- Revolutionary War Series - George Washington—Revolutionary War hero, the first US president, and…farmer and gardener? Mount Vernon celebrates the life of America’s most well-renowned founding father, with a focus on his dealings at home: in the privacy of his majestic estate on the banks of the Potomac River, where he raised livestock and grew …
Continue reading George Washington’s Mount Vernon (Mount Vernon, VA)
It must have come as a surprise to early pioneers in the area northwest of present-day Washington, DC—where the Potomac River is mostly calm, wide, and still—to find a sudden, powerful plunge impassable by boat. Owing to a geomorphologic break extending 900 miles along the Eastern Seaboard, Great Falls tumbles 76 feet in less than …
Continue reading Great Falls Overlooks (Great Falls Park, VA)
Compared to other hikes in northern Virginia, the following 2.5-mile circuit hike through Bull Neck Run Stream Valley in McLean is a bit of a roller coaster: while mostly paved, the trail rarely stays level. The result is a minor workout and decent scenery as the trail follows a pleasant stream through one of Washington, …
Terminating at a multi-tiered waterfall, the Gulf Branch Trail follows one of northern Virginia’s several lush stream valleys from Glebe Road Park in Arlington to the Potomac River. The Gulf Branch Nature Center, situated roughly halfway through the hike, offers daily programs and surprisingly extensive exhibits on the local ecology and history. The below account …
Dropping more than 200 feet over the course of a mile, the Zachary Taylor Trail follows Donaldson Run from its source to the Military Road in Arlington, Virginia. The wooden path is partly paved, and a southern spur route offers a loop option through an Arlington neighborhood. Highlights include lush greenery and a handful of …
Continue reading Zachary Taylor Trail (Zachary Taylor Park, VA)
Live and Let Hike 