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
18
Water's Edge - Potomac River Scenic Urban Loop (Rating: B)
Columbia Island Marina, George Washington Memorial Parkway, Arlington, 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.
10-mile loop with 413 feet elevation gain.
Description:
From Columbia Island Marina, we will connect to the Mount Vernon trail and hike to Theodore Roosevelt Island where we will do a short loop on the island and view the TR Memorial.After that, we'll cross the Potomac River on Key Bridge and take a short detour to climb up the nearby Exorcist Stairs. We will then proceed downstream along the Georgetown Waterfront Park to the Kennedy Center to admire the view from the terrace deck. We will also take our lunch break here. After the break we will hike to the Lincoln Memorial and also check out the renovated Reflection Pond. After that, we recross the Potomac on the Arlington Memorial Bridge and reconnect to the Mt Vernon trail returning to our starting point.
Pace: 2.5 mph
Bring: Adequate hydration, also snack/lunch, and comfortable hiking/walking shoes. Recommend sunscreen.
Dogs: Dogs will not be allowed on this hike.
We'll meet in the parking lot of the Columbia Island Marina, GW Parkway, Arlington, VA. GPS 38.87544, -77.04896
NOTE:
The hike starts at 9:00am, please arrive a few minutes early so we can get folks signed in and ready to hike on time. Restrooms are available at the marina and several locations along the way.Rehydration: Yes, Island Time Bar & Grill
Any questions please contact me at 202-528-0456. If you text, please include your name.
33 attendees
Hemlock Overlook (Rating: C)
Hemlock Overlook Regional Park, 13220 Yates Ford Road, 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 miles with an elevation gain of 804 feet along a very well-maintained shaded forest trail. For every 400 ft of elevation it counts as a mile. This hike is a C+/B- hike.
Description: Hemlock Overlook Regional Park has network of walking and equestrian trails in majestic, mature forest near the Bull Run, just outside the historic town of Clifton. Some of the oldest trees in the region provide a wonderful shade canopy. The National Old-Growth Forest Network recently added the park as an important site.
We will encounter varied terrain including steep hills and rocky sections.Pace: The pace will be about 2.5 mph.
Bring: adequate water/hydration as there are no facilities until the end of the hike, snacks/lunch, and sturdy hiking shoes and hiking poles if you use them.
Fee: None
Dogs: Dogs are not welcome. NVHC Dog Policy
Weather: weather for this location is HERE.
Where to Meet: 13220 Yates Ford Road, Clifton VA 20124 -- gravel parking at the end of the road, right side.
In the event this area is full, additional parking is available a little earlier on Yates Ford Road across from Paradise Springs Winery.
GPS Coordinates: 38.767165, -77.403358
LINK (Apple Maps)POST-HIKE FELLOWSHIP: Paradis Springs Winery
19 attendees
Firefly Foray (Rating: D)
Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve, 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.
[Up to 6 mile fitness and nature hike.]
THIS IS A TWO-FER: First we'll start at the Belle Haven picnic area along the paved Mt. Vernon Trail and do a roughly 3.5-mile, moderately paced hike to Jones Point Lighthouse on the Potomac River. After we return to our starting point, we'll head to the Dyke Marsh Preserve and hike slower through the marina and then along the 3/4-mile dirt trail to the end of the boardwalk and back We'll hike at about 2.5 - 3 mph when moving along most of the hike -- but on our return through the preserve, we'll stroll SUPER SLOWLY and stop often to enjoy the bulk of the fireflies in near darkness -- from roughly 9:30 to 10ish p.m.
(NOTE: There is NO guarantee that we'll see fireflies but we likely will, according to a well-known naturalist.)
*MUST-READ* IMPORTANT NOTES: PARK CLOSES AT 10 P.M. but there is no gate and the trail is still open to commuters so we don't have to rush to get back to our cars. PRACTICE SAFETY WITH YOUR FLASHLIGHT SINCE WE'LL BE WALKING IN THE DARK! Adults only. Restrooms at start and at the lighthouse. STAY RIGHT ON THE MT. VERNON TRAIL due to the bike and pedestrian traffic for everyone's safety. Adults only. No pets, not even pet fireflies.
WEATHER:
Hike likely be postponed if there is rain. Weather forecast will be posted here on Thursday by 5 p.m.
https://www.weather.gov
https://www.weather.govMEET: 7 p.m. by the restrooms on the Mt. Vernon Trail near Dyke Marsh Preserve. (Belle Haven picnic area.) Copy these GPS coordinates into Google Maps: 38.780110, -77.052038
BRING: MANDATORY FLASHLIGHT (preferably with a RED LIGHT option or cellophane cover so it doesn't interfere with the fireflies) AND MANDATORY WATER, sense of awe, and sense of humor. Optional: bug spray or long pants for mosquitos, fully-charged cell phone, and/or camera. iPhones seem useless for the firefly photos but "real" cameras and some Samsung phones seem equipped to photograph them.
MT. VERNON TRAIL MAP:
https://www.nps.gov/gwmp/planyourvisit/upload/Mt-Vernon-Trail-map-508-2021.pdfDYKE MARSH PRESERVE:
NPS: https://www.nps.gov/gwmp/planyourvisit/dykemarsh.htm
Friends group: https://www.fodm.orgDC BOUNDARY STONES: (We’ll see the first one marking the new District of Columbia. It will disappear someday.)
https://boundarystones.orgJONES POINT LIGHTHOUSE: (One of America's last rivertine lighthouses.)
https://www.nps.gov/gwmp/learn/historyculture/jonespointlighthouse.htmNORTHERN VIRGINIA FIREFLIES: https://www.audubonva.org/news/wildlife-sanctuary-almanac-2024-june
FIREFLY CONSERVATION & RESEARCH:
(I posted this so you can learn more about protecting fireflies. I used this organization's firefly photo but it is not connected to our event.)
https://www.firefly.org27 attendees
Past events
4856
