Stepping Out

By Jenny Mayo
Friday, June 16, 2006

A cardboard box stashed away somewhere in my mom's attic holds a relic of my childhood self: a doll-size Kelly green T-shirt with the words "I'm a Backpacker" emblazoned across the chest. I wore it at 6 months of age -- usually while hanging off my mom's or dad's shoulders in one of those baby Snuglis.

Walking outdoors was as important to my family as eating meals. Whether enjoying a simple walk or its more rugged, off-road cousin, the hike, we experienced the world on foot together. As I grew old enough to tread both urban streets and backcountry trails on my own, I learned to love this way of taking in my environment.

But anyone at any age can discover why striding over turf beats driving on it: It stimulates all the senses; enriches knowledge of one's surroundings; and can be tailored to provide moments of solitude, hours of family bonding or good times with friends. Plus, with a decent calorie burn for the buck (usually walking costs nothing), it's a lot cheaper than a gym membership.

To Washingtonians concerned with tan lines or tree lines, who drive a Chevy Metro or ride the Metro, who have an hour to kill or a summer to spare, I say this: Get to steppin'. One of these 10 diverse area hikes or walks might just help you embrace your own inner 6-month-old backpacker.

The District

BEFORE TYSONS . . .

Every day droves of locals drive by a small stone house at the corner of Constitution Avenue and 17th Street NW. But without reading the plaque outside, they would probably never know that before Constitution Avenue was built, there was a canal here and that this was the lockkeeper's home.

This is one of Carolyn Crouch's favorite little-known facts about the Mall. The founder of the walking tour group Washington Walks, she says, "You never know everything you think you know about the Mall -- especially when the last time you passed through the memorials was an eighth-grade school trip."

While strolling from Arlington Memorial Bridge to the Capitol past the more familiar facades, such as the neoclassic National Museum of Natural History and the space-pod-like Hirshhorn Museum, pedestrians can journey beyond the guidebooks. For starters, they can sit in Albert Einstein's bronze lap, see real palm trees and find out what Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi designed besides the Statue of Liberty: a stunning 30-foot-high fountain across from the U.S. Botanic Garden.

Wide sidewalks, which can accommodate jogging strollers and wheelchairs, form about a five-mile loop between the Lincoln Memorial and the Capitol. So whether motivated by curiosity or the desire to show off for out-of-town guests, perhaps it's time Washingtonians learned a bit more about a mall that has nothing to do with food courts and shopping bags.

NATIONAL MALL AND MEMORIAL PARKS 900 Ohio Dr. SW. 202-426-6841. Metro: Smithsonian. http://www.nps.gov/nama.

LIVING FOR THE CITY

While perched atop Pulpit Rock, a jagged formation nestled high in the forest overlooking Rock Creek, it's hard to believe that two Metro stops lie less than a mile away. But it's true; Rock Creek Park is Washington's accessible urban wilderness, filled with peaceful natural surroundings, historic sights and tons of walking and hiking trails.

Trails for a wide range of abilities crisscross the national park from top (at the Maryland border) to bottom (at the Potomac River). Beginning hikers, children and disabled people seeking short, easy jaunts can explore the park via several flat, paved trails -- such as the shady Edge of the Woods loop or several miles of paved path adjacent to Beach Drive.

Those who prefer their shoes coated in mud and faces coated in sweat have more options. Jim Finucane, a guide for the Sierra Club's local outing group, often leads hikes in Rock Creek. Though his trips are typically seven or eight miles, Finucane says that with two main north-south trails and dozens of interconnectors, "you could go on different trails in the park and cover 75 miles in the District."

ROCK CREEK PARK Nature center and planetarium, 5200 Glover Rd. NW. 202-895-6070. http://www.nps.gov/rocr. Metro: Cleveland Park or Van Ness-UDC. Upcoming ranger-led hikes and walks include the Boulder Bridge hike June 24; Riverwalk and Fort DeRussy, both June 25; and High Tailing It hike about deer habitat June 29. For a full listing of this week's events, call the activity line at 202-895-6239. All events are free.

SIERRA CLUB METROPOLITAN WASHINGTON REGIONAL OUTINGS PROGRAM Visit www.mwrop.org for details about upcoming Rock Creek Park hikes, which are usually once a month.

DIGNITARY FOR A DAY

Although they say not to judge a book by its cover, Carolyn Crouch, of Washington Walks, believes that people can learn a lot about a country by studying its embassy. If her theory holds true, the 2.7 miles of sidewalks lining Embassy Row, a stretch of Massachusetts Avenue NW roughly from Dupont Circle to Wisconsin Avenue, hold an atlas's worth of information ( http://www.embassy.org/embassy_row/mass.html ).

Architecturally speaking, embassies can indeed convey details about a country's culture, but also, they're fun to look at and compare. Close to Sheridan Circle, Cameroon's Beaux-Arts-style building features highly ornamented white stone. A few blocks north on Massachusetts, Japan's understated embassy has a flat roof and white-barred windows that resemble rice paper. Farther north, snowy Finland's headquarters incorporates glass and plant life for a modern yet naturalist feel.

Beyond the buildings themselves, personalities here incorporate sociology into the geography lesson -- such as the white-haired gentleman gently tending geraniums beside Luxembourg's embassy or the child with thick, dark hair galloping through a yard near the Bulgarian Embassy on a recent evening.

The walking itself might be easy in the neighborhood, but interpreting the abundant cultural clues may take a bit more concentration.

MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE HISTORIC DISTRICT For history and practical information, visit http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/travel/wash/dc44.htm.

CULTURAL TOURISM DC For a self-guided walking tour, visit Cultural Tourism DC's Insider's Insights walking itinerary of Dupont Circle/Kalorama. http://www.culturaltourismdc.org/dch_tourism2608/dch_tourism_show.htm?doc_id=222461.

Virginia

A DEVIL OF A HIKE

On approach, the indigo waves of the Blue Ridge Mountains turn into nubbly green fingers that envelop cars and hikers. And at Little Devils Stairs, the slopes become a formidable adversary. Those looking for a hiking challenge should tune in now.

Little Devils Stairs winds up a tight gorge in the northern part of Shenandoah National Park. Hikers should use the parking lot at the foot of the mountain just outside the park boundaries -- otherwise if they hike down from Skyline Drive, they spend the second half of the day surmounting the nearly 1,600 feet back to the road when they're already tired.

The trail follows a streambed for much of its three miles, cutting through pristine forest, wildlife habitat (watch out for black bears) and rocky mountain faces. Laurels blossoming this month, mostly on the trail's upper half, make the perfect excuse for a much-needed rest stop.

Shenandoah's Backcountry Wilderness & Trails manager, Steve Bair, explains, "There are some sections where you'd have like a 50 percent slope where you're practically on all fours." Contenders must be in good physical shape, bring plenty of water, wear proper footwear and always watch where their hands are going.

At the top of the aggressive ascent, adventurers can stop at Skyline Drive and take in the views, continue on to other trails such as the Appalachian Trail or head back down the stairs or any number of longer but easier routes.

For directions to the Little Devils Stairs parking lot (which holds about a dozen cars), visit http://www.hikingupward.com/SNP/LittleDevilsStairs .

SHENANDOAH NATIONAL PARK 3655 U.S. Hwy 211 East, Luray, Va. Dickey Ridge Visitor Center (closest to Little Devils Stairs) is at Skyline Drive Mile 4.6. 540-999-3500. http://www.nps.gov/shen. Open 24 hours; hiking recommended during daylight. Park entrance fee is $8 for individuals age 16 and older or $15 per family (March to November). Car fee to enter via Skyline Drive is $15 per vehicle (March to November). An annual Shenandoah pass, $30, provides park access for one year for one vehicle or pass holder and family when a per-person fee is charged. Little Devils Stairs is close to the Mathews Arm and Elkwallow Area; detailed map is available at http://www.nps.gov/shen/pphtml/maps.html.

POTOMAC APPALACHIAN TRAIL CLUB For information about group hikes around Little Devils Stairs, call for recording of weekly hikes at 703-242-0965 or visit http://www.patc.net/activities/forecast.html.

SIERRA CLUB METROPOLITAN WASHINGTON OUTINGS PROGRAM For guided hikes of the area (usually held once a month), call 202-547-2326 for recording of the week's hikes or visit http://www.mwrop.org/events.html.

OLD-TIME PLEASURES

Gas lamps flicker against brick rowhouses while the smell of boxwood fills the salt-tinged air in Old Town Alexandria. Hundreds of years ago, George Washington might have walked this exact ground and been taken by these same sensory pleasures.

Walking in this Virginia neighborhood illuminates history -- not just of the area, but of the country itself; Founding Fathers lived, worked and played here. Heck, Jim Morrison attended school here! The Alexandria Heritage Trail pays tribute to this rich and varied historical legacy.

The trail, a network of 10 routes mostly between three-quarters of a mile and three miles long, forms a 23-mile loop around and through Alexandria. Walkers can create their own itineraries by undertaking just one route or combining several.

The highest concentration of historical sites occurs on trail sections closest to the river, and of these, most run on sidewalks or paved biking and walking trails.

Some routes stay along the waterfront; others delve into inland history -- such as the Hayti Trail, which highlights an antebellum neighborhood where free blacks lived, or the Sugar House Trail, where walkers can rest their tired legs in the Christ Church pews where George Washington and Robert E. Lee sat.

ALEXANDRIA HERITAGE TRAIL Free maps are available online at http://www.alexandriaarchaeology.orgor at the Alexandria Archaeology Museum, Torpedo Factory Art Center, 105 N. Union St., No. 327, Alexandria. For hours and information, call the museum at 703-838-4399. The city's official trail guidebook, "Walk and Bike the Alexandria Heritage Trail" ($12.50, available at the Alexandria Archaeology Museum and some bookstores, including Amazon.com), explains much of the history behind the sights.

BIG SKY COUNTRY

It had turned out to be a beautiful Saturday despite the morning's ominous clouds, and Sky Meadows State Park chief ranger Bruce Baraniak stood at the main overlook surveying the Piedmont Valley below.

He explained his current positioning by saying he had wanted to "come check out the trails," but looking out across dozens of miles of green pastures, ponds and foothills, there seemed only one explanation for coming up here: It's breathtaking.

Sky Meadows features some 15 miles of hiking trails, including a portion of the Appalachian Trail, with a fairly wide range of terrain. Some trails (such as the rocky Gap Run) will batter weaker ankles, while others (including the wooded Snowden Trail) meander over beginner-friendly turf.

Getting to Baraniak's vantage point requires only a half-mile hike up the fairly steep Piedmont Overlook Trail -- quite a climb, but short and thus doable for the casual hiker. The park's newest trail, Ambassador Whitehouse, winds upward a mile more during which "you just get bigger and better vistas," says Paul Elliott, author of "60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Washington, D.C."

Round trips can be as short as the one-mile overlook loop or vigorous, all-day affairs. Deer, red-headed woodpeckers, butterflies and, of course, scenic vistas make visitors feel farther away than a mere hour from the District.

SKY MEADOWS STATE PARK 11012 Edmonds Lane, Delaplane, Va. 540-592-3556. http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/parks/skymeado.htm. Open 8 a.m. to dusk. Park entrance fees are $4 per car weekends, $3 per car weekdays. Trail maps available online or at trailhead at visitor center. Refuel from your hike Saturday from 1 to 3 with cake at the visitor center in honor of the Virginia State Parks' 70th anniversary. Family activities will also be offered to commemorate the anniversary. Parking on Saturday and Sunday will be 10 cents per car to honor the prices of 70 years ago. On June 24, Sky Meadows will host a one-mile Not-Too-Early Bird Walk from 10 to 11:30. Meet at Mount Bleak House; binoculars recommended.

GO WITH THE FLOW

One of the Washington area's gems sits in the shadows of Rosslyn's skyscrapers: the Potomac Heritage Trail, a 10-mile path from Roosevelt Island to the American Legion Bridge.

Reportedly used originally by Native Americans, this strip was recently designated a part of the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail, which will eventually run 700 miles from headwaters to mouth of the Potomac.

Bruce Glendening, vice president of operations for the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, helps oversee the trail. He describes it as "a little wilder than some others around." "Wilder" means stream crossings, rock scrambles, uneven terrain and sections that may be slightly overgrown -- sometimes with poison ivy, sometimes concealing slithering things.

But the sights can also be wild. While hiking the trail about a month back, U.S. Rep. James P. Moran Jr. (D-Va.) spied a bald eagle fighting a hawk.

Glendening has heard reports about sightings of fox cubs as well.

Access points dot the trail, including in Turkey Run and Potomac Overlook parks.

Families might prefer to hike a small, one-mile loop through Turkey Run, while adventurous types can embark on longer, more strenuous hikes such as a Key Bridge to Chain Bridge loop that takes the C&O Canal towpath back.

For more details on the Potomac Heritage Trail, visithttp://www.nps.gov/gwmp/vapa/pht.htm. Metro: Rosslyn. There is no fee for parking or admission along the trail.

TURKEY RUN PARK George Washington Memorial Parkway, McLean. 703-289-2500. http://www.nps.gov/gwmp/vapa/turkey.htm. Open 7:45 to 4:15. Heritage Trail maps are available online or at the Turkey Run Park headquarters; follow signs from the parkway.

POTOMAC OVERLOOK REGIONAL PARK 2845 N. Marcey Rd., Arlington. 703-528-5406. http://www.nvrpa.org/potomacoverlook.html. Open sunrise to sunset. (Call for visitors center hours.)

POTOMAC APPALACHIAN TRAIL CLUB To download a trail map, visit http://www.patc.net/hiking. For a list of upcoming group hikes and trail maintenance trips, call 703-242-0965 for a recording of weekly hikes or visit the Web site.

POTOMAC HERITAGE NATIONAL SCENIC TRAILhttp://www.nps.gov/pohe.

Maryland

GETTING YOUR GOAT

People who haven't already hiked the C&O Canal National Historical Park's Billy Goat Trail might not understand its moniker. As park ranger Warren Kasper puts it, "It's called the Billy Goat Trail because you need the agility level of a billy goat to get through it."

Indeed, hiking the trail is a full-contact sport that requires snaking around trees, conquering rock faces and whipping around boulders. But players reap the rewards: top-notch views of the Potomac River -- sometimes from cliffs 100 feet above, sometimes from right next to it -- not to mention a killer workout.

Mark Nelson, REI Baileys Crossroads outreach specialist, highly recommends the trail, even for families. He says, "It's a wonderful discovery in terms of how to use your body in the outdoors."

Most hikers don't realize that the trail is actually composed of three sections, each of which runs about 1 1/2 miles along the Potomac's Mather Gorge. The most intense and most highly trafficked is Section A. Sections B and C are less strenuous but said to be less well maintained and prone to flooding at times. Park rangers recommend picking one section and doing a loop using the towpath.

C&O CANAL NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK Great Falls Tavern Visitor Center, 11710 MacArthur Blvd., Potomac. 301-767-3714.http://www.nps.gov/choh. Open sunrise to sunset. Entrance fees are $5 per vehicle or $3 for those who cycle or walk in to the park. Trail maps and descriptions are available for download from the Web site or at the visitor center. No dogs allowed on Section A of Billy Goat Trail.

HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL

Toward the end of the Rural Legacy Trail in Montgomery County's Sandy Spring flows the town's namesake. A commemorative concrete tube arcs over the spring, which gurgles a relaxing song. Nearby blooming shrubs, shade trees and benches transform the spot into a peaceful resting point.

It's a good place to think about the freedom-seekers, or escaped slaves, who may have passed through here while traveling the Underground Railroad. A good place to bow one's head and quietly honor them.

The trail begins at Woodlawn Manor & Barns -- where, according to legend, a Quaker family put freedom-seekers up for the night -- then winds through forest and fields, past the spring and eventually on to a legendary 300-year-old ash tree.

Nine stops along the two-mile path help visitors better understand what escaping slaves might have gone through in pursuit of independence. Historians say the hollow trees, such as the one halfway up the trail, were often used as hideouts. Kids, especially, may enjoy actually stepping into the shell to really grasp the point.

The tour can be self-guided or led by a docent (Saturday mornings at 10 until Nov. 4 or by appointment for groups). The hiking is light, but the subject carries weight.

RURAL LEGACY TRAIL AT SANDY SPRING

Woodlawn Manor Park, 16501 Norwood Rd., Sandy Spring. 301-563-3400. http://www.mc-mncppc.org/trails/trails_MAPS/Rural_legacy.shtm. Open sunrise to sunset. There is no fee for park entrance or tours, which run rain or shine. Maps are available online and at the trailhead.

A CAPITAL AFFAIR

At the intersection of Bethesda and Woodmont avenues in Bethesda, brunchers sit at cafes while moms herd their children to the snow cone cart and skateboarders gather by Barnes & Noble. But just moments away, a quiet, green world opens up by way of the Capital Crescent Trail.

A former railroad track, the Capital Crescent Trail boasts about 7 1/2 miles of paved trail from Georgetown to Bethesda and 3 1/2 miles graveled from Bethesda to Silver Spring. It's remarkable in a number of ways: It's relatively flat and wide, has few street crossings and remains unusually natural despite the highly urbanized territories it cuts through.

Frequented by many bicyclists, the trail can be used by almost anyone -- even the gravel portion stays relatively level and smooth. Distances can be personalized. A nice, easy 2 1/2 -mile loop enlists the Little Falls Park hiker/biker trail. Marathon types can loop all the way through Rock Creek Park, which connects to the Crescent Trail on both ends.

CAPITAL CRESCENT TRAIL 202-234-4874. http://www.cctrail.org. Metro: Bethesda. Open sunrise to sunset. Trail maps are available online, at several stops along the trail (including just south of Massachusetts Avenue NW) and at some area bike shops.

Jenny Mayo is a freelance writer who enjoys the outdoors. Find her online at http://www.jennymayo.com.