What we’re about
We're an adults-only group that walks and hikes in VA, DC, and MD. There are no event or membership fees.
Upcoming events (4)
See all- Historic Manassas and the Old Town Manassas OktoberfestEchoes, the Manassas Museum Store, Manassas, VA
Let's go for a walk in historic Manassas and enjoy the Old Town Manassas Oktoberfest!
❶ What we'll do:
- From in front of the museum, we'll walk counter-clockwise around the Manassas Historic District, with a short excursion to visit the Civil War Mayfield Earthwork Fortifications, ending at the Manassas Museum Lawn, where the Old Town Oktoberfest will be set up.
- The Oktoberfest features live German music, German food, arts and crafts, and (of course) a beer garden. The Oktoberfest will take place from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm, so there's plenty of time to enjoy!
- The walk is just over 4 miles and should take around 2 hours; how much time you spend at the Oktoberfest is up to you. The surface is almost all paved, with a few gentle hills here and there.
- Google map: https://tinyurl.com/5866vxw6
❷ How to get there:
- Driving. From the I-495 Capital Beltway, take I-66W for 11.7 miles and exit onto Sully Rd/VA-28 S. Follow VA-28 S for 6.6 miles. Turn left onto Main St. Follow Main St south, cross the railroad tracks, and take the first right onto Prince William St. The entrance to the museum will be on your left. See https://goo.gl/maps/EDbAgjnZzBDLWf2B7
- Parking. In addition to the museum's parking lot, there are several public parking lots in the area; please see the Google map.
❸ What to bring: Water, comfy shoes, and your furry friend if desired. (Leashes, please.) Shades and sunscreen are recommended.
❹ Weather: The forecast is partly cloudy and a high of 79F, with 7 mph NE winds and a 2% chance of showers. Updates here: https://tinyurl.com/5cxecffy
❺ Advisory: As a reminder, this is an adult group, and you are ultimately responsible for your own safety and well-being during events. No one under 18 years of age is allowed at this event, either as members or as guests, to include babies in carriers and/or strollers.
❻ Administrative stuff: There are restrooms in the museum and in the visitor center/train station, which we will pass during our walk.
❼ Notes:
- Manassas Museum, 9101 Prince William St, Manassas, VA 20110, (703) 257-8453, https://tinyurl.com/2d97dyy2
- Old Town Manassas Oktoberfest, 9101 Prince William St, Manassas, VA 20110, https://tinyurl.com/2a2uh26k
- Autumn Extravaganza: Cleveland Park, National Cathedral, Klingle TrailCleveland Park, Washington, DC
Let's hike on Saturday up to the Cathedral from Cleveland Park. Our hike will combine glorious architecture, one of the most expensive neighborhood in DC, the least-known best trail in the city, and a shortcut through the woods past the International School on to Macomb Street. This hike is almost too scenic for our own good.
We have tweaked this route over the past few months and it is now an even more photogenic route. The featured photo is from a hike earlier this Spring. John kindly updated the map to parallel the route we take.
The hike has some uphill stretches going to the Cathedral but tame stuff mostly.
There is an old-style Italian deli named Vace's a block from the hike start/finish point that has great pizzas by the slice.
❶ What we'll do:
- Let's meet at Cleveland Park Metro (on the TARGET side of Connecticut Ave NW) and walk down Connecticut Ave NW, cross at the Kennedy-Warren, follow Devonshire and Courtland Pl NW to 29th St NW, and follow 29th St south to Cleveland Ave SW. We'll turn right onto Cleveland Ave NW and follow in northwest to Garfield Ave NW, turn left, and follow Garfield to the cathedral grounds.
- After walking through the cathedral grounds we will exit on the north side, go down Woodley to Klingle, and then head down the Klingle Valley Trail. There is a dirt turnoff that leads via twists and turns up past the Washington International School and over to Macomb St NW, coming out very close to Cleveland Park Library. From there we will follow Connecticut Ave NW back to our startng point.
- Total distance is roughly 4 miles and should take slightly over 2 hours. The surface is mostly paved. It's uphill 266 ft to the Cathedral, fairly level in the Cathedral area, and then a downhill jaunt to Rock Creek and uphill 46 feet back to the Metro, for a total of 312 feet elevation gain.
- Google map: https://tinyurl.com/3zpy9aeh
❷ How to get there:
- Metro: Cleveland Park Metro Station is on the Red Line.
- Driving: The street address is 3599 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC, and there is parallel parking available on surrounding streets:
○ From the north, along the I-495 Beltway, take the MD-185S / Connecticut Ave exit and drive south 5.1 miles on Connecticut Ave. The meetup location will be on your left.
○ From south of the Potomac, cross Arlington Memorial Bridge, turning right onto the ramp for Rock Creek Parkway/Kennedy Center. Merge onto Ohio St and turn left onto Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway NW, staying to your left onto Rock Creek Parkway/Shoreham Dr and continuing onto 24th St NW. Turn left onto Connecticut St NW and the meetup location at Cleveland Park Metro Station will be on your right, just past the zoo.
❸ What to bring: Water, comfy shoes, and your furry friend if desired. Dogs must be leashed at all times.
❹ Weather: The forecast is sunny and 77. Updates here: https://tinyurl.com/mrywcdte
❺ Advisory: As a reminder, this is an adult group, and you are ultimately responsible for your own safety and well-being during events. No one under 18 years of age is allowed at this event, either as members or as guests, to include babies in carriers and/or strollers.
❻ Administrative stuff: There are restrooms near Cleveland Park Metro at Target. The National Cathedral has accessible bathrooms as well.
❼ Notes:
- Washington National Cathedral, 3101 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016
- Vace Italian Delicatessen, 3315 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008, (202) 363-1999, https://vaceitaliandeli.com/
- Historic Warrenton and the Old Town Warrenton Fall FestivalWarrenton Visitor Center, Warrenton, VA
Let's meet at the Warrenton Visitor Center and go for a walk around historic Warrenton and the Warrenton Branch Greenway!
For bonus points, the Old Town Fall Festival will be going on from 9 am to 4 pm, featuring a wide variety of artisans and crafters exhibiting and selling handmade jewelry, fine arts, candles, tee shirts, wood furniture and stained glass goods from tents set up on Main, Falmouth and Winchester streets, plus numerous food offerings from shaved iced to BBQ.
❶ What we'll do:
- From the sidewalk in front of the Visitor Center, we'll go for a 2-mile modified loop around the northwest side of the Warrenton historic district, returning to the Visitor Center for a short break.
- After the break, we'll do the same thing for the southeast side of the historic district, about 1.25 miles, plus a 1-mile excursion along the Warrenton Branch Greenway, returning to the visitor center afterwards.
- The total distance is almost 4.5 miles, and is mostly sidewalks and gravel/dirt paths, with hills and steps here and there. This is an easy hike.
- Google map: https://tinyurl.com/2p88ymas
❷ How to get there:
- The street address of the visitor center is 21 Main St, Warrenton, VA 20186. It's a 35-mile drive from the Capitol Beltway.
- From the Capitol Beltway, follow I-66 W for 22 miles to US-29 S in Gainesville. Take Exit 43A onto US-29 S. Follow US-29 S for 11.7 miles. Take County Rd 643 to Warrenton, turn right onto E Lee St, another right onto Falmouth St, and continue along Main St to the visitor center. For more detailed directions, see https://maps.app.goo.gl/zgtAvjefukDLPgZH8
- Street parking is very limited around the visitor center! There are several free all day parking lots within close walking distance. See the Google map, the map in the notes below, and https://warrentonva.gov/222/Public-Parking
❸ What to bring: Water, comfy shoes, and your furry friend if desired. (Leashes are required. Dogs are not allowed in the Warrenton Cemetery, one of our stops.)
❹ Weather: It's too early to see the forecast! Updates here: https://tinyurl.com/2axw2dme
❺ Advisory: As a reminder, this is an adult group, and you are ultimately responsible for your own safety and well-being during events. No one under 18 years of age is allowed at this event, either as members or as guests, to include babies in carriers and/or strollers.
❻ Administrative stuff: There are restrooms at the visitor center and at the entrance to the Warrenton Branch Greenway. (The latter is a porta-john, I'm afraid.)
❼ Notes:
- Warrenton Visitor Center, 21 Main St, Warrenton, VA 20186, (540) 341-0988, https://www.warrentonva.gov/Directory.aspx?did=25
- Warrenton City Parking Map (pdf): https://tinyurl.com/47jshkb6
- Old Town Warrenton Fall Festival: https://tinyurl.com/443y2kp9
