Here We See The Top Places To Go Hiking Near DC

Washington, D.C., is home to many great attractions, including the Smithsonian Museums, the monuments of America’s most famous presidents, as well as some of the finest restaurants in the United States. The outdoors near the city are often overlooked. The capital was originally built on a 100-square-mile low-lying area next to the Chesapeake Bay. However, within an hour’s drive are the Blue Ridge Mountains and Potomac River Valley. The trails near Washington D.C. are some of the most beautiful in the Mid-Atlantic. Three of the best trails in the nation’s capitol.

You can also check out hiking near Las Vegas or hiking in NYC.

The Billy Goat Trail

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The trail is only a 30-minute drive from the National Mall. It’s a popular place to go on weekends, holidays and any time the sun shines and people are outside. Get there as soon as you can.

The Billy Goat Trail takes you on an 8-mile hike across Bear Island between

Potomac River and Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. Start your hike at the Great Falls Parking lot. Cross the canal at Lock 19 and continue along the Potomac River. The trail is mostly flat, with only a few hundred feet of elevation change. However, the rocks on the trail can be a challenge. In the second mile there is a lot of scrambling, and the sign warns that people have been hurt here before. It looks intimidating, but it’s not. Take your time and consider each step.

After a mile the scrambling stops and the trail heads towards the river where you’ll find a lovely sandy beach. You’ll then turn left onto Billy Goat section B, which is a much more accessible section with great views of both the river and its island. Marsden Tract Campground is where you will round the island, and then head up the canal towpath. This hike is fairly easy. You can do this hike if your goal is to work out a bit, but don’t want to spend all day doing it.

Maryland Heights

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Maryland Height’s trail is a great hike for those who want a little challenge and history. It’s also only about an hour and half away from Washington, D.C. The trail begins at a small lot near the Amtrak Station in Harpers Ferry. You can then cross the Potomac River by using the footbridge parallel to the railroad tracks, just south of the parking lot. (Not the Amtrak Bridge). On the opposite bank, you will find the remains of the stone building which once housed the lock operators on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. Here, the Combined Trail begins the ascent up to the ridge. With 1,300 feet in elevation gain, these first two miles are the most difficult part of the hike.

You’ll see an old naval gun emplacement from the Civil War, stone hearths that were used to make charcoal out of the wood in the forest, and trenches soldiers would use to attack infantrymen. After the summit, you’ll descend nearly two miles to reach the second ridge. You can reach your vehicle by returning to the river grade after a 400-foot ascent and subsequent descent. You can take the canal towpath from Harpers Ferry, if you prefer a more leisurely hike.

Shenandoah National Park

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Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park is a great way to enjoy the outdoors without having to wear hiking boots, sweat-wicking base layers, or scramble up boulder fields. The Skyline Drive offers a number of short hikes that you can complete in tennis shoes and jeans. The park entrance fee is required, and traffic along the main road can be horrendous on weekends. However, the short, leisurely trails are worth the 1.5 to 2-hour drive.

The Snead Farm Loop is one of the easier trails to access from the northern entry. The Fox Hollow Nature Trailhead is at mile 5. It’s an easy three-mile trail. Follow the Fire Road through the woods, over small hills and to the farm’s namesake where an old barn still stands. This is one of the few non Park Service buildings that are still standing in Shenandoah. You can explore the farm and even descend into the cellar where the family stored food. Then, take the Snead Farm Loop Trail and follow it to Dickey Ridge Trail. This will bring you back to your parking lot. You can find many different trails off Skyline Drive. Just keep walking down the road and you will be able to find one that suits you.

The conclusion of the article is:

There’s no reason for D.C. visitors and residents to not spend time in nature when it only takes an hour drive or less than 30 minutes for the Billy Goat Trail. Forbes ranked it as the second-healthiest U.S. city, and it’s clear that outdoor recreation was a major factor. Next time you hear about the scandals and political backstabbing that are taking place in the halls of Congress and the White House and want to feel better, go outside and take a hike.