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
26
Ball's Bluff Battlefield Regional Park - Leesburg (Rating: C)
Edwards Landing Park, 901 Powhatan Court Northeast, Leesburg, 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 mile hike with an elevation gain of 600' on various trails in the Ball's Bluff Battlefield Regional Park
https://www.novaparks.com/parks/balls-bluff-battlefield in Leesburg, VA. We will stop half way for a short snack break. We hike at a pace of 2 mph while moving.This is the site of one of the largest Civil War engagements in Loudoun County. Major sites at Ball's Bluff include a cemetery, which is the third smallest national cemetery in the United States. Ball's Bluff Battlefield Regional Park also features an interpretive trail, signage and an amazing view of the bluff itself, overlooking the Potomac River.
We will start Edwards Landing Park.Leader: Nancy 703-346-3218 (C)
Meet: 9:00am at Edwards Landing Park. GPS coordinates: 39.120075, -77.524277
https://maps.app.goo.gl/JnfJ9EURn4Z9GURC7Dogs are not permitted on this.
Carpool Fee: N/A
Park Entry Fee: $0.00
Neither 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.
17 attendees
Langley Fork Park-Turkey Run-Dead Run Loop (Rating: B)
Langley Fork Park, 6250 Georgetown Pike, McLean, VA, USYou must read the following 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.
6.2 mile hike with about 482 feet of elevation gain. (Add one Mile for each 400 ft. of elevation)
RATING B: This is a rugged and challenging hike requiring quite a bit of Maneuvering around & over rocks; over & under fallen trees and also includes several Stream Crossings and constant Up and Down using ropes.
You must be comfortable & experienced in hikes of this distance, pace & elevation gain
Description:
Come join us for this challenging trail that begins at Langley Oak Park in McLean, Va. We will hike to the Potomac Heritage Trail through Turkey Run Park and then upstream to Dead Run where we'll stop for a snack break before completing the loop back through Langley Fork Park.This hike is only suitable to do if the Potomac River level is not high and there has not been much rain in the previous week which would make the streams difficult to cross.
Pace: We hike at a pace of 2.0 to 2.5 mph while moving.
Dogs: No dogs on this hike per NVHC Policy
Fee: $0.00
Where to Meet:
Langley Fork Park
6250 Georgetown Pike · McLean, VA
Please arrive at 9:00 am to allow time for signing in. We'll start hiking at 9:30am.
Parking: Park in the open parking lot.GPS:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/CkWRHSFB85b2kPPz6?g_st=imMap for hike: AllTrails: Langley Fork Park - Turkey Run - Dead Run
Message me here or text to 703 5339231
Dawn11 attendees
Sugarloaf White Yellow Blue Purple Red (Rating: B)
Centreville Park & Ride, 14700 Lee Hwy, Centreville, 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.
Join me on this lovely 8.5 mile hike at Sugarloaf Mountain near Dickerson, Maryland with 1572 feet of elevation gain. We will meet in the parking lot at 8:45 am and start hiking at 9:00.
This hike has plenty of ups and downs, with a long climb late-ish in the hike, and then a final climb to the summit before we return to our cars. The climb to the summit is quite steep and rocky. However, you can choose to skip this section and follow the well-marked White trail back to the parking lot.
We will hike at a moderate pace of 2.5-2.7 miles per hour and stop at all intersections. Although there are no serious water crossings, there may be small streams to get across. We will enjoy a brief lunch or snack at White Rocks, about 4.5 miles into the hike.
We will park at the East View Parking Lot, take the White Trail down the mountain, the Yellow Trail back up, connect to the Blue Trail to enjoy the White Rocks overlook, then go up and over the Purple Trail, back to Blue, back to White, up Red to the summit, then Orange back to the parking lot--not quite a full rainbow hike, but close!
There are two porta potties available near the parking area, as well as one at the base of the mountain. There is a suggested donation of $5, and I encourage hikers to contribute.
Dogs are permitted on this hike in accordance with the NVHC Dog Policy. https://tinyurl.com/nvhcdogpolicy. If you plan to bring a dog on this hike, please contact me about the dog’s prior hiking experience in winter conditions on rocky trails.
Leader: Becky Reickel 301-471-3641
Carpools: Meet at the Centreville Park and Ride at 7:30 a.m. Suggested carpool fee is $5.00 per rider. The leader will not be at the carpool location and will meet the group at the trailhead. Anyone intending to carpool should post a message to the group to be sure someone else will be there. GPS coordinates for Centreville Park and Ride: 38.836080, -77.455327. https://goo.gl/maps/hc3LRG7Hsy2wMJs18
Trailhead: Meet at the Sugarloaf East View Parking lot at 8:45 am for our 9:00. start. GPS coordinates: 39.260338, -77.390338.
https://goo.gl/maps/HyHoWHCFEJXrcDYB8Park entry fee: Suggested Donation is $5
Rating: B
Map for the hike: 01302025 Sugarloaf Color Hike on AllTrails
https://api-v5.alltrails.com/explore/recording/activity-january-30-2025-5807a68-3?p=-1&sh=zg5qvz&utm_medium=map_share&utm_source=alltrails_virality16 attendees
McLean to Arlington: Pimmit Run and Gulf Branch Trail - (Rating: C)
Mary Leven Butler Preserve, 38.9297, -77.1466, McLean, 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 7½ mile hike with 600' elevation gain. We will start at the parking lot of the Mary Leven Butler preserve, find our way to the Pimmit Run Trail and follow that to Chain Bridge. There we will take the Potomac Heritage Trail and then the Gulf Branch Trail to the Gulf Branch Nature Center where we will rest. Then through Glebe Road Park and a short piece along Glebe Road, back to the Pimmit Run Trail and then to the starting point.
The hike will have nice overlooks of the Little Pimmit Run, the Pimmit Run and the Potomac River and will pass nearby a few Civil War Forts (Marcy and Ethan Allen). The hike is relatively flat, on a rather narrow trail with many roots, a few stream crossings, and one short, steep climb which we will not descend on the way back. Poles may be useful.
The current weather forecast is good, temperatures up to the low 80F, mostly sunny, low chance of rain.
The parking lot at the starting point accommodates 12 cars. If it is full when you arrive, don’t park on Kirby Road, but in the Potomac Hills neighborhood, along Loch Raven Drive or Colleen Drive. No restrooms at the starting point; there is a porta potty at the rest stop.
Pace: 2½ mph when moving.
Leader: Willem Janssen, 202-280-4397
Rating: C
Dogs are permitted on this hike in accordance with the NVHC Dog Policy. https://tinyurl.com/nvhcdogpolicy
Trailhead: We will start at the Mary Leven Butler Preserve parking lot on Kirby Road, McLean, GPS coordinates are: 38.929789, -77.146651. You may also find it in your navigator by inputting 1501 Kirby Road McLean.
Map for hike: mary-leven-butler-preserve-to-gulf-branch-nature-center-c75e10e-5337ddfc.pdf (alltrails.com)
25 attendees
Past events
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