Tag Archives: Great Falls National Park

Looking back on 2016

Posted on December 30, 2016 by John M

Looking back, it has certainly been a busy year for hiking! Our hiking group grew by 1,779 members, from 6,796 to 8,575, and we met for 103 events during 2016, hiking a total of 450 miles at locations throughout Virginia, … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking, Photography | Tagged azaleas, Billy Goat Trail, Buzzard Rock, Carderock, Dupont, Georgetown, Great Falls National Park, Kalorama, National Cherry Blossom Festival, nature, old town alexandria, outdoors, Patapsco Valley State Park, Rock Creek Park, Shenandoah Mountains, Sky Meadows, Virginia bluebells, Washington DC, wildlife | 7 Comments

Frozen fun

Posted on January 19, 2016 by John M

Billy Goat Trail Section A There’s just nothing like a cold morning to bring out the determined hikers, and this Monday was no exception: the temperature never got about 21o F (-6o C ), and the 10-20 mph WNW winds … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking, Photography | Tagged Billy Goat Trail, C&O Canal, Great Falls, Great Falls National Park, nature, Olmstead Island, outdoors, Potomac River | 4 Comments

Unpredictable

Posted on June 13, 2015 by John M

We’re at that time of year, around here anyway, when the weather is very unpredictable. There are thunderstorms in the forecast for just about every day, but half the time they don’t materialize, so you might as well schedule your … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking, Photography | Tagged Accotink Creek, blue heron, fairfax county virginia, Great Falls National Park, nature, osprey, outdoors, Potomac River, turkey vulture, wildlife | 2 Comments

A brief reprieve

Posted on February 9, 2015 by John M

Consulting the weather forecast is always a good idea when planning hikes (or any outdoor activities), but especially during the winter season. Even then, you just never know what you’re going to get. A couple of weekends ago we were … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Billy Goat Trail, blue heron, Burke Lake, C&O Canal, Civil War fortifications, Dumbarton Oaks, fairfax county virginia, Fort Ward, Great Falls National Park, nature, outdoors, Potomac River, Rock Creek Park, South Run, Tregaron Conservancy, Washington DC, wildlife | 4 Comments

Down to zero

Posted on November 24, 2014 by John M

The past three weekends have been filled with hikes, as Mother Nature put on her Autumnal show of colors before finally turning the temperatures down to zero. Here’s a few highlights: Brookside Gardens Brookside Gardens, in Wheaton-Glenmont, MD, with its … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking, Photography | Tagged Billy Goat Trail, blue heron, Boulder Bridge, Brookside Gardens, C&O Canal, deer, Fort Ethan Allen Park, Great Falls National Park, Gulf Branch, nature, outdoors, Peirce Mill, Potomac Heritage Trail, Potomac River, Rock Creek Park, Washington DC, Wheaton Park, wildlife | 4 Comments

Long weekend, lost wonder

Posted on September 6, 2014 by John M

Whenever a Federal holiday comes around, yielding a three-day weekend, I usually feel compelled to fill up with hikes. Maybe this compulsion comes from something I was discussing with a friend not so very long ago, about the lost wonder … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking, History, Photography | Tagged Billy Goat Trail, C&O Canal, Civil War, Great Falls National Park, nature, outdoors, Potomac Heritage Trail, Potomac River, Washington DC | 4 Comments

Ups and Downs

Posted on April 23, 2014 by John M

Last Saturday I had a trip planned to the Shenandoah National Park (SNP), a repeat of the combined hikes at Dark Hollow Falls and Hawksbill we did last June. Since this was to be the first trip to SNP in 2014, … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking, History, Photography | Tagged Civil War, Fraser Preserve, Great Falls National Park, nature, outdoors, Potomac Heritage Trail, Potomac River, Rowser's Ford, Scotts Run Nature Preserve, Seneca Park, Shenandoah Mountains, Shenandoah National Park | 2 Comments

Now that’s more like it!

Posted on March 22, 2014 by John M

This morning we went for a hike in Riverbend Park, on the south bank of the Potomac River in Northern Virginia. Our stated intent was to see if any Virginia bluebells had popped up, but also just to enjoy one of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking, Photography | Tagged Arboretum, azaleas, Great Falls National Park, nature, outdoors, Potomac Heritage Trail, Potomac River, Riverbend Park, Virginia bluebells, Witch Hazel Bluff | 2 Comments

Contrasts

Posted on December 30, 2013 by John M

This past weekend presented a study in contrasts. Saturday was sunny, clear and warm, and a big group of hikers turned out for a moderate to strenuous hike over rocky, hilly terrain, while Sunday was overcast, rainy and cold, and only a few … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking, Photography | Tagged Billy Goat Trail, Bull Run, Civil War, Great Falls National Park, Hemlock Overlook Regional Park, Manassas, Mather Gorge, Matildaville, nature, outdoors, Paradise Springs Winery, Potomac River, Potowmack Canal

Fall colors at Riverbend and Rock Creek parks

Posted on November 5, 2013 by John M

Last weekend was the start of peak Fall colors along the eastern seaboard of the mid-Atlantic coast, and I tried to maximize the occasion with back-to-back hikes on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday’s outing was to Riverbend Park in Great Falls, Virginia. Like its adjacent cousin, Great Falls National … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking, History, Photography | Tagged Boulder Bridge, fairfax county virginia, Great Falls, Great Falls National Park, Melvin Hazen Trail, nature, outdoors, Peirce Mill, Potomac Heritage Trail, Riverbend Park, Rock Creek, Rock Creek Park, Washington DC | 2 Comments