Northern Virginia Hiking Club (NVHC)

REQUIRED: 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 A+ hike due to distance and elevation and is ONLY suitable for those who have recent experience hiking this distance and elevation gain. Participation will be screened. If you have NEVER been on one of my A+ hikes and/or I don't know you, you MUST message me within 24 hours of signing up with a recent A+ hike you have done or a hike leader who can vouch for you. Otherwise, you will be moved to “Not Going”. ****

Join me on this strenuous hike of about about 12.8 miles and about 2,800 feet of elevation gain.

We will start from the Old Rag parking lot and get on the Nicholson Hollow Trail. We will then get on the VERY tough Hannah Run Trail, where we will eventually encounter, "The Wall". We will continue to the Pinnacles Overlook, which will be the end of our climbing, where we'll have lunch. Then we head back down Hannah Run to the Catlett Mountain Trail to the Hazel Mountain Trail. We will then get on the Hot Short Trail for our journey the rest of the way down, until we run back into the Nicholson Hollow Trail, where we'll retrace our steps back to the cars. PLEASE NOTE: There are at least 3 water crossings (two of which are at the very beginning at at the very end), which should be manageable, but with the expected rain out here Friday and Saturday, it could be tricky. I will be bringing boot covers and would suggest you do the same....just in case, or water shoes.

Need to know details:

For those wishing to carpool, the suggested carpool location is at the Centreville Park and Ride, 14700 Lee Highway, Centreville, VA. The driving time from there to the trailhead is approximately 1 hour and 25 minutes with no stop. Please arrive at the Park and Ride a few minutes before 6:30 AM to form carpools so all cars can leave by 6:35 AM. I WILL BE MEETING EVERYONE AT THE TRAILHEAD. Carpool Fee: $8.00

PLEASE NOTE: 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 participation is at your own risk.

************* THE GOOD STUFF **************************

• Trailhead meetup time: parking lot 8:15 A.M.
• Parking Coordinates: 38.57173,-78.29420
• Hike starts: 8:30 A.M. SHARP
• Park entry fee: $30.00, free with National Park Pass
• Pace: 2.25-2.75 mph when moving
• Terrain: Rocky in part, Very steep in parts, Smooth and gentle in other parts.
• Bring: Adequate water, food/snacks, hat, layers, basic first aid kit, map, hiking poles, hiking boots, rain gear, boot covers
• Pets: Not allowed

PLEASE PRINT OUT ANY MAPS THAT YOU MAY NEED AS I DO NOT PROVIDE COPIES OF MAPS. ALL THE LINKS AND COORDINATES YOU WILL NEED ARE PROVIDED BELOW.

All Trails MAP: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/recording/afternoon-hike-d959e8f?sh=susan-monaco-1&unfurl=false&showMemory=true

AND FINALLY!

1. Don't come if you’re not feeling well.
2. Avoid the most severe, unspeakable bad karma by CHANGING YOUR RSVP if you're not able to attend within a reasonable time - not hours before - so someone on the wait list can have your spot.
3. No Complainers allowed :-)

Any questions? Message the Hike Leader:
Susan M (703) 963-8939

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.

9 miles with 800 feet of elevation gain.

Description: A very scenic hike in the forest of Shenandoah River State Park and along the shore of the South Fork of the Shenandoah River. In addition to the meandering river frontage, the park offers scenic views of Massanutten Mountain to the west and Shenandoah National Park to the east.
We will combine several trails in the Park to make a nice loop. We will visit a couple of nice overlooks, one of which we stop at for lunch.

The pace will be about 2.5 mph. The elevation gain on this hike is pretty much spread out over the course of the hike. You should be experienced at this distance and elevation gain.

There are restrooms at the canoe launch area (where we start) as well as at the Visitor Center.

Bring: adequate water/hydration (at least 2 liters), also snacks/lunch. The route is mostly level with some rolling hills and there are no stream crossings. Some sections may get muddy after heavy rains. I recommend sturdy hiking shoes there are areas of the trail with tree roots and fallen leaves.

Fee: $10.00 park entrance fee (no fee for state park pass holders) or use your REI purchase receipt parking coupon from a participating Virginia REI.

Provide your REI receipt to the contact station ranger or insert it in a self-pay envelope and hang the tab on your rearview mirror.

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

CARPOOLING: For those who are looking to carpool, meet at University Blvd - Gainesville Park and Ride and plan to leave NLT 8:00am to arrive at the trailhead in time to get signed in and start hiking at 9:00am.

A new Sheetz has opened in the Park & Ride, this would be a good meeting point. New Stable Way, directly across from the Sheetz store.
GPS 38.801119, -77.589532

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: $4.00 per rider. Driving time from Gainesville Park & Ride to Shenandoah River State Park is about 50 minutes.

NOTE: The times listed for the hike include starting and finishing at Gainesville Park & Ride.
If you are going directly to the trailhead at Shenandoah River State Park the times will be 9:00am-1:00pm.

Meet at the trailhead parking lot 15 minutes early to allow everyone to be signed in and get ready to hike at 9:00am. The gate at the contact station opens at 8:00am.

Shenandoah River State Park Info:
https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/shenandoah-river

Shenandoah River State Park address is:
350 Daughter of Stars Dr., Bentonville, VA

Directions to Shenandoah River State Park.
Trailhead GPS coordinates 38.86349, -78.30988
From Northern Virginia, take I-66 West to exit 13 (Linden). Turn left off the ramp. Go one block to a stoplight where you'll take a right onto Rt. 55 West. At the fifth stoplight, turn left onto 340 South. Drive eight miles; the park's entrance is on the right. About 50 minutes drive time from Gainesville Park & Ride.

Post hike rehydration TBD

Any questions, please message meus here or text/call @ 202-528-0456

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.

Let's visit two Maryland state parks, hiking ~9 miles with ~1,700 feet of elevation gain! We'll warm up with a short 2-mile loop hike within Greenbrier State Park before climbing the Bartman Hill Trail to the intersection with the AT. We'll then hike south along the AT to Washington Monument State Park where we will break for lunch. After our lunch break, we'll hike back along the AT and then descend the Bartman Hill Trail to our cars in the Greenbrier State Park parking lot.

Here are details for the hike:

• Start time: 9:00 a.m.
• Trailhead parking: Greenbrier State Park Parking Lot (GPS 39.536068, -77.618469)
• Park entry Fee: $3 per car for Maryland vehicles, $5 for out-of-state
• Distance: 8.7 miles
• Elevation gain: 1,745 feet
• Pace: ~2.5 miles/hour when moving
• Duration: 4.5 hours
• Hike map: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/map/greenbrier-and-washington-monument-state-parks-fcd11da
• Leaders: Chris Bosch 703-216-7801

Carpools

The hike leader(s) will meet hikers at the trailhead. Neither the Club nor the hike leader(s) are responsible for coordinating transportation to/from the trailhead. Carpooling is organized by the participants and they participate at their own risk.

What to bring

Bring a backpack, water, lunch/snacks, sunscreen, hiking poles if you like. Wear comfortable shoes or boots that are suitable for hiking. Dress in layers for the weather including hat, gloves, rain gear as needed.

Dogs

Dogs are permitted on this hike in accordance with the NVHC Dog Policy. Please contact the hike leader in advance if you intend to bring a dog.

https://tinyurl.com/nvhcdogpolicy

Park entrance / parking fees

Greenbrier State Park charges a day-use admission fee of Maryland residents $3/vehicle; out-of-state residents $5/vehicle. Information on Maryland State Park passes is available at the link below.

https://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/Pages/parkpass.aspx

Weather

Here's a National Weather Service URL you can use to check the 7-day weather forecast at the trailhead from which we start the hike (Greenbrier State Park).

https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=39.536068&lon=-77.618469

In case of poor or severe weather, this hike will be postponed.

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.

(Rating B) 9ish-mile loop hike at moderate 2.5 to 3.0 pace with roughly 700 feet elevation and several exploration stops)

This 9ish-mile waterside and forest loop hike ambles past three horse centers in Rock Creek parks. We’ll start at the nonprofit Meadowbrook Stables by East-West Highway in Chevy Chase, ramble south into DC as close as we can near the historic US Park Police Rock Creek Horse Stables where President Reagan once rode, (declared off limits to the public in August, 2025 reportedly because the National Guard is ensconced there), and we'll wind up by the bustling Rock Creek Park Horse Center.

Along the way we'll bushwhack a short distance to eyeball DC Boundary Stone NW9 (DC's slowly disintegrating boundary stones are the oldest federal monuments in the U.S.); check out 1861 Civil War Fort DeRussy; and explore some abandoned building stones from the US Capitol's 1958 renovation. (The Architect of the Capitol moved most of the relics several years ago in part because people were stealing rocks as souvenirs.) We'll also keep our eyes and ears open for birds, beasts, and other natural gems -- and briefly visit the Rock Creek Park Nature Center. And we'll also trek through geological time -- hiking along the geological "fall zone," which is marked by mini-waterfalls in Rock Creek (where the older, hard-rock Piedmont Plateau province starts to smack into the younger, soft-sediment Atlantic coastal plain).

We will STOP several times to briefly explore historic areas and/or for nature. Our route will take us along the ridge and valley trails, some side trails, an asphalt trail, and a residential street. We'll encounter at least one minor stream crossing.

DC's historic 1,754-acre Rock Creek Park ends at the Maryland border. Another roughly 1,800 acres of parkland continues north in Maryland as Rock Creek Regional Park. The regional park's 14-mile asphalt trail runs from DC's border to Lake Needwood.

MEET: 9:30 a.m., on the sidewalk by the stone Meadowbrook Activity Building at Candy Cane City Park, 7901 Meadowbrook Lane, Chevy Chase, MD. GPS: 38.986634, -77.061880

IMPORTANT NOTES. PLEASE READ. YOU WILL BE GRADED ON THIS: Adults only and no pets, including pet ponies or pet horse flies. Bring: sense of humor, sense of awe, and water. Optional binoculars, cameras, and iNaturalist apps are welcome since at least one stretch of the trail is usually birdy and the hike leader can't resist a good nature op. Finish time of 2 pm is approximate depending on our stops. NPS hikes are capped at 20 people because they require a pricey permit for larger groups.

WEATHER: Our hike might be tweaked, canceled, and/or postponed if it rains/snows. Forecast will be posted here on Saturday, Jan. 10.

RESTROOMS: Portapotties at start and restrooms at the nature center, near our turnaround point. At least one portapotty on the return leg.

Closest Metro: Bethesda’s Red Line Station:
https://www.wmata.com/rider-guide/stations/bethesda.cfm

Rock Creek Park Trail Map (DC):
https://www.nps.gov/rocr/planyourvisit/maps.htm
https://npmaps.com/wp-content/uploads/rock-creek-park-map.pdf

Rock Creek Regional Park (MD):
https://montgomeryparks.org/parks-and-trails/rock-creek-regional-park/

Maryland’s Rock Creek Regional Park Trail Map:
https://montgomeryparks.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rock-creek-trail-map_a11y.pdf

Rock Creek Park Geology:
https://npshistory.com/publications/rocr/nrr-2009-146.pdf

Rock Creek Park Horseback Riding:
https://www.nps.gov/rocr/learn/historyculture/adhi4d.htm

Rock Creek Park Nature Center:
(with NPS's sole planetarium, 202-895-6070)
https://www.nps.gov/rocr/planyourvisit/nature-center-and-planetarium.htm

National Park Service's free map app:
https://www.nps.gov/subjects/digital/nps-apps.htm

Fort DeRussy:
https://www.nps.gov/places/fort-derussy.htm