Virginia - Washington D. C. Vicinity

 

Maps:

• Software - Topo! Mid-Atlantic

• PATC Map D

• NPS USDA free maps:

  • Potomac Heritage Tr., NPS, USDI, George Wash. Mem. Pkway.

  • Manassas National Battlefield Park, NPS: general map and trails map

  • Prince Williams Forest Park , NPS: old and new map

• http://www.dgif.state.va.us/ - wildlife management areas.  Maps are so-so.

• http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/ - state parks.  Masps so-so.

• http://www.dof.virginia.gov/stforest/index.shtml - state forests.  Bad maps if exist.

• http://www.fobr.org/ - Bull Run Mtn. Nature Conservancy

• http://www.nvrpa.org/ - Virginia Regional Parks - only Arlington, Fairfax and Loudoun Co.

• http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/cct/cctoverview.htm - CCT Trail.

Books:

• Hikes in the Washington Region, Part B: Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince Williams Counties.  Ed. 3, 1993

• Washington and Old Dominion (W&OD) Railroad Regional Park, Trail Guide.  Ed. 5, 1996.  Ed. 6, 2004

• W&OD free brochures: W&OD Trail*2 + mileage and elevation profile (free)

• An Introductory Guide to Recreational Trails in Northern VA, 19 Hiking Maps (all near DC).

• Hike America: VA – an Atlas of VA’s Greatest Hiking Adventures, Bill and Mary Burnham, 2001

• The Trails of Virginia, Hiking the Old Dominion, 3d ed., Allen de Hart, 2003

• Waterfalls of VA and WV – a Hiking and Photography Guide, Kevin Adams, 2001

• 50 Hikes in Northern VA – Walks, Hikes, and Backpacks from the Allegheny Mtns to the Chesapeake Bay, 2d ed., Leonard M. Atkins, 2000

Note: Hikes in this section are sorted by date and then by area.

 

Hike 1.  Fairfax Cross County Trail (CCT) Marathon

 

 

Club: Chris Nolen and Tuesday Group Hikers

Date: 03/18/2003; 03/16/2004

Parking: don't know

Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: CCTMarathon_GPS20030318CNolen.tpo; CCTMarathon_GPS20040316CNolen.tpo

Description File: CCTMarathon_GPS20040316CNolen.doc

 

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/cct/cctoverview.htm

Hike 2.  Manassas National Battlefield Park 1

 

 

Club: my scouting

Date: 10/12/2003

Parking: good

Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: ManassasNatBattlefieldPk_GPS20031012.tpo

GPS TrackMaker Trace: ManassasNatBattlefieldPk_GPS20031012.gtm

 

Hike 3.  Manassas National Battlefield Park 2

 

 

 

Club: Jack's Trace

Date: 04/06/2005

Parking: good

Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: ManassasNatBattlefieldPk_GPS20050406JThorsen.tpo

 

Hike 4.  Manassas National Battlefield Park 3

 

 

Club: Mike Fischetti leading for the Northern Virginia Hiking Club

Date: 08/05/2006

Parking: good

Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: ManassasNatBattlefieldPk_GPS20060805.tpo

GPS TrackMaker Trace: ManassasNatBattlefieldPk_GPS20060805.gtm

Garmin MapSource Trace: ManassasNatBattlefieldPk_GPS20060805.gdb

Photo Album: ManassasNatBattlefieldPk_GPS20060805

Notes: We saw a pretty cool Civil War reenactment.  Nice views, different terrain, different trees, very good hike.

Warnings: Absolutely don't do this hike this time of the year, preferably do it when the insects aren't out.  We got severely bitten by flies, even though I had long pants and long sleeve shirt sprayed with 30% DEET!

 

Hike 5.  Algonkian River Park - River Bend Regional Park

 

 

Club: Chris Nolen And Tuesday Group Hikers.  Jack's trace

Date: 02/23/2005; 04/10/2005; 05/31/2005

Parking: don't know

Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: AlgonkianRP_RiverBendRP_GPS20050223Merged_CNolen.tpo; AlgonkianRP_RiverBendRP_GPS20050410CNolen.tpo; AlgonkianRP_RiverBendRP_GPS20060531Merged_JThorsen.tpo

Notes: Whole trail is along the Potomac River above the Great Falls

 

Hike 6.  Scotts Run Nature Preserve

 

 

Club: my scouting

Date: 01/07/2006

Parking: good

Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: ScottsRunNaturePreserve_GPS20060107.tpo

Description File: ScottsRunNaturePreserve_GPS20060107.doc

GPS TrackMaker Trace: ScottsRunNaturePreserve_GPS20060107.gtm

Photo Album: ScottsRunNaturePreserve_GPS20060107

Notes: nice place near DC below the Great Falls

 

Hike 7.  Prince William Forest

 

 

Club: Jack's trace

Date: 10/27/2006

Parking: don't know

Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: PrinceWilliamForest_GPS20061027Merged_JThorsen.tpo

 

Hike 8.  Bull Run Mountain Conservancy

 

 

Club: Mike Juskelis leading for the Sierra Club Howard Co.

Date: 12/08/2007

Parking: good

Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: BullRunMtnConservancy_GPS20071208MJuskelisAndMe.tpo

Description File: BullRunMtnConservancy_GPS20071208MJuskelisAndMe.doc

Garmin MapSource Trace: BullRunMtnConservancy_GPS20071208.gdb

Photo Album: BullRunMtnConservancy_GPS20071208

Notes: My GPS wasn't working well, so the trace almost got lost.  Very interesting area from historical perspective.  Good views. Some of the most eastern ridges there.