Our nation’s capital isn’t all politics and hubris: Parkland covers more than 48,080 acres, the district offers hundreds of miles of trails, and the mighty Potomac River cuts a wide swath through the region. Why worry about budget deficits and health-care reform when nature beckons?
Spend a day—or a week—on the C&O Canal Towpath. This traffic-free 184-mile gravel trail stretches from Georgetown University to Cumberland, Maryland, and entices hikers and bikers its entire length. For an afternoon outing, ride west from Georgetown to mile marker 12 and hoof it uphill on the Billy Goat Trail for a bird’s-eye view of Mather Gorge’s cascading rapids and 20-foot waterfalls. Too hot for a day on the trail? The Potomac River offers world-class kayaking. Put in at Angler’s Inn, also near mile marker 12, for a day of playboating on the close-by chutes. www.bikewashington.org
For top-rated toprope climbing, drive 20 minutes west from DC to Virginia’s Great Falls National Park. You’ll find hundreds of climbs ranging from 5.1 to 5.12 on the shimmering schist walls near the park’s roaring namesake Potomac River falls. Don’t skip the five-minute walk from the visitor center to overlook No. 3 for the best view of the 44-foot cascade. Find more routes along the C&O Canal on the river’s Maryland side. www.nps.gov/grfa
Interested in an urban cycling experience? Pick up the paved Mount Vernon Trail in Virginia, just across the Memorial Bridge from the Lincoln Memorial in DC, and ride south toward George Washington’s 500-acre estate in Alexandria. The 36-mile round-trip trail hugs the Potomac and offers sweeping, unobstructed views of the DC skyline—monuments and all. At Mount Vernon, spend a few minutes studying up on our founding fathers (and the expansive river view) before turning back for lunch in Alexandria’s Old Town. www.bikewashington.org
–Cindy Steuart
