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
29
Fountainhead Regional Park (Rating: C)
Fountainhead Regional Park, 10905-10887 Hampton Rd, Fairfax Station, 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.
Eight miles and 750' of elevation gain. Note: the hike is on the borderline of a B level hike. Though there are no big climbs, there are quite a few fairly steep up and downs.
Hike starts at 9 am. Please arrive 15 minutes early so we can get signed in and start on time.
We'll begin the hike from the main parking lot of Fountainhead Regional Park on the Bull Run/Occoquan Trail. After about a half mile, we'll leave the main trail and work out way back to the east side of the park. After passing a couple of deserted cars, we'll return to the parking lot.
We hike at a pace of ~ 2.5 mph while moving. You must have experience with hikes of this length and elevation gain.
Meet at the Fountainhead Regional Park, 10875 Hampton Rd., Fairfax Station, VA 22039. Enter the park and drive about a half mile to large parking lot on the right.
GPS: 38.724751, -77.330068Porta Johns at the parking lot
Dogs are welcome on this hike in accordance with the NVHC Dog Policy. https://tinyurl.com/nvhcdogpolicyhttps://tinyurl.com/nvhcdogpolic
Leaders: Dane Luck
Park Entry Fee: $0.00
35 attendees
NEW DATE: Capital Crescent/Glover-Arcbold Trail Loop (Rating: C)
Westmoreland Hills Local Park, 5315 Elliott Drive, Bethesda, MD, 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.
8.5 Loop Hike with maximum 433 ft of elevation gain
Description: We will begin our hike in Battery Bailey Park and proceed to the Capital Crescent Trail to Fletcher's Boathouse in Georgetown where we will take a short break in the picnic area overlooking the Potomac River. From there we will proceed along the canal tow path to Foxhall Road where we will get on the Glover-Archbold Trail to Massachusetts Avenue and back to our starting point..
Pace: We will hike at 2.5 to 2.7 mph while moving.
Info: There are restrooms at Fletcher's Boathouse where we will stop for a break and along Massachusetts Avenue where we can stop for coffee/lunch in Spring Valley (Compass Coffee/Starbucks/Pizzeria Paradiso/Millie's).
Bring: Adequate water/hydration, snacks/lunch, and sturdy hiking shoes since there are a few rocky areas and tree roots along the way. Hiking poles if you use them. Insect repellent and sunscreen also recommended. A fair portion of our hike will be shaded.
Fee: N/A
Dogs: No dogs on this hike. NVHC Dog Policy.
Weather: the weather for this location can be found HERE.
Where to Meet:
We will meet at **Battery Bailey Park **parking lot 38° 57.131′ N, 77° 6.568′ W. There are 22 parking spaces in the lot as well as parking in the neighborhood on Elliot and Duvall. Take a Left onto Duvall Street behind Westmoreland UCC at 1 Westmoreland circle, Bethesda, MD; then a right onto Elliot. The park is at the end of Elliot. I have a Honda Fit w/ Hatchback up. Please arrive at 9:15 am to get signed in and ready to hike at 9:30 am.
You must be able to hike this distance at the above pace, any questions regarding that please contact me. Dawn 703 533 923116 attendees
Marys Rock and Cave Falls (Rating: A+)
Gainesville Park and Ride Lot - University Boulevard, 7250 New Stable Wy, Gainesville, VA 20155, Gainesville, 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 hike is ~13 miles’ circuit with an elevation gain of ~ 3350 ft., featuring Cave Falls and Mary’s Rock Vista. The hike starts from Buck Ridge trailhead parking area on route US-211.
Parking is limited near the trailhead, recommend carpool and try to be on time. In case if we run out of space in the main parking lot (coordinate location), we may need to park couple of cars in next parking lot which is few hundred meters ahead. Also, there are some small parking spots available on both sides of 211, within few hundred meters from the trail starting point. If you have to park in any of these spots, please make sure to park safely & properly to avoid any issues and walk carefully. If you plan to meet at Gainesville Park and Ride, be there NLT 06.45 AM ET to sort out carpool and we will leave by 6.50 AM ET. Approximate drive time to trailhead is 1 hour.
Safety is paramount for all of us. This circuit is steep on descend at places and may be slippery and wet so please bring hiking poles and wear proper hiking shoes to enjoy the trails safely. The water crossing(s) may be slippery, and we may take short detour or walk in water so please be prepared. Please bring minimum 2 liters of water.
This hike is suitable for experienced, fit hikers who did similar distance/elevation in past few months. This circuit has uphill/downhill climbs so please be prepared. If you have ANY question about your ability to complete this hike, please contact me.
Need to know details:
Distance: 13 miles (approximately)
Elevation gain: 3350 feet (approximately)
Pace: 2.5 mph (Average)
Terrain: Steep/Staircase/Water Crossings
Park entry fee: None
Carpool Fee: $5
Trailhead Coordinates: 38.658276, -78.281928
Directions from Gainesville Park and Ride:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/qSeH8sVvqpSogb429
Trailhead meet up time: 8:00 a.m. We aim to start the hike at 8.10 a.m.
Dogs permitted in accordance with the NVHC Dog Policy: https://tinyurl.com/nvhcdogpolicyBring: Adequate water, food/snacks, hat, layers, basic first aid kit, map, rain gear (depending), hiking poles, hiking shoe (It’s steep trail on descend) sunscreen, bug spray, water shoe (for water crossing, if you want), additional pair of socks and your big happy smile 😊.
Quiz: At lunch stop we can have 3 quizzes related to this hike. First correct answer gets 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.
Any questions? Message or text me! Looking forward to this awesome hike.
Saran
(848) 248-055517 attendeesUrban 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 $60 return as of January 28, 2026. 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 120 (NE Regional), departing BWI at 8:33 a.m. (to PHL - William H Gray III 30th St. Sta.)
Return: Train 149 (NE Regional) departing Philly at 6:36 p.m.
The price, as of January 28, 2026 is $59.
CARPOOL
Not ApplicableDOGS
Not suitable due to the nature of the trip8 attendees
Past events
4724
