Suggestions for good hiking in NOVA (McLean, Bull Run: camping, club, farms)

[Erix]

I've searched the threads for the NOVA forum and was surprised to find relatively little on this topic.

I would like some suggestions for good places to hike (moderate to strenuous) in the NOVA area, or within 2 hours' drive. I'm well aware of the most popular attractions such as the Billy Goat trail near Great Falls, Old Rag, Catoctin Park, White Oak Canyon and the like, so I'm looking for some places which are a little more off the beaten path. For instance, the infamous (at least among hiking ranks) 'Roller Coaster' portion of the Appalachian Trail between Rt. 50 (Ashby Gap) and Rt 7 (Snickers Gap). George Washington National Forest near I-81, west of Shenandoah also has some good, challenging trails.

Any others worth mentioning?

[Carlingtonian]

The AT in Maryland is the easiest portion of the whole Trail, and the portion in PA is among the hardest, being composed almost entirely of large rocks. You could drive up to Pen-Mar State Park and start out from there in either direction.

There really isn't anything close by that isn't paved bike trails.

[michgc]

Not off the beaten path, but have you checked out Prince William Forest?

[slim04]

The president of the potomac sierra club wrote a book called 60 Hikers within 60 Miles. I read an earlier version when I was a teen decades ago.

[TravelNatty]

I love the Bull Run Occoquan trail - PATC -- Bull Run Occocquan Trail

Hiking Upward and Local Hikes are great sites for finding hikes. I love how Hiking Upward has the hikes plotted on a map. If you click on a specific hike there, you can see their rating for difficulty, streams, views, solitude, and camping.
LocalHikes - Hikes and trails near Washington-Baltimore, Washington, DC
Hiking Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia

[irvine]

Close to DC, but off the beaten path, a beautiful section of the Potomac Heritage Trail begins just west of Roosevelt Island and leads to Turkey Run Park in McLean. The hike is moderate (not strenuous) and beautiful at any time of year. The trail itself is below the Palisades and along the river, and there are connecting trails along Windy Run, Donaldson Run, and Gulf Branch.

[Bull Run Paradise]

Wildcat Mountain (Wildcat Mountain Hike) I found challenging enough to get to the top but once there it's relatively flat and lots of space to walk around with a nice pond and stream (very pretty when it catches the sunlight after a good rain). Location is roughly at Rt 17 and I-66; a little south of Marshall.

Though I've never paid to get into Sky Meadow State Park, I'll bet it is a very nice place to hike. I liked going to the adjacent Hollin Farms in Delaplane for their pumpkin patch to enjoy the scenery at the top of the hill.

[Erix]

Originally Posted by irvine

Close to DC, but off the beaten path, a beautiful section of the Potomac Heritage Trail begins just west of Roosevelt Island and leads to Turkey Run Park in McLean. The hike is moderate (not strenuous) and beautiful at any time of year. The trail itself is below the Palisades and along the river, and there are connecting trails along Windy Run, Donaldson Run, and Gulf Branch.

Does that overlap with the Towpath?

[Caladium]

Originally Posted by Erix

Does that overlap with the Towpath?

The section through Great Falls National Park does, not sure if any other parts do.

I've hiked the section from Great Falls west to west to Algonkian Park. It's a very pretty hike, although probably not strenuous enough for you. There are few places in that stretch where you need to scramble up and down some fairly steep hills, but it's relatively easy. The thing I like about this trail is how quickly you feel completely removed from the modern world.

After you go west of Riverbend Park, you can hike for long stretches of time without seeing other people, and the trail is really just a footpath along the river and up and down a few steep hills. There are a few places where it can be difficult to find the trail. If you really want to "get away", I recommend this part of the Heritage Trail (although ironically, there is one section where you are suddenly reminded that the real world is very real--you follow a wooded stream that goes right through Donald Trump's golf course. Seeing golfers off to the side adds a touch of irony that I find amusing; other people hate that part.)

[Ben 'n Jen]

Bull Run Conservancy and Beverly's Mill off Hwy 55 just past Haymarket is a great area for trails.

Skyline Drive is riddled with trails. One of my favorites is Compton Peak.