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
16
Assateague Parks Bike Ride and Rehoboth Beach (Rating: Fun)
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: 9-10 mi. ELEVATION: Negligible. PACE: 7-8 mi/hr.
DESCRIPTION
If you like beaches, this event is for you! Join us for a daylong visit to the picturesque Assateague State and National Parks and Rehoboth Beach.
A bonus will be the wild horses on Assateague Island.ASSATEAGUE PARKS
We will rent bikes at the visitor center. We will explore three short trails in the park: Life of the Dunes nature trail, Life of the Forest nature trail, and Life of the Marsh nature trail - all short. Wild horse sightings to be expected, in addition to the marsh birds and in general pleasant scenery. Lunch will be in the park - bring with you. There will be time for an optional swim in the ocean. There are showers. Total bike ride distance: 10 miles (five each way).REHOBOTH BEACH
Returning to the visitor center, we will return the bikes, get into our cars, and head north to Rehoboth Beach. We will walk the boardwalk end-to-end. Time permitting, we may do a short beach walk. We will then stop in town for dinner, before starting our 2.5-hour drive back to Forest Glen Metro.This will be a daylong event with LOTS of driving - be prepared!
BIKE RENTAL
Please go to Everything you need at Assateague Island National Seashore and Assateague State Park - Assateague Outfitters
and rent a bike for half a day (4 hours) starting 11:30 a.m. Do it now to ensure availability.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.Alternatively, people are welcome to meet at the Assateague Island Visitor Center.
BIKE RENTAL FEE: About $40.
PARK ENTRY FEE
$10 per person.3 attendees
Keys Gap/Blackburn Trail Center (Rating: A)
Keys Gap Parking Area, Appalachian National Scenic Trail, Purcellville, WV, 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.
Join me this Sunday on a 13-mile out-and-back hike along the AT with about 1,900 feet of elevation gain between Keys Gap and the Blackburn Trail Center. Here are details for the hike:
- Start time: 8:30 a.m. (meet at the trailhead parking area 15-30 minutes early to allow everyone to be signed in and get ready to hike)
- Trailhead parking: Keys Gap Parking Area (GPS coordinates 39.261774, -77.762335)
- Parking Fee: None
- Distance: ~13 miles
- Elevation gain: ~1,900 feet
- Pace: 2.5 to 3.0 miles/hour when moving
- Duration: 6.5 hours
- Hike map: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/map/keys-gap-blackburn-trail-center-c7a2af5
- Leader: Chris Bosch 703-216-7801
What to bring
Bring a backpack, water, snacks, sunscreen, insect repellent, hiking poles if you like. Wear comfortable shoes or boots that are suitable for hiking. Dress for the weather including hat and rain gear as needed.
Dogs
Dogs are permitted on this hike in accordance with the NVHC Dog Policy. Please contact the hike leader in advance if you intend to bring a dog.
https://tinyurl.com/nvhcdogpolicy
Weather
Here's a National Weather Service URL you can use to check the 7-day weather forecast at the trailhead from which we start the hike.
https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=39.261774&lon=-77.762335
In case of poor or severe weather, this hike will be postponed.
19 attendees
Fraser Preserve - Potomac Heritage Trail (Rating: D)
Fraser Preserve, 239 Springvale Rd, Great Falls, 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 a 5.6 mile hike with 400 feet elevation gain starting in the Fraser Preserve and then following the Potomac Heritage Trail along the Potomac River to a lake where we will take a short break and then head back. Trails may be muddy. We hike at a 2.0-2.5 mph pace when moving.
Some parts of the trail may be overgrown and muddy and/or wet.
Dogs are permitted on this hike in accordance with the NVHC Dog Policy. https://tinyurl.com/nvhcdogpolicy
Parking at the trailhead is limited to about five cars, one of which must be available for the hike leader.
Please park on a neighborhood side street, Allenwood Lane, on the shoulder of the road with all wheels off the pavement and away from houses as much as possible. Allenwood Lane coordinates: 39.034742, -77.311543
https://goo.gl/maps/yn1986xbBAvxp3vZ9After parking there walk to Springvale Road turn left and keep walking about .2 miles to the trailhead where the leader will be.
Trail head GPS Coordinates: 39.03688, -77.30981 https://goo.gl/maps/abRDQreGvqf8EUja9
Leader: Ed Brimberg 703-944-9920 (C)
Carpool Fee: $0.00
Park Entry Fee: $0.00
AllTrails Map for hike: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/recording/fraser-preserve-8860a4e?u=i&sh=7cs7ov
35 attendees
Super Sunflowers (Rating: C)
McKee Beshers Wildlife Management Area, Poolesville, 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.
Trek along the C&O Canal to four sunflower fields at Poolesville's renowned McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area. We’ll hike about 7-9 miles. When we're hiking around the refuge and heading to the sunflowers along the canal, we'll hike at a brisk 3-mph pace with several stops for nature. Once we’re in the fields, we’ll dawdle as we ogle the feisty flowers and take selfies galore. Maybe we’ll even see some blazing blue indigo buntings and perky yellow goldfinches perched atop the sunshine-yellow flowers. Our route is a little squishy depending on trail conditions but we will cover a big chunk of the wildlife management area in addition to the sunflower fields. Plan for up to 9 miles just in case trails are impassable on hike day.
WEATHER:
Hike will go in light rain but heavy weather will cancel. I'll post a weather update here 24 hours before the hike.BRING:
Love of sunflowers, sense of awe; sense of humor; lots of ICED water; fully charged cell phone; lunch; bug spray; sunblock; sun hat; shoes you don’t mind trekking through water or mud; optional camera and/or binoculars. DRESS FOR SELFIES!MEET:
9 am, C&O Canal Parking lot: Sycamore Landing Road at the C&O Canal
13402 Sycamore Landing Rd., Poolesville, MD. GPS coordinates: 39.074928, -77.419886IMPORTANT NOTES:
Details about the hike may have to be tweaked a week before the hike depending on our scouting expedition because we are depending on access to the refuge from a "secret" entrance along the canal that can get too overgrown to enter.) If the sunflowers peak at a very different time than past years, we might even have to change the date! There could be some high grass -- WITH TICKS! -- and some BIG PUDDLES (maybe even a minor stream crossing) so dress accordingly. Adults only and no pets, not even pet sundogs.. No restrooms except a portapotty near the start. Biobreaks possible though. Absolutely NO CUTTING of flowers.We will likely finish well before our 3 pm end time but that’s for planning purposes since we’ll lollygag a lot. (If you want to photograph before or after the hike, you might want to bring a ladder in your car for after the hike.)
Homestead Farm is nearby if you want more flowers, you-pick blackberries, or pre-picked produce. http://www.homestead-farm.net
MCKEE-BESHERS WMA:
https://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/pages/publiclands/central/mckeebeshers.aspx2026 SUNFLOWER MAP (NOT IN THE 2025 LOCATIONS!):
https://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/Documents/Sunflower-Map-2026.pdf35 attendees
Past events
4886
