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
17
Huntley Blues (Rating: D)
Huntley Meadows, 3701 Lockheed Blvd., Alexandria, 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.
(NOTE: 5ish-mile moderate to slow-paced nature hike. Please don't sign up unless you're fairly sure you can attend and you can commit to both parts of this unusual hike. We're capping the hike at 10 so we don't clog the narrow boardwalk and to avoid Huntley's group fee.)
Visit the AMAZON in our own backyard! (Kind of.) Trek roughly 2ish flat miles along the locally famous boardwalk at Huntley Meadows Park to -- fingers and toes crossed -- try to find a MUTANT blue-colored, kitten-cute green treefrog that suddenly appeared last week. After our boardwalk hike to seek "regular" treefrogs, birds, turtles, etc., we'll drive to the King's Highway part of the park for another 2ish miles. Please don't attend unless you can commit to hike both segments. Thanks.
The main challenge is to find these roughly 2-inch treefrogs that excel at camouflage and hiding -- itty bitty amphibians with sticky feet (like their famous Amazonian cousins); handsome meadow katydids with Paul Newman eyes; bold butterflies and bees feasting on wildflowers; bodacious birds, turtles, groovy grasshoppers, and much more.
Cell phones to fancy-schmancy cameras with long lenses (and binoculars) are welcome.
We’ll stop as much as we’ll move but we plan to complete a loop around the boardwalk and dirt trails. After the boardwalk hike at main Huntley, we'll drive to the nearby King's Highway entrance to hike another 2ish miles. (38.767178, -77.120020) Where S. Kings Highway hits Telegraph Road.
Hike leader is a certified Virginia Master Naturalist, an award-winning nature photographer, and a green treefrog ADDICT.
TREEFROGS: What the heck is a green treefrog and how do you find them? Adults can reach 2.5 inches long but we will also see smaller ones and babies. Some look "skinny" but most look chunky. They have gold eyelids and some sport white and/or gold "racing stripes." They change color so they range from forest green to lime green to chartreuse, and even shades of brown in the autumn. Prize to anyone who first spots the aberrantly BLUE treefrog! (They have "axanthism," an uncommon mutation that interferes with the critter's ability to produce yellow pigment.) Since these cutie-patooties hunt at night, most of them will be sleeping -- but sometimes they move around to get out of the sun. We might also meet "Scout," a gray treefrog that welcomes visitors from his hidey-hole home in a tree arching over the trail!
https://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/amphibians/frogsandtoads/green-treefrog/index.php
MEET: 8 a.m. at the Visitor Center. Just follow the short trail from the parking lot. Huntley Meadows Park, 3701 Lockheed Blvd. Alexandria, Virginia
https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/huntley-meadows-parkhttps://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/huntley-meadows-park
After hiking at main Huntley, we'll drive to the King's Highway entrance (38.767178, -77.120020) where S. Kings Highway hits Telegraph Road.IMPORTANT NOTES: Adults only and no pets, not even pet toads. I will lead one or more treefrog hikes at Huntley Meadow Parks and at Neabsco Boardwalk in September. End time is not firm. It is for planning purposes and depends on what we see and how long we care to linger.
WEATHER: Hike might be postponed if it rains. I'll post a weather update here by 5 pm on 8/26.
BRING/WEAR: Sense of humor, sense of awe, water, camera, extra battery, and memory cards. OPTIONAL: binoculars, bug spray, and sunblock.
ABERRANTLY BLUE FROGS (started because of the discoveries at Huntley & Neabsco!): https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/aberrantly-blue-frogs
OUR OWN BLUE AND GREEN TREEFROGS (Page 106-108):
https://virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/catesbeiana-pdf/cat44n2/cat44n2.pdfARMN TREEFROG BLOG: https://armn.org/2026/08/23/wheres-waldo-find-kitten-cute-treefrogs-for-fun-and-science/
WASHINGTON POST BLUE FROG STORY:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2026/08/24/rare-blue-tree-frog-is-drawing-loads-spectators-virginia-park/10 attendees
Goats and Horses - Gabrielson Garden Park Reston/Oakton (Rating: C)
Walker Nature Center, 11450 Glade Dr, Reston, 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 7.5-mile hike with 600 feet of elevation gain through the woodlands of Reston and Oakton. On the hike we'll pass horse paddocks and may even see a group of curious goats. This is one of my favorite sections of the Cross County Trail and probably the least traveled. Thanks to Tom Underwood for the photo.
We'll start at the Walker Nature Center and pick up the Cross County Trail (CCT) for an out and back of the northern half of CCT Section . Our turn will be at Gabrielson Garden Park,
Park on Glade Road so the Nature Center parking lot can be kept open for the Center's pre-school activities and drop-offs.We hike at a pace of approximately 2.5 mph while moving. You must be experienced with hikes of this length and elevation gain.
Dogs are welcome on this hike in accordance with the NVHC Dog Policy. https://tinyurl.com/nvhcdogpolicyhttps://tinyurl.com/nvhcdogpolic
Leader: Steve Frith cell 703-629-0174
Park Entry Fee: $0.00
Map for hike:
https://www.alltrails.com/explore/map/gabrielson-garden-goats-horse-steve-frith-4cc5400?u=i&sh=iypgzx31 attendees
Wakefield Park To Lake Accotink (Rating: D)
Wakefield Park Softball Field #8, Annandale, 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.
We are starting at 9:00 in case is hot. Please bring enough water. There will be a break about half way with bathrooms and water. This is a relatively flat five-mile circular hike, elevation gain is minimal. Hiking pace while moving is about 2.7 miles an hour. Part of the trail is paved. Sneakers or hiking boots; can be some mud on the trail. In addition to water, bring a snack if you like. Please note the 9:00 a.m. start time and arrive early to sign in.
Thank you,
Dotty Smith 703-439-8670
Anita DeAngelis 507-990-6055No dogs permitted on this hike.
DETAILS/DIRECTIONS: Drive off of Braddock Road into Wakefield Park, after a service road on the left, take the next left into a parking lot. We will start near the first ballfield. Restrooms are slightly further into this parking lot. There also are restrooms 1/4 mile further down the park road at the Audrey Moore Recreation Center.
GPS Coordinates: 38.814247, -77.224871
28 attendees
Bull Run Occoquan Trail (Rating: A)
7201 new stable way, gainesville, VA, 7201 new stable way, 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.
Hike Overview: This is an out and back hike of 13 miles with 1,500 feet of elevation gain on the Bull Run Occoquan Trail from Fountainhead Regional Park to the Bull Run Marina and back; the plan is to have lunch at the Bull Run Marina. The hiking pace will be 2 to 2.5 miles per hour.
Carpool Meetup location: across from Sheetz station at 7201 New Stable Way, Gainesville, VA 20155 / GPS coordinates 38.801230, -77.591288
Those wishing to carpool can meet at the University Park and Ride Lot, at 8:00 AM. The carpool location is across from the new Sheetz convenience store / gas station located at 7201 New Stable Way, Gainesville, VA 20155.
It is about a 27-mile / 36-minute (depending on traffic) trip from the carpool location to the Fountainhead Regional Park trailhead.
The hike leader will be at the carpool location in a gray Subaru Outback (Virginia license plate VTS-2219).
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.
Trailhead: (Fountainhead Regional Park parking lot) GPS: 38.725021, -77.330088.
Meetup Time: For those meeting at the trailhead, please be there no later than 9:00 AM.
Carpool Fee: The suggested carpool fee is $3.00.
Pets: Dogs are permitted on this hike in accordance with NVHC's dog policy: https://tinyurl.com/nvhcdogpolicy.
Hike Leader: Jim Hollis (703-927-7189… please use text)
23 attendees
Past events
4938
