Hiking Trails in the Washington, DC Area

One of the best ways to explore the wildlife and see the world in a way that is in contrast to towering buildings and congested traffic of the city is to take a hike. That’s right, a hike within the wilderness, along a trail that leads to new scenery and lots of adventure. In Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia, there are plenty of parks that have easy going as well as challenging trails for all hikers. This article will list some of the most popular places for hiking in the area.

The Rock Creek Nature Center, located in Northwest Washington, DC, is a huge park that extends from the Maryland border to the Potomac River. There are lots of things to do at the Rock Creek Nature Center besides hiking. There are also bike trails, tennis courts, fishing, horseback riding, and much more. This nature center also has a Planetarium that offers various programs that explore the solar systems and the stars.

Rock Creek Nature Center and Planetarium Visitor Center
5200 Glover Road
NW Washington, DC
(202) 895-6070

The Appalachian Trail extends from Georgia to Maine, 2160 miles of hiking trail for the avid hikers and nature lovers. In Maryland and Virginia, the Appalachian Trail runs through the South Mountain State Park, Greenbrier State Park, Washington Monument State Park, Gathland State Park, Harpers Ferry, and the Shenandoah National Park. There are tons of historic information on each of these state parks and great scenic overlooks. For more information on these six great state parks, please visit www.dnr.state.md.us and www.nps.gov.

The Black Hill Regional Park, a beautiful park on Little Seneca Lake, has 10 miles of hiking trails as well as a water trail for those interested in canoeing. Horse back riding is also available at the Black Hill Regional Park as well. This park is located in Germantown Maryland, off of I-270, north of Rockville Maryland. More information on this Montgomery Regional Park can be found at www.mc-mncppc.org.

There are more things to do than hiking at the Catoctin Mountain Park. This huge park is also a camp site and home to great fly fishing. Although most of the park shuts down in the winter, cross country skiing is available. Catoctin Mountain Park is a great family oriented site that offers a horse trail and fun activities for children such as a Junior Ranger program. This program helps kids to learn valuable lessons about wildlife and survival tips that everyone should know when dealing with nature. For more information on the Catoctin Mountain Park and its hours of operation, you should visit www.nps.gov/cato.

Cunningham State Park, located in the Catoctin Mountains, is one of the most scenic locations in Maryland. The near eighty-foot waterfall is absolutely astonishing, located near the lake where fishing and boating are available. There is close to 40 miles of hiking trails, for beginner as well as experienced hikers. The longest trail (Catoctin Trail) is 27 miles long and may be the most challenging trail in the park.

Visit http://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/western/cunninghamfalls.html for more information on Cunningham State Park.