Women's Hiking

You must read the following NVHC Sign-in Sheet Statement/Liability Disclaimer, [https://nvhc.com/signin.pdf](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](https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/riverbend/hours)**[ ](https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/riverbend/hours)and **[Great Falls Park](https://www.nps.gov/grfa/index.htm)**. We will begin our hike in **Riverbend** and then follow the **[Potomac Heritage trail](https://www.nps.gov/pohe/index.htm)** 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](https://www.nps.gov/grfa/planyourvisit/hiking.htm)**[ ](https://www.nps.gov/grfa/planyourvisit/hiking.htm)as it winds along **Mather Gorge** We will then connect to the **[Ridge Trail to Old Carriage Road](https://www.nps.gov/grfa/planyourvisit/hiking.htm),** 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](https://tinyurl.com/nvhcdogpolicy). [Great Falls Park trail map](https://www.nps.gov/grfa/upload/GRFA-complete-map-508.pdf): [https://www.nps.gov/grfa/upload/GRFA-complete-map-508.pdf](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](https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/riverbend-park) 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](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. **\*The Refuge has a 9 person group limit, so please only sign up if you are fairly certain you can attend. Thank you.** Join me for a lovely winter hike along the water in this 644 acre gem. The diverse forest and wetland habitats of Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge support a wide variety of resident and migratory wildlife, including over 200 species of birds, 79 species of butterflies, and 77 species of Dragonflies and Damselflies. You might want to bring your binoculars, as eagles are often spotted. This National Refuge land has an interesting history. It was once a tobacco plantation, fishery, hog farm, and a popular tourist spot known as Dawson Beach in the 1940s. From 1950-1990, it was home to the US Army Harry Diamond Laboratory for radio transmitting and top secret research. Please arrive by 9:20am to sign in. Please note that we will NOT be parking at the Visitor Center. When you enter through the gate, keep going straight and you will run into the parking lot on the right. **DISTANCE**: 5 miles flat on natural surface **PACE**: 2.5-3 mph/while moving **DOGS**: Dogs are not permitted inside the refuge **MEETUP LOCATION**: Occoquan National Wildlife Refuge 14050 Dawson Beach Rd. Woodbridge, VA **FEE:** $0.00 **RESTROOMS**: Restrooms at the start. **LEADER**: Kris N. (618) 623-2484

Meet in the parking lot of the Handy Bikes Service Center. At the start of each ride, we'll go over introductions to have a sense of participants' cycling experience. Over the course of our rides, we'll address the following: group riding dynamics; safety (ABC check & trail hazards); gear shifting; hill climbing; audible and hand communication within the group, with other trail users, and automobile drivers; what to bring on each ride; etc... Bring your questions, water & a snack. When it starts getting dark earlier, we'll need lights as well. Helmets a MUST. If you can, and especially if you've had issues with your bike, come a bit early to have it looked at ahead of the ride. PS - all levels are welcome to join, however, be mindful that if you are an experienced rider, please be prepared to ride at the pace of the newest rider in the group. Each week, depending on who's in attendance, and participants' riding ability/comfort level, we may do skills practice as a group in the parking lot or at the west end of Wheeler Ave. Once everyone is comfortable, we'll go for a ride on local trails and neighborhood streets and finish back at the shop. Happy Pedaling !! \~Maya

Join us for our 6th Annual Head Start Hike. We will start the year off strong by hiking a moderate Maryland 5.5-mile hike. We look forward to seeing you there! **\*\*We will meet in front of the Friday's on Greenbelt Road and walk over to the start of the trailhead. Please rsvp at https://www.destinationhike.com/events/head-start-hike-2026-2 so you can receive a detailed email with information about the hike\*\*** This hike is Free and open to all hikers. The trail is moderate and has some minor hills. How to prepare? 1\. Wear comfortable shoes\. If you have hiking boots that would be preferred\. However\, if you have not committed to buying hiking shoes\, wear comfortable tennis shoes\. 2\. Check the weather for the day and dress appropriately\. When you are hiking in the winter\, you want to dress in layers so you can take off and add on as needing\. Winter hikes typically start out cold\, but once you start moving\, you will get warm\, so you want to be able to remove layers as needed\. 3\. Bring a small to medium size back pack\. This is to carry any personal items; cell phone\, water\, personal medication\, and any other items you may need\. 4\. Always bring a at ***least*** 1L of water. Make sure you have hydrated the day before, and the day of the hike. 5\. Remember\, there are no bathrooms in nature\, so stay hydrated but make sure you are good to hike without needing a bathroom\. If you do need to use the bathroom\, nature will be your stall\. 6\. Suggested: Download the AllTrails app\. Hiking guides use the AllTrials app for direction on the trail\. If you would like to follow along\, the trail link will be provided your detailed hike email\. Any additional questions, comments, or concerns, email info@destinationhike.com

**Park Map / Trailhead hike – NO BUS** *$5. Long hike: 11 mi., 1800 ft. ascent. Moderate hike: 7 mi., 1400 ft. ascent.* The ACLT is a relatively new park in Calvert County that features rolling hills and vistas of the broad Parker Creek that drains into the Chesapeake Bay. All hikers will take the complete Parker Creek loop, including the Turkey Spur Trail down to the creek, and go there-and-back on the PF2Bay Trail to the overlooks of the Chesapeake Bay. Long hikers will also go there-and-back to some historic sites on the PF2Bay Trail, including a couple of old barns and a small cemetery. *** RESERVATIONS Capital Hiking Club is a non-profit group, and the public is invited on all trips. Reservations are accepted as late as Friday, but reserving before Wednesday night helps ensure your spot and prevent cancellation of the hike due to low sign-ups. RSVP through Meetup and pay through PayPal. Please be sure your RSVP gives your full name and phone number. FIRST-TIME HIKERS If you're a first-time hiker with us, please notify the leaders in advance so they can make sure you have the info you need. Hikers must be able to keep at least a 2 mph pace. LIABILITY By RSVP'ing for a CHC hike, you acknowledge and accept that hikers are responsible for their own safety and must assume risks and liability for all outings. CHC leaders, officers, and representatives shall not be liable for any injuries, loss or damage to persons or property, direct or consequential, arising out of any trips or club activities. Participants will be asked to sign a waiver the day of the hike. CANCELLATION POLICY To cancel and receive a full refund less a $5 processing fee, you must change your RSVP to "No" on Meetup **before 12PM the Thursday** before the hike. If you change your RSVP after 12PM the Thursday before the hike, no refunds will be issued. MORE DETAILS -- **[SEE THE FAQS ON OUR WEBSITE](https://www.capitalhikingclub.org/hikes-faqs)**

New Year resolution to get outdoors and exercise? Now's your chance. Great Falls National Park in the close-in Virginia suburbs is an outdoor treasure in our own backyard. An ideal place to exercise! The hike will be a leisurely one, at an average pace of about 2 mph. Our route includes a couple of hills and rocks to flex those unused leg muscles; also water views and waterfalls to feast your eyes. We will warm up walking south from the Visitors Center on the wide, flat Old Carriage Road and the winding Swamp Trail. Then the adventures start on the Ridge and Difficult Run Trails, including a couple of steep hills and a detour to a waterfall. The return route is along the Ridge Trail and a moderately difficult section of the River Trail, which has a couple of short but steep hills; steps; mini-rock scrambles; and clifftop overlooks. We will move slowly on the River Trail and pause at several overlooks of the Potomac River flowing through Mather Gorge downstream from Great Falls. We will finish at the overlooks of Great Falls. Bring plenty of water, and snacks for a rest stop mid-way during the hike. (Note: the park's snack bar might be open; no cash accepted; it is located "under" the Visitor Center near the restrooms.) Start time: Meet at 10:45 and start walking at 11:00. If you can't make the hike, please cancel your RSVP by 6 pm the night before to allow others on the waiting list to join. There is NO cell service in the park, so hike leader will not get last-minute messages. Required: Hiking boots/shoes (no athletic shoes with smooth bottoms), water. Recommended: hiking poles, rain gear, snacks. Average pace: a leisurely 2.0 mph (faster on the early flat section, slower on the later rocky section) AllTrails: We will mostly follow the AllTrails "River, Ridge, CCT, and Swamp Trails" in reverse: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/virginia/great-falls-loop-river-ridge-cct-and-swamp-trails Meeting point: Meet at 10:45 am for sign-ins and introductions at Great Falls Park, Virginia. Meet at the bottom of the ramp to the front entrance of the Visitor Center (the doors facing the parking lot). Street address is 9200 Old Dominion Dr, McLean, VA 22102. Allow extra drive time for construction delays on Georgetown Pike and George Washington Parkway. Meeting place coordinates: https://maps.app.goo.gl/kAY7ou858TqCAJeK7?g_st=ipc Park entrance fee: NO CASH ACCEPTED. $20 per car or $35 annually. Free with a National Park pass. Carpools can be arranged by using the Meetup Comments section. (Hike leader can take 1-2 passengers from Eastern Market or Rosslyn metro station if willing to go early.) Facilities: Restrooms in the outside courtyard of the Visitor Center. Also porta-johns in the park. Hike details: Rating: Moderate; one moderately difficult section Distance: Approx. 4.6 miles Elevation Gain: Approx. 500 ft. Pace: Average about 2.0 miles per hour Conditions: Small but steep hills. Mini-rock scrambles. Can be muddy after rain. Maximum number of hikers: 10 Contact Information: Please use the Meetup Comments for routine comments and questions. Hike leader is Amber 703-231-5978. RSVP: Sign-up ends at 6:00 pm the night before the hike. Please do not show up unregistered. If possible, cancel by the same deadline. To find out more about PATC, see [https://www.patc.net](https://www.patc.net/ "https://www.patc.net/") Consider becoming a member of PATC. To join, see [https://www.patc.net/membership](https://www.patc.net/membership "https://www.patc.net/membership")

Sunday seems like the warmest we will be getting for a little while, so let's do a short 90 minute jaunt, then drive less than a minute to a variety of lunch options! We will meet at the picnic area of Cabin John Park. This IS NOT the side with the playground and the train you can ride. You want the parking lot alongside the road, a thousand feet further down Tuckerman. We will meet up in the picnic area promptly at 11:00, do quick introductions, then start a 3.5 mile clockwise loop. While the first half of the trail is mostly flat, there are three moderate hills on the second half, and we will unfortunately get some traffic noise from I-270. Afterwards, we can drive 30 seconds to Cabin John Village where there are a number of places to grab lunch, including Cava, Shake Shack, sushi, kabobs, and pizza. [Follow along on Alltrails here](https://www.alltrails.com/parks/us/maryland/cabin-john-regional-park?u=i&sh=5s9wgt)

Hi Ladies! Let's hike from the Dublin Rec center to the Dublin Nature Preserve and Arboretum and back. The hike will be approximately 4.5 miles total. The trail goes through small parks and neighborhoods and is 100% paved paths so please wear appropriate shoes. Please arrive 10-15 minutes early if you need to go restroom in Rec center.

Hike approx 4.0 miles at approx. 18 minute mile pace. Meet in front of the Nature Center.

We will do around 3.5 miles on the paved trail. Toni will be leading at the front - around 16 minute mile - and I’ll be bringing up the rear closer to a 19 minute mile (or as appropriate). No one left behind. Optional lunch at Paddock Pub.