Easy hike: National Arboretum- azaleas, dogwoods, late cherries

http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/1/e/d/e/event_107707902.jpeghttp://photos1.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/e/2/4/c/event_107157932.jpegYes, it's that time of year again - azaleas, rhododendrons and dogwoods should be blazing -- a riot of color. They are also advertising a self-guided late-blooming cherry tour. Bring cameras!!

Please see the route map above: I propose to start with a long loop on paved road/grass, around the periphery of the Azalea gardens and up the Mt. Hamilton foot trail (also paved)... this should give the pups plenty of opportunity to get a bit tired and to relieve themselves outside the flower gardens, while affording the humans nice views. We can expect some slow-moving traffic on the road until we get onto the Mt. Hamilton foot trail, but for most of it we will be walking on a wide road into one lane of one-way traffic, so shouldn't present much problem. We will then come back down through the Azalea gardens (gently sloping paths covered with small stones). If people are interested we can also do parts of the cherry tour which are in this area of the Arboretum. You can get a map of the arboretum at

http://www.usna.usda.gov/Information/arbormap.html

and a cherry tour brochure at

http://www.usna.usda.gov/Education/booklet0315%20lo.pdf

The walk I'm planning will take about 1 1/2 hour. For anyone who would like to stay longer and do some exploring there are lots of other areas of the Arboretum which should be beautiful this time of year. .

While the hike is mostly flat with some easy slopes, some of it is on paved road so a bit harder on the feet and paws than natural trails.

We'll meet in front of the visitor's center (restroom facilities inside VC, but dogs not allowed inside).

To get to the Visitor Center, the easiest route is to follow New York Ave to Bladensburg Rd., turn South onto Blandensburg and then left on R Street. R Street goes right into the main entrance of the Arboretum. I find it takes about 30-45 minutes to reach the Arboretum from NW DC. For people coming from outside DC, please note that New York Ave becomes Route 50 east of DC

No admission charge. Plenty of parking.

I'm scheduling this for Saturday because I hope it will be less crowded than on Easter Sunday. Weather forecast is sunny, high 60s.