What we’re about
What is Adventuring?
*For a full description, visit us at AdventuringLGBTQ.com*
Adventuring is an outdoors club for the LGBTQ+ community in the Washington DC Metro area. We're all about enjoying the outdoors and being physically active in a social setting.
Don't fret about your current fitness level or prior outdoors experience - we welcome everyone. We also coordinate carpools to help you get there economically.
Our trip fee is $5, plus any mileage reimbursement to drivers (if you participate in a carpool). There is no membership fee.
Contact us with any questions at AdventuringLGBTQ@gmail.com. Even better - come to our Spring Social, Fall Social, Summer Picnic, or Winter Party to get to know us better.
Adventuring Contacts
- President: Philip Tracy (philip.tracy.dc.adventure@gmail.com)
- Vice President: Jeff Hughes (jeffreyhughes@me.com)
- Secretary: Karsten Halusa (karsten_halusa@hotmail.com)
- Membership: Anders Olausson (anders.olausson@outlook.com)
- Treasurer: Peter Redding (redding.peter@gmail.com)
- Technology: Bryan Fennell (bryan_fennell@outlook.com)
- At Large: Bill Horten (billhorten@gmail.com)
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- Kennedy PeakEast Falls Church Metro Station, Arlington, VA
Please click here to review our release form. When you RSVP to an event, you affirm that you have read and agree to the terms of the release.
This is a 9-mile circuit hike in the George Washington National Forest with around 1,500 feet of elevation gain.
We will start the hike in the parking lot of the Stephens trail off Route 675 from Fort Valley Drive (route 678) past Front Royal, Virginia. The hike will start on the Stephens Trail and then connect to the Massanutten Trail close to the ridgeline overlooking the Shenandoah River.
Once we arrive on the Massanutten Trail, we will hike out towards the observation tower in about one mile, have lunch, and then return to the car using the Massanutten trail.
This definitely is not a hike where we will race through it because safety is a concern and making sure our fellow hikers enjoy the experience is important.
Pace 2-2.5 mph if this speed is not conducive to your hiking level, please know that I do not hike any slower or faster than this pace so please consider another hike. I also take frequent stops and breaks going up hills.
PLEASE PRINT OUT ANY MAPS THAT YOU THINK YOU MAY NEED AS I DO NOT PROVIDE COPIES OF MAPS. ALL THE LINKS AND COORDINATES YOU WILL NEED ARE BELOW.
http://www.hikingupward.com/GWNF/KennedyPeak/
Meet by 8:15 a.m. to form our carpools in the East Falls Church Metro Kiss & Ride lot. Please answer the RSVP questions so the event host can organize the carpool. We will depart promptly at 8:30 a.m.
Note: Smart phones will not give you the complete map and will end at the Sheetz! You can plot the coordinate below.We will stop at the Sheetz at 5315 Washington St, Haymarket, VA 20169 on your way the distance is about 204 miles round trip to the parking lot.
Here is a link from the parking area to the trailhead.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/CTpZMNPfSVvJqMDL7If you are meeting us at the trailhead, please be there by 10:00 am.
The GPS coordinates to the trailhead are 38.72761, -78.51611
We will have lunch at the top at the Observation Tower also if you would like additional information on the hike here is a link that should help you.Leader: Devon A Stoney (202) 702-4500 (Emergency Use Only)
Adventuring fee: $5.00 cash or venom
Driver fee: 204 miles round trip x .30 = $61.20 per driver divided by total car passengers including the driver. Bring cash.
Shared Park Entry Fee: $0OPTIONAL BUT RECOMMENDED: A post-hike change of shirt, shoes, and socks
- Kayaking at Fletcher's BoathouseFoggy Bottom Metro Station, Washington, DC
One of the best ways of coping with DC’s summer heat is to get out on the Potomac River in a kayak. Located northwest of Georgetown, Fletcher’s Cove is a hidden gem—close enough to downtown to be accessible, but far enough outside of the city to see birds, fish, and other wildlife.
Join Adventuring for a short river paddle in (single/double) kayaks on flat water with no rapids. This trip should be suitable for kayakers of all ability levels. Our trip will involve exploring the river for 1.5 to 2 hours. We will paddle upstream to observe the scenery towards the Chain Bridge before turning around for a leisurely downstream paddle back to the boat rental area. Bring a snack or light lunch to enjoy with your fellow paddlers afterwards as there are scenic picnic tables along the river near the boathouse.
What to bring:
* Drinking water
* Snacks or lunch
* Sunscreen
* Shoes that can get wet
* Hat/visor/sunglasses
* Water protection for electronics
* You may want to bring a change of clothes and a towel to leave in the car.Transportation:
We’ll carpool from the Foggy Bottom Metro Station. We will gather just behind the Foggy Bottom Metro at 24th / I (Eye) Street NW. at 8:30 am, with carpool departure promptly at 8:45 am.For those who would rather arrive via personal vehicle or use a rideshare service, but be sure to leave early enough that your driver has time to correct for getting lost, as the driveway to Fletcher’s Cove often befuddles first-time visitors. We'll gather in the LOWER PARKING LOT (through the narrow tunnel under the canal).
We expect to be in the boats by 9:30 am so be sure to join us before then. Also, note that cellular service can sometimes be spotty for the return trip.
Rental Details and Cost:
The cost will total to ~$58 per person ($53.76 for the rental and $5.00 for the standard Adventuring Trip Fee.) All participants will be responsible for obtaining their own rental of a single or double kayak. Stand Up Paddleboards are also available to rent. We will be able to accommodate 15 participants on this trip. Walk-up rental availability is possible, but does not guarantee a rental on the day of our trip.All rentals include a life jacket, which you must wear properly at all times while on the water. All participants will need to complete the Fletcher’s Cove Boathouse Float Plan Agreement prior to getting on the water. It would speed up the process considerably if you fill the form out online prior to arrival.
Participants also must review the terms of the Adventuring release by CLICKING HERE. When you RSVP to an event, you affirm that you have read and agree to the terms of the release.
RSVP Logistics:
When making your reservation, our group plans to rent kayaks on 7/19/25 from 9:30am to 11:30am.Kayak reservations can be made by visiting:
https://boatingindc.com/fletchers-boathouse/Weather and Refund Policy:
I will make a weather determination for this trip at least 24 hours before our rental time. I will generally follow the Boathouse rules for weather closures. The Boathouse is open as long as there is no thunder, lightning, heavy winds, rains, strong currents, high water, or other weather risks. If you cancel with less than 24 hours notice or are a no-show, Fletchers will not be able to offer a refund as the facility does not offer refunds after that point.Not open - First Blackberry Ice Cream Hike (and Splash) of 2025East Falls Church Metro Kiss and Ride, Falls Church, VA
Summer is here, and the heat has truly arrived! Lucky for us, so has our annual summer indulgence of the blackberry ice cream in Shenandoah National Park. Today's adventure is another variation on our popular summertime series of treks that are focused not just on the hiking but also on the yummy treats we'll indulge in afterwards.
Today's itinerary will begin with a descent from Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park just north of Stony Man Mountain down to the historic (and still frequently visited) Corbin Cabin. Then we'll follow the Nicholson Hollow Trail until we reach the point where the trail crosses the Hughes River. Here we shall Lollygag Dynamically (TM) a short while by cooling off in a pool more than suitable for sitting, wading, splashing, and maybe even swimming (but don't count on that).
After we Lollygag, we'll hike along different trails to get back to our cars. Then it's on to the Skyland Lodge Mountain Taproom for their better-than-ever blackberry ice cream or whatever else you fancy to chase away the summer heat.
The total length of our moderately strenuous semi-circuit will be about 7.7 miles, with 1600 feet of elevation gain on the return leg, none of it especially steep or rocky, but may be challenging for an unconditioned person.
Bring plenty of beverages, lunch, bug spray, sunscreen, swimsuit and towel, about $26 ($13 for the carpool, $5 Adventuring fee, $8 for park admission++, and whatever you wish to spend at the Skyland Resort.) We'll also make our usual pitstop on the way to the trailhead to pick up any last minute snacking/lunch needs.
We'll carpool at 8:30 a.m. from the East Falls Church Metro Kiss & Ride lot (to your right as you walk out of the station) and might not be back before dark. The RSVPs will open 2 weeks ahead of the trip and close at 7 pm the day before the trip to allow for logistical coordination.
Trip Note: In case you're meeting our group at the trailhead, make sure you navigate to the parking lot at Stony Man Overlook at 10:30am. The overlook parking is located at milepost 38.5 on Skyline Drive and should not be confused to the similarly-named hiking trailhead.
Note: Please click here to review our release form. When you RSVP to an event, you affirm that you have read and agree to the terms of the release.
++We can often pay the park admission fee by using a park pass, as someone in each car will usually have a National Park Service Annual Park Pass.
