AMC's Best Day Hikes Near Washington, D.C. Four-season Guide to 50 of the Best Trails in Maryland, Virginia, and the Nation's Capital

Fully revised and updated, this guide offers 50 of the best hikes in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia that can be completed in less than a day. From the ancient rock faces of Calvert Cliffs State Park to the bountiful meadows of northern Virginia, from Chesapeake watersheds to the shores of the Potomac River, visitors and residents alike will delight in the richness of trail experiences in and around D.C.

Hikes range from easier strolls past some of the city's iconic historical monuments and famous cherry trees, to the gorgeous and challenging Harpers Ferry. Each trip includes a detailed map, plus summaries of time, distance, and difficulty level. The book's at-a-glance trip planner highlights the best hikes near public transportation, for kids, and for canine companions. The trips in this guide will leave you itching to lace up your boots and explore the natural bounty that surrounds the nation's capital.

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Locator Map

Contents

At a Glance Trip Planner

Acknowledgements

Introduction

How to Use this Book

Trip Safety and Planning

1. Patuxent River State Park

2. Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary

3. Calvert Cliffs State Park

4. Cedarville State Forest

5. American Chestnut Lands Trust

6. Seneca Creek State Park—Clopper Lake

7. McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area [REPLACE]

8. Watkins Regional Park (Wetland Trail and Old Maryland Farm Path)

9. Cosca Regional Park (Lake Trail)

10. Patuxent Research Refuge (South Tract: Loop, Goose Pond, and Cash Lake Trails)

11. Piscataway National Park—Accokeek Foundation

12. Greenbelt Park

13. Lake Artemesia and the Northeast Branch Trail14. Catoctin Mountain Park and Cunningham Falls State Park

15. Antietam National Battlefield

16. Sugarloaf Mountain

17. Black Hill Regional Park

18. Matthew Henson Trail

19. Capital Crescent Trail (Elm Street Park, Bethesda to Aqueduct Arch, Georgetown)

20. Billy Goat Trail at Great Falls

21. Woodstock Equestrian Park (Straight Shot Trail and Field's Edge Loop)

22. Little Bennett Regional Park

23. Patapsco Valley State Park

24. Greenwell State Park

25. Theodore Roosevelt Island and Potomac Heritage Trail

26. Potomac River: Georgetown to Lincoln Memorial

27. National Arboretum

28. Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens

29. Rock Creek Park

30. Around Georgetown

31. East Potomac Park and Hains Point

32. The National Mall

33. Prince William Forest Park

34. Sky Meadows State Park

35. Mason Neck State Park

36. Leesylvania State Park

37. Bull Run Mountains Natural Area

38. G. Richard Thompson Wildlife Management Area

39. Riverbend Park and Great Falls Park

40. Huntley Meadows Park

41. Fraser Preserve (Blue Trail)

42. Wildcat Mountain Natural Area

43. Washington & Old Dominion Trail and Cross Country Trail

44. Bull Run (Occoquan Trail)

45. Scotts Run Nature Preserve

46. Mount Vernon Trail—Fort Hunt Park to Mount Vernon

47. Old Rag

48. Harpers Ferry to Maryland Heights

49. Manassas National Battlefield Park

50. Meadowlark Botanical Gardens

Appendix: Further Reading

Index

About the Author

Appalachian Mountain Club

About AMC near Washington DC