved stroll through a pretty stream valley south of Ballston, Virginia. The namesake creek is flanked by thousands of gray stones, and a series of minor dips make for some trickling cascades. Picnic tables abound, and a gargantuan outdoor amphitheater marks roughly the …

Continue reading Lubber Run Trail (Lubber Run Park, VA)

Dead Run Loop (Turkey Run Park, VA)

Dead Run. It’s an ominous name for what is actually quite a lovely stream, though at times this 3.6-mile loop hike can feel rugged and perplexing. The first half is relatively straightforward: nearly two miles of hiking through some of Fairfax County, Virginia’s most peaceful terrain. A 1/10-mile section of Dead Run—the highlight of the …

Continue reading Dead Run Loop (Turkey Run Park, VA)