Northern Virginia Hiking Club (NVHC)

You 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 circuit hike with 646 feet of elevation gain.

Description:
This is a beautiful hike along the scenic Potomac River and adjoining Riverbend Park and Great Falls Park.

We will begin our hike in Riverbend and then follow the Potomac Heritage trail along the Potomac River to Great Falls.

We will stop at the Great Falls overlooks for some amazing views of the falls and then continue on the River Trail as it winds along Mather Gorge We will then connect to the Ridge Trail to Old Carriage Road, and back to Riverbend. Lunch break at the Ridge trail intersection.

Hike Pace: Pace will be about 2.5 mph.

Bring: Adequate water/hydration, snacks/lunch, and sturdy hiking shoes since there are some rocky areas/tree roots on the River Trail. Hiking poles if you normally use them. There are no stream crossings. Recommend insect repellent and sunscreen.

Fee: There is no entrance fee at Riverbend Park, but I will need to collect $2.00 from each hiker to cover the cost of group fees at Riverbend. for groups of 12 or more. I will get the Group Permit in advance. Small bills only please!

Dogs: dogs are welcome on this hike in accordance with the NVHC Dog Policy.

Great Falls Park trail map:
https://www.nps.gov/grfa/upload/GRFA-complete-map-508.pdf

Where to Meet: Meet in the parking lot across from the Riverbend Park Visitor's Center 15 minutes early to allow everyone to get signed in and ready to hike at 9:00 am.
Coordinates 39.01817, -77.24599
Address: 8700-8814 Jeffery Rd, Great Falls, VA 22066

Any questions, please text/call Dawn 703 533 9231

You 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.

Distance: about 4.2 miles
Elevation Gain: 400 feet
Hike pace: about 2.0 - 2.5 mph
Restrooms: Port-a-potty in parking lot
Entrance fee: None
No dogs, please.

Let's wrap up 2025 with a morning hike through a lesser known but beautiful part of Fairfax County! We'll hike on the north section of Meadowood (the hiking and mountain biking section), through beech-oak woods in Mason Neck on land managed by the Bureau of Land Management under the Department of the Interior. We'll start at the Mason Neck Gateway parking lot (also known as the Mountain Bike Parking lot) on Gunston Road. We will hike the South Branch Loop Trail. I'm a wildlife biologist, so I may stop to point out wildlife, trees, and other natural things. The terrain is hilly. Light hiking footwear is sufficient. The trail may be muddy in sections. Bring water and a snack. We'll have a short snack break halfway through the hike. Please arrive around 8:50 to check in with the leader. Trail map: https://www.blm.gov/sites/default/files/docs/2023-02/Meadowoood%20SRMA%20Trail%20Map.pdf

You 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.

About 8 miles with 150 foot elevation gain.

Let's greet the migrating Tundra Swans at the Great Marsh in Elizabeth Hartwell Wildlife Refuge as we also enjoy a bit of Pohick Bay Regional Park.

The Tundra Swans are back in town! These magnificent birds are spending the winter in the Great Marsh of Belmont Bay and will leave in mid-March for their breeding grounds in the tundra of far northern Canada near the Arctic Ocean.

“Swanfall” is the term used to describe the annual return of swans to their winter home here at Elizabeth Hartwell Wildlife Management Area.

The Tundra Swans are wintering in the Great Marsh, one of the largest freshwater marshes in Virginia.

Description:
We'll begin our hike in Pohick Bay Regional Park and make our way to Elizabeth Hartwell Wildlife Management Area and the Woodmarsh Trail to the bird viewing stand to see the Tundra Swans. We will retrace our hike back to Pohick Bay Park and the parking lot. There will be a great view of the bay area as well as a lake and marshes.

The pace will be about 2.5 mph.

There are restrooms at the Eagles Nest Veranda where we begin our hike.

Bring
Adequate water/hydration also snacks/lunch. The route is mostly level on a mix of hard and dirt surface. Some sections may get muddy after heavy rains. A good portion of the hike is on the multi-purpose paved bike trail and High Point Trail. The Woodmarsh trail is natural surface. Make sure you wear comfortable shoes. I recommend good hiking shoes as parts of some of the trails are covered by fallen leaves and tree roots.

Fee: No Fee

Dogs are permitted on this hike in accordance with the NVHC Dog Policy. https://tinyurl.com/nvhcdogpolicy

Elizabeth Hartwell Wildlife Management Area:
https://www.fws.gov/refuge/elizabeth-hartwell-mason-neck

Pohick Bay Regional Park:
https://www.novaparks.com/parks/pohick-bay-regional-park

Meet at the trailhead parking lot 15 minutes early to allow everyone to be signed in and get ready to hike at 10:00am.

Meeting Place Instructions:
From Interstate 95 North:

• Take exit 161 to Lorton, Rt. 1 N.
• Go about 1.8 miles to first stop light and turn right on to Gunston Rd.
• Go about 3.2 miles on Gunston Rd to park entrance on left.
• Drive straight into the park all the way down to the marina area.

From Interstate 95 South:

• From I95 S, exit 163 to Lorton.
• Left onto Lorton Rd at the end of exit ramp.
• Go under second overpass and turn right onto Lorton Market St. (You will see Shoppers Food Warehouse)
• Go about 1.1 mile to traffic light at RT. 1.
• Go straight through light (road name changes to Gunston Rd) and go about 3.2 miles to park entrance on left.
• Drive straight into the park all the way down to the marina area.

Make sure to go past the Pohick Bay Golf Course and Meadowood Stables on Gunston Rd. Turn left on Pohick Bay Drive, at the park entrance. After entering the park, go straight down the road to the marina area. When you get to the Eagle’s Nest, there is a parking lot just around the loop. Park there and we will meet at 9:15am so we can get everyone checked in. There are restrooms at the Eagles Nest Veranda. GPS: 38.67467, -77.16711

Any questions, please message me here or text/call @202-528-0456. If you text me, please include your name.

You 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 10-mile loop hike with 2100' feet of elevation gain in very lightly used back country.

The hike starts at the Beahms Gap Overlook on Skyline Dr., about 4 miles north of the Thornton Gap entrance to Skyline Dr.

From the Beahms gap parking area, we'll cross Skyline Dr just south of the lot and take a very short hike on the AT to a left on Rocky Br. Trail. We will take that .4 miles to the Hull School Parking lot, cross over the lot to Skyline Dr, and take a right on Hull School Trail just past the lot. We'll hike downhill about 2.5 miles and take a left on to the Thornton River Trail (TRT). We will proceed on the TRT up hill about 3 miles to Skyline Dr., where we'll turn left on Skyline Dr a short way and cross it to continue up hill on the TRT another half mile (steep) to it's intersection with the AT, where we'll have lunch. We'll proceed left (south) on the AT from there, and take left on to the Neighbor Mountain Trail to it's summit and Byrd Shelter #4. We'll then backtrack on the Neighbor Mountain Trail back to the AT and continue south on the AT back to the parking lot.
There are multiple stream crossings on this hike, so be prepared with poles, change of socks, etc.

We hike at a pace of 2.5-3.0 mph when moving.

Dogs are permitted on this hike in accordance with the NVHC Dog Policy. https://tinyurl.com/nvhcdogpolicy

Leader: John H

This hike has an "A" rating for difficulty. Rating: A

Carpools: Meet at the Centreville Park and Ride at 7:20am and leave by 7:30am. Use the comment section to arrange carpools.
Driving time to trail head: One hour 20 minutes.
The trailhead is 60 miles from the suggested carpool location.
Suggested carpool fee is $7.
The leader will not be at the carpool location.
GPS Coordinates: 38.836038, -77.455371
https://goo.gl/maps/hc3LRG7Hsy2wMJs18

Trailhead: Meet at Beahms Gap Overlook by 8:50 so we can start hike at 9:00am.
GPS Coordinates: 38.69511, -78.31997
https://maps.app.goo.gl/fAYczA3QifjWrqRR9
The parking lot is U-shaped. There are two entrances into the lot.

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. Use the comment section to organize carpools.

Park Entry Fee: $30 (free with park pass)

You must be experienced in hikes of this distance, pace and elevation gain.