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
19
Occoquan PEEPS Show (Rating: C)
Brickmakers Cafe, 9751 Ox Rd, Lorton, 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.
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Join me on this fun walk to historic Occoquan for the annual marshmallow PEEPS Show, featuring cute PEEPS dioramas displayed in Occoquan storefronts and Town Hall. After we view them all, we get to vote for our favorite. It's usually a tough choice as there are so many good ones!
We will walk two miles from Occoquan Regional Park to the town of Occoquan. The first mile will be on the dirt path with a little climb, and the second mile on the bike path along Ox Road. We'll walk two miles in Occoquan to check out the displays, then return on the paved trail to Brickmaker's Cafe for lunch (for those interested). There is some elevation gain in Occoquan Park and then returning on the bike path from the town of Occoquan.HIKE: 6 miles (out and back) with 500 ft. elevation gain on paved and dirt trails, with some roots. Pace will be 2.5 -3 miles per hour while moving.
MEET: Upper parking lot across from Brickmakers Cafe in Occoquan Regional Park. Please arrive by 8:45AM to get everyone signed in.
DOGS: No dogs please, as we will be inside the Town Hall and some stores.
FEE: none
RESTROOMS: Brickmakers Cafe at start and finish
LEADER: Kris N. (618) 623-2484How to get there:
From I-95 South, exit 163 for VA-642/Lorton Rd. At the end of the exit ramp take a right onto Lorton Rd. Follow Lorton Rd for 1.4 miles then turn left on to Workhouse Road. In 0.6 mile make a left at the light onto Ox Road. In 0.4 mile take a left at the light into Occoquan Park. Go about 0.7 mile and park in the big parking lot on the left, across from the Brickmakers Cafe. This is the upper level lot. Please do not park in the lower lot near the water, as that lot is for boat launch.38 attendees
Bull Run Occoquan Trail - Hemlock Overlook Regional Park west (Rating: C )
Hemlock Overlook Regional Park, 13220 Yates Ford Rd, Clifton, 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.
8 mile out and back lariat hike with 540 feet of elevation gain.
Description:
Join us for a scenic hike along Bull Run and in the adjoining forest. We will hike on the Bull Run Occoquan Trail from Hemlock Overlook Park and proceed to Johnny Moore Stream Valley Park and take in the sights. There are rolling hills, but they are short and spread out. There is a stream crossing that is negotiable over concrete pads. This will be a nice workout!The pace will be about 2.5 mph.
There is no restroom at the trailhead so you may want to schedule a pit stop on the way before you arrive.
Bring:
At least 2 liters of water/hydration, snacks/lunch, and sturdy hiking shoes since there are some rocky areas and tree roots. Hiking poles if you use them. Bring insect repellent as some of the trail sections in Hemlock may be overgrown.Meet at the trailhead parking lot 15 minutes early to allow everyone to sign in and get ready to hike at 9:00am.
Fee: There is no parking fee.
Dogs are welcome. NVHC Dog policy: https://tinyurl.com/nvhcdogpolicy
Bull Run Occoquan Trail: https://www.novaparks.com/parks/bull-run-occoquan-trail
Meeting Place Instructions: We are meeting at 8:45am to sign in so we can start promptly at 9am. Look for the parking area on the right side of Yates Ford Rd, across from Paradise Springs Winery.
GPS Coordinates 38.76605, -77.40652
Finding the trailhead can be difficult if you are not familiar with the area. Use 13220 Yates Ford Road, Clifton VA 20124 for Google directions. You can also plug in Paradise Springs Winery. Do not put Hemlock into your GPS as that may take you to a different parking area.
NOTE: We park in the dirt parking area across the street from Paradise Springs Winery.
Optional post-hike rehydration at Paradise Springs Winery., Clifton, VA
Any questions, please message me here or text/call @202-528-0456. If you text me, please include your name.
16 attendees
Edinburg Gap and Two Overlooks (Rating: A)
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.
This is an 8 mile double out and back hike with 2000' of elevation gain in the Massanutten Mountains of George Washington & Jefferson National Forests.
The first leg is 2.8 miles roundtrip with 700' elevation gain. The second leg is ~5 miles roundtrip with 1300' gain to the Bill Kruszka Overlook. I was with the trail crew that discovered this location while we were building the trail in this area. The Bill Kruszka Overlook is named for the longtime Forestry Service employee who was instrumental for this trail along with Don Sawyer. Both locations have great views of the overlook the town of Edinburg and the Shenandoah Valley.
We hike at a pace of 2.5-3.0mph when moving.
Dogs are permitted on this hike in accordance with the NVHC Dog Policy. https://tinyurl.com/nvhcdogpolicy
Leader: Ed Brimberg 703-944-9920 (C)
Carpools: Meet at the Centreville Park and Ride by 7:15am we leave promptly at 7:30am. The leader will be at the carpool location. Suggested carpool fee is $10. GPS Coordinates: 38.836038, -77.455371, https://goo.gl/maps/hc3LRG7Hsy2wMJs18
If you are going to the trailhead, meet at the Edinburg Gap OHV Trailhead Parking lot at 9:00am, hike starts at 9:15am. A porta potty may be there.
GPS coordinates: 38.788729, -78.521631 https://maps.app.goo.gl/FgcYtfHtXCtkEiYZ6Neither 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.
AllTrails Map: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/custom-routes/custom-route-79ffa82?u=i&sh=7cs7ov
22 attendees
Bluebells and wildflowers- Seneca Regional Park (Rating: D)
Seneca Regional Park, 101 Seneca 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.
Seneca Park has some of the best Bluebell fields in Northern Virginia and they should be in their full glory next week. This is an enjoyable and very accessible ~ 5 mile hike with ~246 feet of elevation gain.
We'll start by hiking through a full growth hardwood forest of Elm, Ash Trees, and Tulip Poplars, the tallest deciduous tree in North America. We'll then connect to the Potomac Heritage Trail with its wildflowers and massive Sycamore trees. The hike is a loop with an "out and back" tail. Part of the hike will be along the Patowmack Channel created by a series of islands in the river.We hike at a pace of 2.0 to 2.5 mph while moving. You must have experience with hikes of this length and elevation gain. There are no formal restrooms available at the Park. GPS Coordinates:39.03'00.1"N 77.20'04.3"W for the Trailhead.
Dogs are welcome on this hike in accordance with the NVHC Dog Policy. https://tinyurl.com/nvhcdogpolicyhttps://tinyurl.com/nvhcdogpolic
Leaders: Steve Frith cell 703-629-0174
Willem Janssen cell 202-280-4307Park Entry Fee: $0.00
Map for hike: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/map/seneca-park-blue-bell-hike-d-steve-frith-494c08f?p=-1&sh=iypgzx
35 attendees
Past events
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