Fort Washington Pop-Up Hike! And Aslin Beer Company (Easy 4.2 miles, 360' gain)

Hiya!

It’s about time I got something on the board this month! This is “pop-up” hike in that I only just realized that I would have the time and ability to put it on this Sunday 😅

This hike is an easy 4.3-mile loop with about 360’ of elevation gain in Fort Washington Park. If you have ever driven or biked down the GW Parkway south of Alexandria towards Mount Vernon, this is that big stone fort on the opposite side of the river. The hike starts and ends at the main parking area near the visitor’s center, located here: 38°42'48.3"N 77°01'49.9"W (see also https://maps.app.goo.gl/Qh8pYgBv2AK8idLe8, or enter “Fort Washington Visitor Center” into Google Maps). The hike itself is a simple loop around the park’s perimeter trail, which runs along the Potomac and along Piscataway Creek for most of its length. For an Alltrails map, see the link here: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/map/map-june-18-2025-0937fb5?u=i&sh=abzsgd.

We’ll move at a decent 2 mph pace and take lots of breaks for water, but since the hike is so short, we’re going to break for lunch at the end of the hike (at about 12:30 PM) instead of in the middle. This will also offer us the opportunity to explore the inside of the fort, which is pretty cool and has multiple historical exhibits. Total event time will be about 4 hours. Afterwards, we are going to head to Aslin Beer Company in Alexandria for a brew or two (https://www.aslinbeer.com/home).

We hope to see you on the trail!

HIKE INFO:

Fort Washington Park is administered by the National Parks System, but does not require a national parks pass or any other entry fee to visit. Restrooms and drinking fountains are available at various spots within the park.

Please wear boots! Even though this is an easy hike, the trail can often get very muddy if there’s been a recent rain.

CARPOOLING:

We encourage those with cars to carpool others to the trailhead - you're the ones who make LMH great!

If you're a driver that is willing to drive, please post a comment on the event page with the following information:
(1) Number of seats
(2) Meeting location
(3) Meeting time (recommended departure time from DC is 9:20 AM).

As a rider, please comment on the driver's post to take a seat or post in the comments that you need a ride so a driver can find you. Riders are encouraged to help their driver out with the cost of gas.

BACKGROUNG INFO ABOUT LMH: Please remember that this group is an informal group of friends and volunteers intitiating trips under the common adventurer model (http://www.ronwatters.com/CADefine.html). We do expect our members to be familiar with the best practices of hiking. This is not a group for first time hikers and is NOT a group for those seeking hiking instruction.

We are also not professionals, nor are we trained hike leaders, nor do we scout out hikes. We plan hikes for fun. You are responsible for your own welfare and safety at all LMH events. Be careful to choose hikes only within your own physical abilities and hiking knowledge; take maps, suitable clothing, provisions (at least two liters of water plus any food or medical supplies you might require) and equipment, and act responsibly and safely at all times.

Act responsibly and safely: if you ever believe you may be lost, follow the advice of the US Forest Service (https://www.fs.fed.us/visit/know-before-you-go/if-you-get-lost)

LMH organizers and members shall not be liable for any injuries, loss or damage to persons or property, direct or consequential, arising out of any aspect of LMH activities. By attending this event, you represent that you have read, understand, and agree to the contents of our waiver of liability in the following link (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pQ0dedcqlyjc_Aib3TEbTX4gQRQt4C7FeCmsAPyTxd4/edit?tab=t.0)