Situated just north of today’s Mount Pleasant neighborhood in Washington, DC, Piney Branch carves a wooded valley that was a longtime source of quartzite and boasted the first road through what would become Rock Creek Park. A smattering of trails zig-zag across the steam valley, but the description below covers a 1.5-mile loop around the …
Author: Andrew Wojtanik
Cat Rock Loop (Cunningham Falls State Park, MD)
Cunningham Falls, Maryland’s tallest, is the focal park of the state park bearing its name, but there are plenty of other worth destinations in this 6,000-acre wilderness a short striking distance from Frederick, Maryland. Cat Rock offers nice, albeit not fantastic, views of the surrounding Catoctin Mountains, but the real gem is the “rock” itself: …
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Cliff Trail – Lower Trail Loop (Cunningham Falls State Park, MD)
At 78 feet, Cunningham Falls, the centerpiece of the state park bearing its name, is Maryland’s tallest waterfall and one of the state’s most visited. Situated in the heart of the Catoctin Mountains, this scenic landmark is less than a 1 ½ hour-drive from Baltimore or Washington, DC. Come during the offseason to get the …
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George Washington’s Mount Vernon (Mount Vernon, VA)
- 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 …
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Great Falls Overlooks (Great Falls Park, 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 …
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Bull Neck Run Loop (McLean, 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, …
Gulf Branch Trail (Arlington, VA)
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 …
Zachary Taylor Trail (Zachary Taylor Park, VA)
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 …
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North Valley – South Valley Trail Loop (Prince William Forest Park, VA)
Prince William Forest Park—situated about 30 miles south of Washington, DC—preserves a 17,000-acre slice of what was once a vast sea of oaks, hickories, and chestnuts spanning much of modern-day Virginia. Surprisingly, many DC residents are oblivious to its existence, but those who have been to Prince William Forest Park know it for its serenity, …
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Frying Pan Farm Park Loop (Fairfax County Parks, VA)
- Civil War Series - Frying Pan Farm Park in western Fairfax County, Virginia serves mostly as a destination for equestrians, school trips, and tractor rides, a family-friendly outing at a semi-rural farmstead. There is also a decent nature trail, however, featuring a handful of obscure historic landmarks and a pretty stream and waterfall. The …
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Live and Let Hike 