Germantown, Maryland

If you want a walk that’s close to home but feels like a mini escape, the Wolf Trap Trail Loop delivers. Winding through woods, wetlands, ponds, and along creeks, it offers a nice mix of nature, bird song, and scenic variety—all without leaving the suburbs. Trail Details & What to Ex...

This leisurely hike starts at the Old Mill at Waterford in Waterford, Virginia. You can find parking along the side of the road right near the mill.  As you walk down and past the mill you'll see a fence and the beginning of the trail. This is a short, 1 mile hike and almost completely flat. If y...

Reservoir Park opened in 2024. You can easily hike around the entire Beaverdam Reservoir. There are boat rentals, fishing, bird watching, picnic areas, hiking, biking, and trail running. The 7-mile loop trail is marked with blue blazes. The trail was renovated in 2024 and now has boardwalks and b...

This is an out-and-back trail that starts and ends on different roads, but you will have better luck parking on Albemarle Street NW (where I have indicated the trailhead is on the map). This is a long street with plenty of street parking, just pay attention to the signs to see how long you can le...

It seems only fitting that the president who gave us our national parks would have one all to his own.  Located on the edge of Washington D.C., Theodore Roosevelt Island offers a glimpse of what the city may have looked like before the politicians, before the marble buildings, before the traffic...

Everyone has so many things on their plates these days that take all their time up. It is hard to get away for adventures or to experience new things. The National Mall in Washington D.C. is within an hour from millions of people on the East Coast. This centralized location makes the National Mal...

The trailhead is located right off Weverton Cliff's Road in Knoxville, Maryland. Park at a Park and Ride on the right side of the road, then walk right out of the parking lot down Weverton Cliff's Road until you see the white blazes of the Appalachian Trail. Follow that trail for 1.5 miles along ...

The Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens are a unique spot in Washington, D.C. The grounds are full of ponds, boardwalks, and a trail that connects you to the Anacostia River Trail. The main draw of this park are the ponds full of lotus flowers. During the summer months, they grow tall with colors ranging ...

Mineral Hill Trail is an out-and-back trail that takes you by a lake located near Finksburg, Maryland.

This is a small park along route 340 in Purcellville, Virginia near Harper's Ferry. After you have parked, look for the park sign which will be a few feet behind you. There is a trail that will take you down to the bottom of the waterfall and eventually to the Potomac River. There is also a trail...

Parking and trail head: Park at the Harpers Ferry Visitors Center for $10 (171 Shoreline Dr, Bolivar, WV 25425) and take the shuttle a mile and a half to lower town (free).  Walk straight from the shuttle to the large bridge. Cross the bridge and take a left on the C&O Canal trail. You will ...

Maryland Heights is at the convergence of Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia, as well as the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers. The Appalachian Trail and C&O Canal Towpath are also easily accessible from the trailhead parking lot. The parking lot holds about 16 cars and is between Locks 33 and...

Learn Civil War history as you hike through forts and read signs about the war.  Enjoy beautiful lookouts, including one with a great view of Harpers Ferry.  The 5.3 mile hike is relatively easy and offers an interesting opportunity to learn history in one of the most important historical areas i...

From the visitors center, start on the Fire Road trail. From there, it's a choose-your-own adventure (choose-your-own ecosystem, actually). Pick the Laurel and Valley Trails to stay in the quiet (and maybe enchanted? It felt enchanted) forest. Goose Pond trail is a short jut to a--yup--pond, wher...

Park on the shoulder of Landing Drive (see map) to access the trailhead. This trail is open April-September. Dogs allowed on leash. 

Parking and trail head: Park at the Harpers Ferry Visitors Center for $10 (171 Shoreline Dr, Bolivar, WV 25425) and take the shuttle a mile and a half to lower town (free).  Walk straight from the shuttle to the large bridge. Cross the bridge to hop on the C&O canal trail. This is the point ...