The Hike: This short hike has some great views with minimal hiking effort. Located in the Potts Creek Wildlife Management Area in West Virginia, this hike climbs up Peters Mountain on the Eastern Continental Divide to a raptor observatory. The hike travels along the Allegheny Trail a 311-mile long trail stretching from Pennsylvania to West […]
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The Hike: The Tuscarora Trail stretches for 250 miles from Pennsylvania to Virginia. Established in the 1960’s as an alternate route for the Appalachian Trail, the Tuscarora offers a truly unique hiking adventure. This section of the Tuscarora Trail is well marked and maintained by the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club. We were joined on this
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The Hike: Shenandoah River State Park is located just across US 340 from its national park cousin. The park has 5 miles of Shenandoah River South Fork shoreline and over 25 miles of hiking trails. We visited on a rainy day in late March when the Virginia bluebells were at their peak. This loop hike
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The Hike: The trailhead for this family-friendly hike is to the right of the CCC Museum. Follow signs to the blue-blazed Beaver Lake Trail. Numerous trails connect with the Beaver Lake Trail so make sure to follow the blue blazes to stay on the trail. In a few hundred yards, the connector trail from the
The Hike: We hiked to Apple Orchard Falls in the dry summer of 2021. The water level in the falls that year was just a trickle—but it was still a great hike. We wanted to go back when the water level was higher to see the 200’ falls in all of its glory. Kathy is
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The Hike: We were looking for an easy hike so our daughter Emily could test out her new baby carrier pack. Our friend Diane told us about Grandview Preserve in Hampton VA with its great waterfront views. The hike was great and Emily and Josh liked the new pack. Street parking is available at the
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The Hike: Pocahontas State Park is home to over 90 miles of trails. Many of these trails are multi-use. We have nothing against cyclists and horses, but we prefer “hiker-only” trails, such as the Co-op Trail. The trailhead is next to the boat launch area on Swift Creek Lake. Follow the footbridge over the lake
The Hike: Machicomoco is one of Virginia’s newest State Parks. This small park (645 acres) is home to diverse wildlife habitats, from open fields to woodlands and waterfront/marsh areas. The park is still a bit of a work in progress as more trails and facilities are planned. The park currently has three hiking trails. Our
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The Hike: Full disclosure: this “hike” is really a walk. Much of the surface is a paved road. This was our first hike with our grandson Joshua. Josh was six-months old and in a stroller so a paved surface was ideal in our situation. The road does have vehicle traffic with a 15 PMH speed
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The Hike: Hightop Mountain (3,587’) is the highest peak in Shenandoah’s South District. The summit can be reached either from the south or the north via the Appalachian Trail. The most popular climb to Hightop Summit is a 3-mile out and back hike which scales the northern side of the mountain. From the Hightop Parking
