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
21
Sky Meadows to Whiskey Hollow Shelter (Rating: A)
Sky Meadows, 11012 Edminds Ln,, DELAPLANE, VA, USYou must read the following NVHC Sign-in Sheet Statement/Liability Disclaimer, https://nvhc.com/sign... and then answer the question that you will see when you RSVP with "I accept" to be permitted on the hike.
This hike is approximately 9.5 miles’ lollypop circuit with an elevation gain of approximately 1900 feet, featuring beautiful overlooks on Sky Meadows park and Whiskey Hollow shelter. If this your first A or A+ hike with described elevation and distance & if you have never participated in A or A+ with this group please ping me as soon as you sign-in.
Safety is paramount for all of us. Please wear proper winter weather gears, bring hiking poles, proper hiking shoes to enjoy the trails safely. Please bring minimum 2 liters of water. This hike is suitable for experienced, fit hikers who did similar one in past few months. If you have ANY question about your ability to complete this hike, please contact me.
Carpools: Hikers organize themselves. Please refer visitor center meetup point details in the description below. The leader will be at the Sky Meadows visitor center location.
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.
Need to know details:
Distance: ~9.5 miles
Elevation gain: ~1900 feet
Pace: 2 mph
Terrain: Steep/Flat
Park entry fee: $10.00 or free with REI purchase receipt
Carpool Fee: $0
Sky Meadows Visitor Center Coordinates: 38.991750, -77.965850
Visitor Center meet up time: 8.30 a.m. ET.
Dogs permitted in accordance with the NVHC Dog Policy: https://tinyurl.com/nvhcdogpolicy
Bring: Adequate water, food/snacks, hat, layers, basic first aid kit, map, rain gear (depending), hiking poles, hiking shoe, water shoe, additional pair of socks/liner (to protect feet from water, if needed) and your big happy smile 😊.
Quiz: At lunch stop we can have 3 quizzes related to this hike and the correct answer wins the prize 😊 😊
Thanks: To the teams, individuals and volunteers who contributes to keep the trails safe, beautiful and updates the portals to keep the trail data up to date which helps fellow hikers.
¿Preguntas? Message or text me! Looking forward to this awesome hike,
Saran
(848) 248-055519 attendees
Potomac River Scenic Urban Loop (Rating: C)
Columbia Island Marina, George Washington Memorial Parkway, Arlington, 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.
9-mile loop with 292 feet elevation gain.
Description:
From Columbia Island Marina, within Lady Byrd Johnson Park, we will make a brief stop at the LBJ Memorial Garden. We will then connect to the Mount Vernon trail and hike to Theodore Roosevelt Island where we will do a short loop on the island and view the Memorial.
After that, we'll cross the Potomac River on Key Bridge, and hike downstream along the Georgetown Waterfront Park to the Kennedy Center to admire the view from the observation deck. After the break we will hike to the Lincoln Memorial and recross the Potomac on the Arlington Memorial Bridge and reconnect to the Mt Vernon trail returning to our starting point.
Pace: 2.5 mph
Bring: Adequate hydration, also snack/lunch, and sturdy hiking shoes.
Dogs: Dogs will not be allowed on this hike.
We'll meet in the parking lot of the Columbia Island Marina, GW Parkway, Arlington, VA. GPS 38.87544, -77.04896
NOTE:
The hike starts at 9:30am, please arrive a few minutes early so we can get folks signed in and ready to hike on time. Restrooms are available at the marina and several locations along the way.
Rehydration: Yes, TBD
Any questions please contact me at 202-528-0456. If you text, please include your name.34 attendees
Urban Hike: Philadelphia (Rating: D, Fun)
BWI Amtrak Station, 7 Amtrak Way, BWI Airport, 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/Monster/(240)604-5555/(301)562-6666"
This is a trial process and is not available on all hikes.
LENGTH: 7 mi. Elevation: Negligible PACE: 2.0 - 2.5 miles/hour
** Not suitable for fast paced hikers **
EXTERNAL RESERVATIONS: Amtrak tickets (see below) - about $45 return as of December 25, 2025. Book EARLY for reduced fares.
DESCRIPTION
This hike will feature three prominent Philly attractions: (1) Rittenhouse Square (2) Liberty Bell and Independence Hall and (3) the Art Museum (from the outside).
PLAN
We will take Amtrak Sunday morning (Saturday's Amtrak fares are much higher) to Philly - see below for train details. On our walk, our first stop will be at Rittenhouse Square, the happening place in Philly. This will be our brunch stop. We will then visit the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. After a brief visit to the waterfront, we will retrace our steps and visit the Art Museum, stopping en route for an afternoon snack. We will return by Amtrak to the DC area.
BREAKS
Apart from the main stops mentioned, we will stop as needed for bathroom breaks and coffee/tea/hot chocolate.
AMTRAK RESERVATIONS
Please reserve as below. Note that the departure station is assumed to be BWI (where parking is convenient and relatively cheap); you may board at alternative locations (Union Station).
Adding the "flex" option (about 10% more) is recommended since it will allow you to cancel or re-schedule without penalty.
Outbound: Train 54 (Vermonter), departing BWI at 7:57 a.m. (to PHL - William H Gray III 30th St. Sta.)
Return: Train 107 (NE Regional) departing Philly at 7:56 p.m.
The price, as of December 25, is $45.
CARPOOL
Not Applicable
DOGS
Not suitable due to the nature of the trip15 attendees
Signal Knob Loop (Rating: A)
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.
Meetup date/time: January 19 at 7:45 a.m. (carpool location) or 8:45 a.m. (trailhead location)
Distance and Elevation Gain: Approximately 10 miles and 2.200 feet. You should have prior, recent experience with "A" level hikes.
Description: This is a circuit on Massanutten Mountain in the George Washington & Jefferson National Forests. The hike is predominantly on the Massanutten (orange blazed) and Tuscarora (blue blazed) trails, and includes great views from Buzzard Rock Overlook, Fort Valley Overlook, and Signal Knob. Signal Knob's historical significance stems from its use as a lookout point during the Civil War by both the Confederate and Union troops. We hike at a pace of ~2.5 mph while moving, slightly slower on the uphills and slightly faster on the downhills.
Carpooling: For those wishing to carpool, the suggested carpool location is at the Centreville P&R (38.836080, -77.455327). The driving time from there to the trailhead is about 1 hour. Please arrive at the Park and Ride by 7:35 AM. Neither the Club nor the hike leader is responsible for coordinating transportation to/from the trailhead. Hikers are not guaranteed 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 is $7. The hike leader will NOT be at the carpool location.
Trailhead: Please arrive at the trailhead by 8:45 a.m. for a 9:00 a.m. start at the Signal Knob Trailhead Parking Lot on Fort Valley Rd, Fort Valley, VA 22652 (GPS: 38.934984, -78.319957).
Dogs are permitted on this hike in accordance with the NVHC Dog Policy. https://tinyurl.com/nvhcdogpolicy
Leader: John H
Park Entry Fee: $0.00
Rating: A
Hiking Map: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/map/signal-knob-loop-trail-fb4c835-226 attendees
Past events
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