There’s not much to the Custis Trail, which spends the majority of its time following Interstate 66 through suburban Arlington County, Virginia. But it’s popular with runners and bikers as a connector route—the 4.4-mile route serves as a shortcut between the Washington and Old Dominion (W&OD) Trail and Mount Vernon Trail. While relatively easy for …
Month: January 2016
Visitor Center to Lower Town Trail Loop (Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, WV)
- Civil War Series - The importance of Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia in influencing the course of American history is hard to overstate. This picturesque town, situated at the confluence of two rivers in a majestic valley, played host to a 19th century federal armory, Civil War battles, several distinguished civil rights advocates, and abolitionist …
Murphy-Chambers Farm Loop (Harper’s Ferry National Historical Park, WV)
- Civil War Series - Three years after John Brown’s ill-fated raid at Harper’s Ferry, violence again struck this strategically-located town, situated at the confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers in present-day West Virginia. The year was 1862, and Confederate General Robert E. Lee had directed famed General T.J. “Stonewall” Jackson to seize Harper’s …
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Rough Trail (Glencarlyn Park, VA)
Identified on select maps as the “Rough Trail,” this little-known hike through Glencarlyn Park in Arlington, Virginia (see here for more on the park) is aptly-named: it’s narrow, hard-to-follow, and plagued with fallen trees, roots, and brush. The upside is that the trail—unmarked in any way—is virtually empty, situated in a rarely-visited corner of Glencarlyn …
Glencarlyn Park (Arlington County Parks, VA)
For a suburban destination, Glencarlyn Park in Arlington, Virginia is a nice one. The 96-acre park can be approached from multiple directions and boasts a dense network of hiking trails of varying difficulty. The focal point is a pleasant stream valley where the Long Branch stream meets Four Mile Run, the latter a relatively high-volume …
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Appalachian Trail to Annapolis Rocks and Black Rock (South Mountain State Park, MD)
The 2.5-mile trek to Annapolis Rocks is one of the most popular hikes in northwest Maryland and features sweeping views of Hagerstown Valley, Greenbrier Lake, and beyond. One mile farther, hikers can get an even better—and more private—vista from Black Rock. The hike follows a short section of the famed Appalachian Trail (AT) and climbs …
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Marie Butler Leven Preserve Loop (Marie Butler Leven Preserve, VA)
Marie Butler Leven Preserve comprises 20 acres in central McLean, Virginia, an arboretum created to serve as a sanctuary for native plants. Situated on the side of a 90-foot hill, the preserve is easily accessed from Kirby Road in McLean and includes a network of crisscrossing hiking trails. The highlight is a pretty meadow a …
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Pimmit Run Trail – Bryan Branch Rd. to Olney Park (Fairfax County Parks, VA)
The Pimmit Run Trail system follows its namesake creek along much of its eight-mile meander from the heart of suburban Fairfax County to the Potomac River. Unfortunately, the trail is segmented into three separate parts, interrupted by plots of private property in upscale McLean, Virginia. The easternmost (and arguably most interesting) section runs roughly from …
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Pimmit Run Trail – Fort Marcy to Solitaire Ln. (Fairfax County Parks, VA)
Generally less rip-roaring than several of its nearby tributaries, Pimmit Run nonetheless carries a rather significant volume. It weaves gently through McLean, Virginia—a generally upscale Washington, DC suburb—for eight miles before emptying into the Potomac River. Unpaved walking trails flank the stream for much of this distance, allowing for several relatively easy hiking opportunities. The …
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Live and Let Hike 