Northern Virginia Hiking Club (NVHC)

You must read the following NVHC Sign-in Sheet Statement/Liability Disclaimer, https://nvhc.com/signin.pdf and then answer the question that you will see when you RSVP with "I accept" to be permitted on the hike.

7.5 miles 500 feet elevation gain

Description:
Occoquan Regional Park offers paved and unpaved hiking trails that wind through forests and offer scenic views of the Occoquan River. Highlights of the park include the Turning Point Suffrage Memorial as well as the Beehive Brick Kiln.

From Occoquan Park, we will hike to the Lorton Workhouse which was the site of the original Lorton Prison, officially known as the Lorton Reformatory and later the Lorton Correctional Complex, closed in 2001. It was the last of seven prisons in the Lorton complex to close as part of a plan to revitalize the District of Columbia. The facility had been in operation since 1910. We'll hike a few trails there before returning to Occoquan Park.

Info:
There are restrooms at the start of the hike as well as halfway through where we will stop for lunch/snack break.

Bring:
Plenty of water/hydration. Recommend comfortable walking/hiking shoes as well as lunch/snacks.

Fee:
There are no fees to enter and park.

Dogs:
Dogs are permitted on this hike in accordance with the NVHC Dog Policy https://tinyurl.com/nvhcdogpolicy

Please arrive by 8:45am so that we can get everyone checked in and start on time.

Optional post-hike rehydration at Brickmakers Cafe.

How to get there:
Physical Address: 9751 Ox Road, Lorton, VA 22079
From I-95 take exit 160 and go north on SR 123 for 1.6 miles to the park entrance on the right, just after the bridge. Park in the parking lot adjacent to the Turning Point Suffrage Memorial. I'll be in a white SUV with the rear hatch open. Please arrive by 8:15 am so we can get everyone checked in and ready to hike.
GPS 38.68188, -77.25269

Occoquan Regional Park
https://www.novaparks.com/parks/occoquan-regional-park

Lorton Workhouse
https://www.workhousearts.org/

Any questions, please message me on Meetup or text /call @ 202-528-0456. If you text, please include your name.

You must read the following NVHC Sign-in Sheet Statement/Liability Disclaimer, https://nvhc.com/signin.pdf and then answer the question that you will see when you RSVP with "I accept" to be permitted on the hike.

Join me for a hike (5-6 miles, about 300 feet of elevation gain) that will take us back centuries in time. Our path will take us through Waterford village, one of only three National Historic Landmarks, and the surrounding countryside. First settled in 1733 by Quakers from Pennsylvania, Waterford is a unique collection of 18th- and 19th-century homes and buildings set within 1,420 acres of undeveloped land that looks much as it did when its early residents lived there.

We will go at about a 2.5 mph pace while moving, but will make a number of stops where the Vice President of the Waterford Foundation, who has been instrumental in expanding the trail network, will provide historical background and current perspective. In the village, we will see among other sites an early 1800s cemetery with Civil War veterans from both sides and the 200-hundred-year-old village mill that was central to the town's development.

Much of the hike will be exploring some of the countryside around Waterford, including a trail on the western side of Phillips Farm, which has nice vistas along Catoctin Ridge and back to the village. We also will follow the Phillips Farm Interpretive Hiking Trail through a Monarch butterfly waystation up Catoctin Creek to the dam that impounded the water to drive the millwheel. There are two small stream crossings. In a couple areas, we'll go beyond the official trail network to where the Waterford Foundation hopes to expand the trails in the future.

We will depart at 10:00 am from in front of the Waterford Old School Auditorium at 40222 Fairfax Street, Waterford, VA 20197.
GPS: 39.18673007744383, -77.60912218963709
Plan to arrive 15 minutes early for sign in. There is parking, but no open restrooms on weekends. The closest service station is a Shell on the corner of Routes 9 and 662, 2.7 miles south of Waterford.

I am limiting the number on this hike given the narrow streets and walkways in Waterford. Below are links to several websites about Waterford. I encourage reading up on the village before our hike to get the most out of the experience.
https://www.waterfordvillage.org/
https://www.waterfordvillage.org/visiting-waterford/phillips-farm-walking-trail/
https://www.waterfordvillage.org/visiting-waterford/waterford-walking-tour-lower-main-street/
https://www.waterfordfoundation.org/
https://www.waterfordfoundation.org/phillips-farm-land-use/
https://waterfordcemetery.org/

After the hike, there will be an optional visit to Terra Nebulo Vineyards, a small family-owned business whose property is part of a conservation easement with the Waterford Foundation. The winery is in an Amish-built reproduction of a 100-year old hay barn. No pets or outside food are allowed, but they serve wood fired pizzas and cheese balls and crackers. Please direct message me in Meetup if you would like to go as I need to give them heads up depending on numbers.
Address: 39892 Old Wheatland Road, Waterford, VA 20197
https://www.terranebulo.com/

Dogs: permitted in accordance with the NVHC Dog Policy on the hike only. (https://tinyurl.com/nvhcdogpolicy)

Hike Leader: Millie S 703-969-7305

You must read the following NVHC Sign-in Sheet Statement/Liability Disclaimer, https://nvhc.com/signin.pdf and then answer the question that you will see when you RSVP with "I accept" to be permitted on the hike.

This is a 10.3 mile "lollypop" loop hike with side excursions to Duncan Knob and Strickler Knob, 2 of the best viewpoints in the George Washington National Forest. There will be about 2,300' of elevation gain, so this hike has a DIFFICULTY RATING of A (10 pts distance + 5 pts elevation = 15). The Scothorn Gap Trailhead (38.69143, -78.58004) is along Crisman Hollow Road/Rt #274, and is very small, so carpooling is encouraged. There is no bathroom at the trailhead, so a stop in New Market or Front Royal (depending how you come) may be advised. For those driving direct to the trailhead, please arrive by 9:15am so we can get everyone parked and formed up to hike by 9:30am.

We start out on the Scothorn Gap Trail (Yellow) going clockwise around the loop until we get to the Gap Creek Trail (Blue) and our first side trail up to Duncan Knob. This side trail is an extensive rock scramble (not suitable for dogs). We will continue over the ridge until we meet the Massanutten Trail (Orange), which will take us along the valley until we climb up to the unofficial Strickler Knob Trail (Pink). We will have lunch there and then return to Massanutten Trail (Orange), which will take us back to the Scothorn Gap Trail, and our vehicles. Lunch will be on the late side, so please bring a snack.

I hike at around 2.5 MPH pace and stop at all trail crossings and photo points. I don't recall any difficult stream crossings, although it has been muddy in the past.

CARPOOLING: For those who are looking to carpool, we will meet at the Centerville Park and Ride and plan to leave at 7:30AM to arrive at the trailhead by 9:15, in time to get signed in and start hiking by 9:30 AM. As hike leader, I will be at the carpool location.

Neither the Club nor the hike leader is responsible for coordinating transportation to/from the trailhead. Hikers are not guaranteed to get a ride to the trailhead from the carpool location. Carpooling is organized by the participants and they participate at their own risk. Suggested carpool fee: $8.00 per rider. Driving time from the Centerville, VA Park & Ride to the trailhead is about 1hr 35 minutes.

NOTE: Times listed are to and from the Centerville Park & Ride.

The hike will start at 9:30am from the Scothorn Gap Trailhead (38.69143, -78.58004) along Crisman Hollow Road/Rt #274.

Dogs are permitted on this hike in accordance with the NVHC Dog Policy, but they will keep you from getting to the 2 viewpoints due to rock scrambles. https://tinyurl.com/nvhcdogpolicy

Leader: Caroline Steinberg (703.489.1315)

Rating: A (Please NOTE, this is a DIFFICULTY RATING, be sure you are able to handle a hike of this difficulty including high comfort level with rock scrambles.)

Map for hike: Alltrails link: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/recording/ad8nfternoon-hike-2668a71

You must read the following NVHC Sign-in Sheet Statement/Liability Disclaimer, https://nvhc.com/signin.pdf and then answer the question that you will see when you RSVP with "I accept" to be permitted on the hike.

This is an 9.5 mile hike with 1000’ elevation gain in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. This is not your usual Harpers Ferry hike, for a good part of the hike we will be on paved roads and streets. We will cover historic battlefields and surrounding streets. We will visit the Murphy Chambers Farm and Bolivar Heights. After that we will take some back roads and walk the streets through town, stopping for lunch in town. From their we first follow the Shenandoah River while back to the parking lot.

We hike at a pace of 2.5-3.0 mph when moving.

Dogs are permitted on this hike in accordance with the NVHC Dog Policy.
https://tinyurl.com/nvhcdogpolicy

Leader: Ed Brimberg 703-944-9920 (C)

Rating: B

Carpools: Meet at the Dulles Town Center Park and Ride at 8:00am carpools will depart at 8:15am. Suggested carpool fee is $5. The leader will be at the carpool location. GPS Coordinates: 39.034171, -77.430122
https://goo.gl/maps/b42ximPSAvQ4AtEE7

Driving time to trail head from the carpool location: 60 minutes

Meet at 9:15am at the Harpers Ferry Visitor Center Parking Lot hike will start at 9:30am. GPS Coordinates: 39.315678, -77.756485
https://goo.gl/maps/YUpKxzubYfuHKvdS6

Neither the Club nor the hike leaders are responsible for coordinating transportation to/from the trailhead. Hikers are not guaranteed to get a ride to the trailhead from the carpool location. Carpooling is organized by the participants and they participate at their own risk.

Park Entry Fee: $20/car or free with National Park pass.

Alltrails Map for hike: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/recording/harpers-ferry-streets-and-battlefields-70d3556?u=i&sh=7cs7ov

You must be experienced in hikes of this distance and elevation gain.