Tag Archives: Washington DC

Snooping around

Posted on March 28, 2014 by John M

Yesterday I took a lunchtime stroll around the National Mall to get a look at the preparations for the annual National Cherry Blossom Festival. It’s always more fun walking with friends, so a half-dozen folks joined me in the Enid A. Haupt … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking, Photography | Tagged Cherry Blossom Festival, Enid A. Haupt Garden, Floral Library, gun control, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, National Cherry Blossom Festival, outdoors, Potomac River, Storm the Hill, the National Mall, Washington DC | 4 Comments

Morning on the marsh

Posted on March 16, 2014 by John M

Saturday was taken up with hikes in a couple of nearby wetland areas, Huntley Meadows and Dyke Marsh. The goal of both visits was to check out the wildlife, so we didn’t set much of a demanding pace. With over 1,500 … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking, Photography | Tagged Alexandria Walking & Hiking Group, Dyke Marsh, fairfax county virginia, Great Falls, Huntley Meadows, nature, outdoors, Potomac Heritage Trail, Potomac River, quantitative easing, Riverbend Park, Washington DC, wetland restoration project, wildlife | Comments Off

Delayed Awakening

Posted on February 27, 2014 by John M

Last weekend I finally managed to do a hike across the Potomac from Jones Point, in Alexandria, Virginia, across Wilson Bridge to The Awakening statue in National Harbor, Maryland. I originally planned the 6.4-mile hike for February 15th, and hoped to schedule a subsequent hike … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking, Photography | Tagged Capital Wheel, Meadowbrook Local Park, National Harbor, National Park Seminary, outdoors, Potomac River, The Awakening, Washington DC, Wilson Bridge, Woodend Nature Sanctuary | 3 Comments

Across the Potomac

Posted on January 26, 2014 by John M

Winter is a great time of year to do urban hikes. Not only is it easier to find spots for warm-up breaks during the hike, but there’s a better chance the roads and sidewalks will be cleared in an urban … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking, Photography | Tagged C&O Canal, cannons, cupcakes, Dawson Terrace Community Center, Exorcist Steps, Georgetown, Georgetown University, Healy Hall, Key Bridge, nature, Old Stone House, outdoors, Potomac River, Rock Creek, Sprinkles, Washington DC | 6 Comments

Christmas in the City

Posted on December 17, 2013 by John M

A lucky break in the weather on Sunday enabled a nice Christmas walk around the National Mall, something we’ve done for the past couple of years. This year, starting from near the Smithsonian Museum, we walked west to the World War 2 Memorial, north to … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking, Photography | Tagged Capitol Christmas Tree, Christmas trees, Christmas walk, National Christmas Tree, US Botanic Garden, Washington DC | Comments Off

Pimmit Run: Forts Ethan Allen and Marcy

Posted on December 9, 2013 by John M

On Saturday we went hiking on Pimmit Run, which flows into the Potomac River near the Chain Bridge crosses the river from Virginia into the District of Columbia. The hike started at the Madison Community Center, which is located where Fort Ethan … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking, History, Photography | Tagged Fort Ethan Allen, Fort Marcy, Madison Community Center, nature, outdoors, Pimmit Run, Washington DC | Comments Off

Open and shut

Posted on December 1, 2013 by John M

Two hikes this weekend, on Friday and Saturday, yielded looks at the Potomac River in two contrasting states: one open and unfettered, at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, and the other partially shut in and put to work, at Riley’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking, Photography | Tagged C&O Canal, nature, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Osage Orange, outdoors, Potomac River, Riley's Lock, Seneca Acqueduct, Seneca Quarry, Thomas Jefferson, turkey vulture, Washington DC, wildlife | 4 Comments

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

The Palisades

Posted on September 27, 2013 by John M

Below are photos and descriptions of landmarks from a walking tour of the Palisades District in Washington DC. The tour starts from the Palisades Recreation Center, 5138 Sherier Place NW, Washington DC, GPS = 38.92525,-77.10339. The walk is about 5.75 miles and takes about 2 hours. The surface is a mix … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking, History, Photography | Tagged architecture, C&O Canal, Capital Crescent Trail, history, outdoors, Palisades, Washington DC | 4 Comments

A walking tour of DuPont and Kalorama

Posted on September 9, 2013 by John M

Below is a set of 32 photos with descriptions to accompany a walking tour of the historic DuPont and Kalorama Districts in Washington DC, starting from DuPont Circle. The photos show notable buildings and landmarks in the two districts, mostly drawn from the National Register … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking, History, Photography | Tagged Dupont, Dupont Circle, Kalorama, Rock Creek Park, Washington DC | Comments Off