Objective:

The purpose if this site is to provide a database of the hike traces created with the GPS in the Greater Washington D.C. area.   The definition of the Greater Washington D.C. area here is very broad.  It includes all the places where the major Washington D.C. hiking clubs lead hikes: 

1) Blue Ridge Mtns. in the Shenandoah National Park, VA

2) Massanutten Mtns., part of the George Washington National Forest in VA

3) The Great North Mtn., Part  of the George Washington National Forest in VA and WV

3) Catoctin Mtns. in MD

4) Michaux State Forest  in PA

... and many more.

This site also includes the traces of the backpacks in the areas within the driving distance from Washington D.C.:

1) Dolly Sods and Roaring Plains in WV.

2) Otter Creak in WV

3) Tea Creek in WV

4) Cranberry Wilderness in WV

5) AT in Southern VA, including Mt. Rogers and Cole Mtn

... and a few others.

All traces on this site were either taken by me or a few people I trust using the GPS.  They were taken in real time during actual hikes or backpacks.  In very rare occasions the GPS could not lock for a short period of time.  In those cases the missing portions of the trail were drawn by hand, and these sections were described as such in the specifications.

My goal is to let a hiker or a backpacker owning a GPS (not necessarily) and mapping software (National Geographic's Topo! State Series) do a complete hike without getting lost, even if this hike involves difficult or unblazed sections. Another goal is to show people rare hikes, the ones that are not well publicized and known by few.  Finally, my objective is to present  waypoints on those hikes that represent places that are worth seeing, such as hidden overlooks, places with a lot of berries, little ponds, waterfalls, etc.

Dimitri Tundra.

Last Update: 02/21/2006