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
Jeremys Run/Knob Mountain (Rating: A)
Gainesville Park and Ride Lot - University Boulevard, 7250 New Stable Wy, Gainesville, VA 20155, 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.
This is a 12 mile challenging circuit hike with an elevation gain of 2500 feet in the northern section of Shenandoah National Park. Jeremys Run is one of the most beautiful streams in this section. The trail crosses the stream 16 times in a 5 mile section; so be prepared. We will begin at the Elkwallow Picnic area parking. From there we will take the Appalachian trail, Jeremy's Run trail, Knob Mountain Cutoff trail, Knob Mountain trail and then return on Jeremys Run trail with all the stream crossings. We hike at a pace of 2.5-3.0 when moving.
You may want to bring water shoes if you have them. If Jeremy's Run is running high, crossing it without getting your feet wet may be difficult or impossible. Also bring lunch, at least 2 quarts/liters of water, hat, and sun screen.
Leader: Edward Schaefer 703-850-3251 (C)
Rating: A
Carpools: Meet at the Gainesville Park and (across from Sheetz) at 7:00am. Suggested carpool fee is $8. The leader will be at the carpool location. GPS Coordinates: 38.801179, -77.590160. https://goo.gl/maps/hc3LRG7Hsy2wMJs18
Driving time to trailhead from carpool location: 1 hour 30 minutes.
Meet at the trailhead @ 8:30am. GPS Coordinates: 38.74096, -78.31204 Turn in at the Elk Wallow Picnic Area and proceed all the way to the back. Park near the outhouse. https://maps.app.goo.gl/bc78Qnn2xndFfQbX7Neither 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 participation is at your own risk.
Summary:
Hiking distance: 12 miles
Elevation Gain: 2500'
Rating: A (but is almost A+)
Park Entry Fee: $30 (free with National Park pass).
Suggested Carpool fee: $10
Dogs not permitted on this hike.Alltrails map for hike: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/trail/us/virginia/jeremys-run-trail?mobileMap=false&ref=sidebar-static-map
You must have recent experience doing hikes of comparable distance and elevation gain.
9 attendees
NVHC Social (fun) -- Vanish Farmwoods Brewery
Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, 42245 Black Hops Ln, Leesburg, VA, USYou must read the following NVHC Sign-in Sheet Statement/Liability Disclaimer, https://nvhc.com/signin.pdf and answer the question you will see when you RSVP with "I accept".
Read the Liability Disclaimer: https://www.nvhc.com/signin.pdf
***PLEASE BE SURE TO ACCEPT THE WAIVER***
Join us for a social where we can all gather and build community. The Club does not subsidize or cover any costs for the socials; all participants are responsible for their own expenses. Every attempt will be made to rotate venues around the DMV to make it more accessible, depending on where you live.
This social will be held at Vanish Farmwood Brewery, located in Leesburg, VA.
FOOD & BEVERAGE:
Their tap menu can be found here: https://vanishbeer.com/beers/
Their food menu can be found here: https://vanishbeer.com/food/
If looking for a more substantial meal, there are some great restaurants nearby.
Solo Pizza: https://solonypizza.com
Leesburg Public House: https://www.the-lph.com/menus/
Blue Ridge Grill: https://brgrill.com/leesburg/
PARKING:
There is plenty of parking at the venue
DOGS:
From the venue —> Yes, we are dog and family friendly, although dogs aren't allowed in the main tap room. We do have plenty of indoor climate-controlled space where dogs are permitted.
Please come join us; I hope to see you there!
*photo credit to readkong.com
32 attendees
National Military Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Kennedy Center Loop, (Rating: C)
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.
7.5-mile loop with 250 feet elevation gain.
Description:
Let's visit the newly installed National Military Monument at the Lincoln Memorial. It's here until August 23.From Columbia Island Marina, we will connect to the Mount Vernon trail and hike to the Arlington Memorial Bridge and cross over to the Lincoln Memorial and view the National Military Monument.
After that, we'll proceed 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 back toward the Lincoln Memorial and make our way to the Franklin Roosevelt Memorial. We will recross the Potomac on the 14th St. 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.
52 attendees
Past events
4922
