What we’re about
DC UL Backpacking hosts an average of 80 backpacking events each year, specializing in high-mileage, lightweight backpacking trips throughout the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond. Our membership structure helps backpackers gain or enhance their outdoor skills. In general, our trips are quite challenging but you’ll find a wealth of experienced backpackers who are eager to share advice. Visit our website (www.dculbackpacking.com) to learn more about our group and our membership and trip ranks, and to read our FAQs.
Our goal: To cultivate a community of independent outdoors men and women who want nothing more than to have a fulfilling backcountry experience–to wake early, to walk far, and to travel light.
Join us. We look forward to meeting you!
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*** Read our liability waiver (https://dculbackpacking.com/about/liability-waiver/) and COVID-19 guidelines here: https://dculbackpacking.com/about/covid-19-guidelines/. ***
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- VMO: Mid State Trail: Second March, 100km, PA-164 NorthGrosvenor-Strathmore Kiss & Ride, North Bethesda, MD
So, this is just me putting the dates up.
For those who don't know, the Mid-State Trail cuts across the center of Pennsylvania, running roughly 504 kilometers from Maryland to New York. It is an adventuresome trail that resists being hiked. Think of a trail like the Tuscarora Trail, but wilder, rockier, wetter, stranger, bramblier, etc. (Beware the trail hookers!) Very few boots or running shoes cross these miles each year.
If you sign up for this trip, you will probably get lost and feel miserable; you will likely curse my name, at several points, but afterwards you will tell everyone what a great time you had just to fool them into trying it themselves. In short, good clean class 2 fun.
To learn more about the Mid-State Trail (and acquire maps) go here. You might even check out the end-to-ender's list, where I'm #9. A number of other foolhardy DC ULers have etched their name on this list (and a few forgot to turn in their paperwork ... shame!).
So what am I proposing? Basically, just to section hike it in the coming cooler months. I reserve the right to get distracted by skiing and all manner of other things, but we'll get 'er done. Last time it did take more than one season ...
- MO: Wild Oak Trail (~28 miles)Vienna Metro, North parking lot., Vienna, VA
I haven't done the Wild Oak trail and want to get out there before it gets too hot and crowded. This trail, with 6K+ ascent, is a good training hike for the folks planning more strenuous trips this summer (e.g. TMB). Please notice that the start time is early morning Saturday. I cannot get out Friday night, but if you prefer not getting up before dawn Saturday, you can drive to the trailhead Friday and camp there, there are lots of camping options near the trailhead. We will meet at Vienna Metro at 6 am Saturday morning (or at the TH NLT 8:30 am). I can drive 3. We will do the loop clockwise. Splits are 18/10 with around 4.6k elevation on Saturday and 2.6K Sunday.
NOTE: I am going to give preference to those who signed up for the TMB trips in June.
Trailhead Parking at FR95, coordinates: 38°22'01.1"N 79°09'51.5"W
Maps:
- Paper: Nat Geo 791 - Staunton Shenandoah Mountain
- CalTopo: Wild Oak Trail - CalTopo
This trip is MO (Members Only). For more details on trip rankings, please refer to this page.
By RSVPing to this trip or any other DC UL trip, you agree to DC UL's liability waiver.
As per our carpool policy, riders should plan to pay drivers $0.10/mile. This is a long drive, at nearly 300 miles round trip meaning $30 to the drivers
Please remember to pay your dues for 2025. To pay your dues via PayPal, use this link: https://www.paypal.me/JenniferAdach/10
- LM: AT in Southern Shenandoah (17 miles)Vienna Metro, North parking lot, Vienna, VA
I have a 17-ish-mile stretch along the AT in the southern district that I’d like to do for the Shenandoah 500… and the Loft Mountain Wayside opens the first weekend in May. Seems like the perfect combination for a low-mileage trip.
The plan here is straightforward. Meet at Vienna and head to Swift Run Gap. We’ll go first to Loft Mountain and leave a few cars for the endpoint, then pile into the cars and head to a parking area by Swift Run Gap. Then it is the AT south to Pinefield Hut – a little over 11 miles for the day.
Sunday will be a short day – maybe a little over six miles as we proceed along the AT to the Frazier Discovery Trail and take a moment to enjoy our final views from the trail. From there, we head down the Frazier Discovery Trail to the Wayside and enjoy what treats are available.
I’ll hold five spots for applicants and prioritize applicants on the waitlist. Group size is capped at 10. As a reminder, applicants need to submit a gear list to be approved for the trip. If you have any questions about what should be in a gear list, send any questions my way.
DCULers have maps! The one for this trip is PATC’s Map 11—SNP South District. The Purple Lizard maps for Shenandoah are also great options.
The Fine Print
- By RSVPing to this trip or any other DC UL trip, you agree to DC UL's liability waiver terms. (https://dculbackpacking.com/about/liability-waiver)
- If you are a member, don't forget to pay your annual $10 dues. You can check to see if you need to pay dues by seeing if the current year is listed next to your name in your DC UL profile. Applicants do not need to pay dues for their first trip with the group. To pay your dues via PayPal, use this link: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/JenniferAdach/15
- All non-drivers should expect to pay $0.10 per mile to their driver, in accordance with the DC UL carpool policy.
Photo Credit: Shenandoah National Park
- MO: Bucktail Path (34 mi)Grosvenor/Strathmore Metro , Rockville, MD
Have you ever hiked the Bucktail Path? Of course you haven't, nobody has! This is one of the least used (and most rugged) of the Pennsylvania State Forest hiking trails, but it looks short enough for some strong DCULers to do in a regular weekend, so why don't we give it a shot?
Trip Plan
This hike requires a car shuttle, so we'll need at least three vehicles. We'll meet up at Grosvenor-Strathmore Kiss&Ride at 3pm on Friday, and drive up to the southern trailhead at Sinnemahoning. We'll find a place there to drop one car, then pile into the other two and drive an additional 30 minutes to the northern end to start the hike. We've got roughly 2 miles and one steep climb to knock out on Friday night before we find somewhere to camp along Crooked Run.Saturday will be a 23-mile day, with plenty of elevation. Apparently this is a pretty rough trail so it may be a challenging day. We'll follow the orange blazes southward across remote sections of Elk State Forest until we reach Square Timber Wild Area, where we'll camp for the night. The second half of the day sticks mostly to ridges, so we'll have to be cognizant of where our last water is; camp will most likely be dry.
Sunday morning leaves just 7 miles of gradual downhill to the southern terminus, where we'll reverse the shuttle and begin the journey home.
Resources
- Pennsylvania DCNR Trail Guide & Map
- CalTopo Map
- Driving Directions to Sinnemahoning Trailhead
- Weather
Disclaimers
- By RSVPing to this trip or any other DC UL trip, you agree to these guidelines and to DC UL's waiver liability terms (https://www.meetup.com/DC-UL-Backpacking/pages/Liability_Waiver/)
- COVID-19 policy: https://dculbackpacking.com/about/covid-19-guidelines/
- Dues: Members and above, don't forget to pay your annual dues. You can check if you need to pay dues by seeing if the current year is listed next to your name in your DC UL profile. Applicants do not need to pay dues for their first trip. To pay your dues via PayPal, use this link: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/DCULKaran/15 ($10 annual dues plus a $5 suggested donation to City Kids Wilderness Project.)
- Carpool: As per our carpool policy, riders should pay drivers $0.10/mile.
