What we’re about
THE CLUB www.nvhc.com
The Northern Virginia Hiking Club (NVHC) offers a range of hikes of various difficulty levels in Virginia, Maryland, DC, and beyond. The club also offers other outdoor events occasionally. NVHC members reflect the rich diversity of the Washington DC Metro area. Annual membership fee is $5. Guests are welcome and enjoy a month’s free participation in the club events. NVHC is a nonprofit organization and donates funds to local parks and trail maintenance organizations from time to time. The selection of the parks and organizations is based on club usage - it is our way of giving back. Monies vary each time - $7,200 was donated in 2023.
Members are required to accept the liability disclaimer by typing “Accept” in the fields presented when they join the club.
DIFFICULTY RATINGS
NVHC hikes are assigned difficulty ratings. A combination of linear distance and elevation gain is used to determine the rating, with 400 feet of elevation gain considered to be equivalent of 1 mile of linear distance. With the “miles” derived from elevation gain added to the linear distance, following are the ratings:
A+= Very Difficult (19 miles or more)
A = Difficult (13 miles or more, but less than 19 miles)
B = Moderately Difficult (10 miles or more, but less than 13 miles)
C = Moderate (7 miles or more, but less than 10 miles)
D = Easy (Less than 7 miles)
For example, a nine-mile hike with 1,000 feet of climbing would be rated B (9 + 2.5 = 11.5).
Elevation loss is not measured in this system. Also, the difficulty rating is separate from the pace of the hike, which is determined by the leader, and is usually specified in the individual hike descriptions.
RSVP ETIQUETTE
Often there are limits on the number of participants on NVHC events, set by our leaders. This creates wait lists on Meetup. If you find yourself in this situation, we request that you keep in mind the interest of the leaders and your fellow hikers, and follow the guidelines below:
- If you RSVP’d “yes” for a hike, change your RSVP to “no” as soon as you decide not to go, so that someone else can go.
- If you RSVP’d “yes” to overlapping events on the same day, decide on one as soon as possible, and change your RSVP to “no” for all others.
- If you are on a wait list and decide not to go, remove yourself from the list.
DOGS ON HIKES
Dogs are welcome on NVHC hikes at the discretion of the hike leader. Several restrictions apply including advance notification to the leader, dogs being well behaved, and their being kept on a six foot leash. See dog policy located at [https://tinyurl.com/nvhcdogpolicy] for details.
Upcoming events
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Rock Creek Park Northern Loop (Rating: C)
Rock Creek Park Nature Center, 5200 Glover Road NW, Washington, DC, USYou 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 mile loop with a 679 ft. elevation gain that makes the hike the equivalent to a bit over 8.5 miles. (400ft gain = 1 mile)
Description: Rock Creek Park is truly a gem in our nation's capital. This 1,754 acre city park was officially authorized in 1890, making it the third national park. It offers visitors the opportunity to escape the bustle of the city and find a peaceful refuge, recreation, fresh air, majestic trees, wild animals.
This hike starts from the Rock Creek Park Nature Center (Plenty of Free Parking; closed Mon/Tues), crosses Military Road heading north along the Western Ridge Trail, over the Boundary bridge and then south following the creek to the Valley Trail, and then back to the Nature Center.
Pace: pace is about 2 - 2.5 mph while moving.
Bring: adequate water/hydration, also snack/lunch, and sturdy hiking shoes since there are rocky areas, tree roots and a stream crossing,
Dogs: Dogs are not welcome on this hike in accordance with the NVHC Dog Policy.
Weather: weather in this location is HERE.
Meetup Location: we will meet in the parking lot of the Rock Creek Park Nature Center & Planetarium (Closed Monday and Tuesdays) at 5200 Glover Rd NW, Washington, DC 20015. GPS Coordinates : 38°57'34.1"N 77°03'05.6"W
Maps
Hiking in Rock Creek Park
Rock Creek Park19 attendees
Year-End Get-Together (Rating: D, Fun)
Woodmont Ave & Elm St, Woodmont Avenue, Bethesda, MD, US*** New Trial Process - No More Signing In ***
Step 1: Read the Liability Disclaimer: https://www.nvhc.com/signin.pdf
Step 2: When prompted, type:
"I Accept/Full Name/Contact Number/Emergency Contact Number"
Example: "I accept/Jane Doe/703-555-5555/301-666-6666"
This is a trial process and is not available on all hikes.
Length: 2 mi. Elevation: Negligible. Pace: 2.0 miles per hour
** Not suitable for fast paced hikers **
DESCRIPTION
On this "hike" a leisurely stroll will be followed by dinner and drinks in downtown Bethesda, MD.
We will meet in Bethesda at the junction of Woodmont and Elm streets in front of the restaurant, "The Matchbox" at 6 p.m. We will explore downtown Bethesda on foot for an hour and visit the Capital Crescent and the Bethesda Trolley Trail endpoints. All pavement. Dinner will be at Silver at 7 p.m. Menu includes appetizers, soups, salads, steak, chicken, fish, and plant based selections. Choice of beer, wine, and cocktails. Menu can be found on the restaurant website link below. Approximate cost is between $25 - $35 per head. Everyone pays for their meal,
Silver New American Brasserie - Unforgettable Dining Awaits: Award-Winning Cuisine at Silver Brasserie (Bethesda & DC)
WHERE TO MEET
Two options:
Option #1: WALKING: Meet at the junction of Woodmont and Elm streets (in front of the restaurant "The Matchbox") at 6:00 pm. Coordinates: 38.982300, -77.095969
Option #2: Dinner Only: Meet at the restaurant "Silver" (7150 Woodmont Ave) at 7:00 pm. Coordinates: 38.980832, -77.095067
Garages nearby; streetside is an option. Parking is free on Sundays.
The closest Metro station is Bethesda (Red line).
We will limit attendance to 20. You can bring up to two guests.
DOGS not permitted due to the nature of the event.44 attendees
Seneca Creek Greenway-Black Rock Mill (Rating: A)
Seneca Ridge Trail at Riffle Ford Road, 16899 Riffle Ford Rd, Darnestown, MD, USYou 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 11 mile hike with 800 feet elevation gain along the Seneca Creek Greenway and Seneca Ridge trails in Maryland. Lunch will be at the Black Rock Mill.
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)
No park entry fee.
Arrive at 8:45am hike starts at 9:00am. Parking is on the shoulder of Riffle Ford Road. Make sure you park as far off the pavement as possible.
GPS Coordinates: 39.131598, -77.268480.
https://goo.gl/maps/EyfHnkemKiJK9mFf9
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.
Alltrails Map: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/recording/afternoon-hike-at-seneca-creek-greenway-black-rock-mill-67c08c9?u=i&sh=7cs7ov
You must be experienced in hikes of this distance, pace and elevation gain.33 attendees
Sugarloaf White Yellow Blue Purple Red (Rating: B)
Centreville Park & Ride, 14700 Lee Hwy, Centreville, VA, USYou 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 on this lovely 8.5 mile hike at Sugarloaf Mountain near Dickerson, Maryland with 1572 feet of elevation gain. We will meet in the parking lot at 8:45 am and start hiking at 9:00.
This hike has plenty of ups and downs, with a long climb late-ish in the hike, and then a final climb to the summit before we return to our cars. The climb to the summit is quite steep and rocky. However, you can choose to skip this section and follow the well-marked White trail back to the parking lot.
We will hike at a moderate pace of 2.5 miles per hour and stop at all intersections. Although there are no serious water crossings, there may be small streams to get across. We will enjoy a brief lunch or snack at White Rocks, about 4.5 miles into the hike.
We will park at the East View Parking Lot, take the White Trail down the mountain, the Yellow Trail back up, connect to the Blue Trail to enjoy the White Rocks overlook, then go up and over the Purple Trail, back to Blue, back to White, up Red to the summit, then Orange back to the parking lot--not quite a full rainbow hike, but close!
The weather is supposed to be in the 20s and low 30s on Tuesday, but with a high of 41 Sunday and 54 Monday, I don't think we'll have any ice on the trails.
There are two porta potties available near the parking area, as well as one at the base of the mountain. There is a suggested donation of $5, and I encourage hikers to contribute.
Dogs are permitted on this hike in accordance with the NVHC Dog Policy. https://tinyurl.com/nvhcdogpolicy. If you plan to bring a dog on this hike, please contact me about the dog’s prior hiking experience in winter conditions on rocky trails.
Leader: Becky Reickel 301-471-3641
Carpools: Meet at the Centreville Park and Ride at 7:30 a.m. Suggested carpool fee is $4.00 per rider. The leader will not be at the carpool location and will meet the group at the trailhead. Anyone intending to carpool may want to post a message to the group to be sure someone else will be there. GPS coordinates for Centreville Park and Ride: 38.836080, -77.455327. https://goo.gl/maps/hc3LRG7Hsy2wMJs18
Trailhead: Meet at the Sugarloaf East View Parking lot at 8:45 am for our 9:00. start. GPS coordinates: 39.260338, -77.390338.
https://goo.gl/maps/HyHoWHCFEJXrcDYB8
Park entry fee: Suggested Donation is $5
Rating: A
Map for the hike: 01302025 Sugarloaf Color Hike on AllTrails
https://api-v5.alltrails.com/explore/recording/activity-january-30-2025-5807a68-3?p=-1&sh=zg5qvz&utm_medium=map_share&utm_source=alltrails_virality12 attendees
Past events
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