What is northern Virginia? Is it coastal or Piedmont? Urban or suburban? Could it even be rural? Northern Virginia is, in fact, all of these. First and foremost, it is a metropolis, with all the baggage this carries: highways, pollution, sprawl. Such conditions do not, however, negate quality outdoor experiences. This area—which encompasses the pastoral hills of Fauquier County, the ragged 90-foot cliffs at Great Falls, and the calm estuaries around Pohick Bay and Mason Neck—ranks as wildly diverse as any in the state. Absent the mountains of western regions, the area features streams that, over centuries, have carved out channels through granite, schist, and metagraywacke. Healthy forests of hardwoods crown river bluffs. Microcosms of Appalachian cove forest—with its stunning array of flowers, trees, mosses, and animals—pop up along quiet, secluded streams. Virginia’s fall line bisects the region, creating picturesque waterfalls and cascades that transport you hundreds of miles away.
Northern Virginians work hard for these special environments. They work hard to find them, and they work hard to protect them. Preserved tracts of land on the Potomac, below Washington, DC, are recognized as top spots in the East for nesting and roosting bald eagles. Even land that has been logged, farmed, mined, and left to waste away—as was the case with Prince William Forest Park—has rebounded to a state of natural and scenic beauty. Years of preservation work in northern Virginia have made possible just about every type of outdoor pursuit, from walking to rock climbing, bird-watching to hunting.
Whatever natural wonders await the explorer in northern Virginia, history makes doubly rewarding. More than a few chief executives have left their mark. Roosevelt Island, a vacation spot for Theodore Roosevelt, is prominent among them. James Madison fled a burning Washington, DC, during the War of 1812, stashing the Declaration of Independence in an old gristmill now preserved as a museum. Less prominent, but just as intriguing, are Civil War raiders who prowled eastern foothills of the Blue Ridge. Archaeologists have unearthed the garbage heaps of prehistoric residents who encamped along the Potomac. And on the shores of America’s river, the Potomac, Chicocoan Indians watched Captain John Smith sail as far as the waterfalls at Georgetown during his legendary explorations of 1608.
The paths of our history are today the paths of hikers, bird-watchers, and nature lovers. The stories behind place-names and old buildings are as much a part of the outdoor experience in northern Virginia as the flowers, birds, and trees.
THE HIKES
7. Prince William Forest Park
8. Scotts Run Nature Preserve
9. Great Falls Park
10. G. Richard Thompson Wildlife Management Area
11. Rock Creek Park
HONORABLE MENTIONS
F. Mason Neck Wildlife Refuge/Mason Neck State Park
G. Bull Run—Occoquan Trail
H. Manassas National Battlefield Park
I. Bull Run Mountains Natural Area Preserve
J. Sky Meadows State Park
NOVA HIKING CLUBS
The northern Virginia area (popularly known as NoVa) has several very active hiking clubs that schedule regular hikes not only in the NoVa region of Virginia/Maryland/DC, but also in nearby Shenandoah National Park. Some even provide transportation to the hike.
Capital Hiking Club, www.capitalhikingclub.org. Hikes and trips in Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania.
Center Hiking Club, (301) 468-1896, www.centerhikingclub.org. Hikes and trips in Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania.
Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC), Vienna, (703) 242-0315, www.patc.net.
Wanderbirds Hiking Club, www.wanderbirds.org. Hikes in Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania.
Washington Women Outdoors, Germantown, MD, (301) 864-3070, www.washingtonwomenoutdoors.org. Outdoor adventures for women, including hiking, kayaking, rock climbing, and biking.