About us
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
Cape Henlopen State Park (Rating: C)
Forest Glen metro station, Kiss and Ride lot, 2200 Forest Glen Rd, Forest Glen, DC, 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 numberExample: "I accept. Jane Doe, (703)555-5555, (301)666-6666."
This is a trial process and is not available on all hikes.
LENGTH: 7 mi. ELEVATION: Negligible. PACE: 2-2.5 mi/hr.
DESCRIPTION
This may be your last chance to get your beach fix for this season. We will drive to Cape Henlopen, DE and hike their Beach Trail (5 miles). Attractions include views of Lewes harbor, the ships, shore birds, Delaware Bay, and of course, the Atlantic Ocean. We will then have lunch at a restaurant (optional; you can bring your own also) in Lewes, DE. We will then make the obligatory stop at Rehoboth Beach and walk their boardwalk (2-3 miles), stopping for ice cream/French fries, before driving back 2.5 hours to Forest Glen. Optionally you can get in the ocean for a swim either at the state park or at Rehoboth Beach. The leader is not familiar with the trails in the park so be prepared to get lost.CARPOOLS
Participants can form their own carpools at the meeting place. Neither the Club nor the leaders are responsible for coordinating transportation to/from the trailhead. Hikers are not guaranteed to get a ride from the carpool location. Carpooling is organized by the participants, and they participate at their own risk. Leader plans to be at the meeting place.PARK ENTRY FEE
$20 per car ($10 if you have Delaware plates).DOGS
Permitted per NVHC pet policy.3 attendees
Harpers Ferry to Split Rock (Rating: B)
Dulles Town Center Park & Ride Lot, Virginia, 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.
This is an 9.2 mile hike with 1700’ elevation gain in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. We will begin at the Harpers Ferry Visitor Center and hike along Shoreline Dr to the Appalachian Trail (AT) which will take us to the Loudoun Heights trail and to the Split Rock Overlook where we will have lunch. We will return the same way picking up some trails covering some historic areas on the way back.
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/nvhcdogpolicyLeader: Ed Brimberg 703-944-9920 (C)
Rating: B (Almost an A level)
Carpools: Meet at the Dulles Town Center Park and Ride at 7:45am carpools will depart at 8:00am. Suggested carpool fee is $6. The leader will be at the carpool location. GPS Coordinates: 39.034171, -77.430122
https://goo.gl/maps/b42ximPSAvQ4AtEE7Driving time to trail head from the carpool location: 60 minutes
Meet at 9:00am at the Harpers Ferry Visitor Center Parking Lot hike will start at 9:15am. GPS Coordinates: 39.315678, -77.756485
https://goo.gl/maps/YUpKxzubYfuHKvdS6Neither 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.
Park Entry Fee: $20/car or free with National Park pass.
Alltrails Map for hike: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/custom-routes/harpers-ferry-vc-to-split-rock-43c0854?u=i&sh=7cs7ov
You must be experienced in hikes of this distance and elevation gain.
35 attendees
Smithsonian Castle, Arts & Industries Building and Beyond (Rating: C)
Lady Bird Johnson Park, Columbia Island, 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.
7,5 miles with 160 feet elevation gain.
Let's celebrate Labor Day weekend by visiting the Smithsonian Castle on its last day open to the public before renovation resumes. We will also visit the Arts & Industries Building next door which will be celebrating the Smithsonian Folklife Festival's Circus Arts Conservatory.
https://festival.si.edu/dc-schedule?trumbaEmbed=?mixin%3D1913398,1264472
Description:
The National Mall in DC is full of many beautiful monuments and memorials. One could spend many days exploring them all. On this trek, we will focus on the National Mall and Tidal Basin area to include the National Military Monument adjacent to the Lincoln Memorial.The pace will be about 2.0-2.5 mph to allow time to enjoy the sights, take photos, and reflect on our national history as we celebrate Labor Day weekend.
Our trek will start at Columbia Island Marina where we will connect to the Mt Vernon Memorial trail and hike to the Arlington Memorial Bridge. We'll cross over the bridge and stop at the Lincoln Memorial and National Military Monument. We will then head toward the Smithsonian Castle and Arts and Industry Building via World War II Memorial and Washington Monument. On the way back we will swing by the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden and back to the Tidal Basin toward Thomas Jefferson Memorial and George Mason Memorial before crossing the 14th St Bridge and back to the parking lot.
There are several public restrooms along our route.
Bring:
Some hydration and snacks as you desire. The route is basically level. Most of the hike will be on paved surfaces so wear comfortable walking shoes.Dogs:
Are permitted on this hike in accordance with the NVHC Dog Policy. https://tinyurl.com/nvhcdogpolicy
NOTE: There may be some restrictions regarding dog access such as inside the Castle and AIB, and so please check with me in advance of bringing your dog. They are certainly welcome outside.Meet:
We'll meet in the parking lot of the Columbia Island Marina, GW Parkway, Arlington, VA. GPS 38.87544, -77.04896We will plan on an optional rehydration after the hike for those interested.
Any questions, please message me here or text/call @202-528-0456. If you text me, please include your name.
43 attendees
DC Delights: Kennedy Center Guided Tour (Rating: D FUN)
Theodore Roosevelt Island Parking, Theodore Roosevelt Island Park, 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.
Approximately 5.63 miles with 322 elevation gain.
Description:
We will begin our hike from Theodore Roosevelt Island parking lot and head over the Key Bridge to climb the Exocist Steps into Georgetown.From here, we will enjoy a leisurely walk down Wisconsin Avenue to the Georgetown Waterfront and over to the Kennedy Center.
The Kennedy Center is still providing complimentary Guided Tours to interested visitors. The tour can last between 60 to 75 minutes.
A Group Tour Form was completed for us for Labor Day, Monday, September 7 at 11am.
PLEASE NOTE: Much is happening behind the scenes at the Kennedy Center. The volunteers made it very clear that things could change at any time and that they would keep us informed.
We will hike back over the Teddy Roosevelt Bridge pedestrian walkway to the Teddy Roosevelt Island Parking lot.
OPTIONAL: To complete our hike, for those interested, we can do the loop around Theodore Roosevelt Island
Facilities: Kennedy Center
Pace: The pace will be about 2.5 mph.
Bring: adequate water/hydration, snacks/lunch, and sturdy hiking/walking shoes.
Fee: None
Dogs: Dogs are not welcome. NVHC Dog Policy
Weather: weather for this location is HERE.
Where to Meet: Meet at the Roosevelt Island parking lot at 9:00 to allow everyone to get signed in and ready to hike at 9:30 am. The Hatchback of my Honda HRV will be up.
By Metro: Roosevelt is a 10-15 minute walk from the Rosslyn Metro station toward the Key Bridge. A short paved connecting trail leads downhill to the Roosevelt parking lot. A small green sign indicating Roosevelt Island at 0.25 mile on the right.
By Car: Drivers can only reach Theodore Roosevelt Island from the Virginia side of the river in the northbound lanes of the George Washington Memorial Parkway. After Memorial Bridge, follow the signs and turn right into the parking lot.
Coordinates: 38.8958415°N, -77.0624191°W
LINK to Roosevelt IslandFeel Free to reach out via text with any questions, Dawn K 703 533 9231 If you do text me, thank you for including your name.
27 attendees
Past events
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