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View Full Version : Need help finding a place to backpack this weekend approx. 6 hrs of DC



Slayer
12-06-2010, 00:48
Hi all,

I need some help finding a place to go out from Saturday AM to Monday. We live in the DC metro area. We had hoped (HOPED!!!) that Spruce Knob would be a viable option, but it is just going to be a bit too rough as we don't have 4 wheel drive. WV was a top choice as A) I know that area well, and B) they allow campfires.

Shenandoah is Choice #2. It's close (Old Rag Parking Area is 2 hrs away) however, fires are not allowed. So.... we can camp nearish to the day shelters, where you can have fires, but, this somewhat restricts our hiking options, as our camping locations are limited.

For what it's worth, we are both quite comfortable with cold weather camping, but... considering how early it gets dark, ANNNNNNDDDDD how cold it will be, a fire is pretty much required this weekend.

So, does anyone have any advice on locations within 6 hrs of Wash. DC for backpacking (8-10 miles a day) with the ability to have campfires?

If anyone has any advice, we would appreciate it.

For what it is worth, we have no intentions of breaking local and state laws by having fires in areas where they are not allowed, so, we won;t just wing it and deal with the repercussions later.

Help?

Thanks.

-dan-

Bucherm
12-06-2010, 00:55
I would start here:

http://www.hikingupward.com/maps/nova_map.shtml

Most of which are day hikes but a few can be converted into multiday hikes.

jeremesh
12-06-2010, 00:58
green ridge state park is a good choice, they allow fires.

Cookerhiker
12-06-2010, 10:58
George Washington National Forest (http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsinternet/!ut/p/c5/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3gjAwhwtDDw9_AI8zPwhQ oY6IeDdGCqCPOBqwDLG-AAjgb6fh75uan6BdnZaY6OiooA1tkqlQ!!/dl3/d3/L2dJQSEvUUt3QS9ZQnZ3LzZfMjAwMDAwMDBBODBPSEhWTjBNMD AwMDAwMDA!/?ss=110808&navtype=forestBean&navid=091000000000000&pnavid=null&cid=null&ttype=main&pname=George/) - specifically the Great North Mountain area along the VA/WV border has a network of trails. You can park and base-camp at Wolf Gap (on the border right at the crest) and hike trails in either direction including fashioning a loop. Get yourself over to PATC in Vienna (http://www.patc.net/PublicView/) and pick their maps and trails guide.

Normally I'd suggest Dolly Sods Wilderness in Mononagahela National Forest (http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsinternet/!ut/p/c5/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3gjAwhwtDDw9_AI8zPwhQ oY6IeDdGCqCPOBqwDLG-AAjgb6fh75uan6BdnZaY6OiooA1tkqlQ!!/dl3/d3/L2dJQSEvUUt3QS9ZQnZ3LzZfMjAwMDAwMDBBODBPSEhWTjBNMD AwMDAwMDA!/?ss=110921&navtype=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&cid=FSE_003853&navid=091000000000000&pnavid=null&position=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&ttype=main&pname=Monongahela%2520National%2520Forest-%2520Home/) but the access road isn't maintained and the Potomac Highlands were supposed to get 8-12" of snow. Otter Creek Wilderness Area (http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsinternet/!ut/p/c5/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3gDfxMDT8MwRydLA1cj72 BTJw8jAwgAykeaxcN4jhYG_h4eYX5hPgYwefy6w0H24dcPNgEH cDTQ9_PIz03VL8iNMMgycVQEAHcGOlk!/dl3/d3/L2dJQSEvUUt3QS9ZQnZ3LzZfME80MEkxVkFCOTBFMktTNUJIMj AwMDAwMDA!/?ss=110921&navtype=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&navid=110000000000000&pnavid=null&recid=12369&ttype=recarea&pname=Otter Creek Wilderness - Home)is a longer drive for you but more accessible via public roads near Parsons, WV but check forecasts.

Fiddleback
12-06-2010, 12:02
Cookerhiker names some of my all-time favorite places in the area. But for an easy get away and an easy hike/overnight I always liked the quieter parts of the C&O Canal. Great river scenery, the easiest hiking path you'll ever encounter, good campsites, etc. If I remember correctly, it's even got part of the Appalachian Trail!:D Both in Scouts and later in 'adult' life I used it repeatedly for easy winter camping trips. It serves very well for shakedown trips for new equipement and newbies alike.

But it's been almost 30 years since I've been there and I don't know how y'all have handled the sprawl. If up-river quiet places can still be found it's worth a look. FYI, there's a great C&O Canal trail book put out by one of the area Scout Councils...

FB

Cookerhiker
12-06-2010, 12:24
...But it's been almost 30 years since I've been there and I don't know how y'all have handled the sprawl. If up-river quiet places can still be found it's worth a look. FYI, there's a great C&O Canal trail book put out by one of the area Scout Councils...

FB

Thanks to the enlightened land-use policies & laws of Montgomery County, MD, the Canal in its southernmost/easternmost part north of the Beltway is still relatively pristine - no houses, no sprawl, plentiful wildlife. Sure from sheer population levels, you'll find crowds in Great Falls on weekends and you'll share with lots of other users up to around Seneca Creek, but probably not in winter.

The Virginia side of the Potomac is another story re. sprawl. On my cycle of the entire Canal in Fall '09, (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=32125&page=4) we camped around Mile 30 south of White's Ferry across the river from Leesburg. Looking across the river, you don't see any buildings but the din of the Rt. 7 rush hour traffic in the morning was quite palpable. We also heard the jets roaring in/out of Dulles.

The westernmost portion of the trail is still quite "remote" by Eastern standards. About 7-8 miles out of Cumberland going east, you cross very few access points and no parallel roads for about 60 miles. However you're never far from railroad tracks thus frequently hearing freight trains.

I agree the C&O is a nice place for winter hiking. I'm sure the OP is familiar with it, being from Alexandria.

Spirit Walker
12-06-2010, 13:43
You can head out to the AT near Frederick. It's only about a two hour drive from DC. Fires are allowed at the shelters. Southern PA (i.e. south of Pine Grove) has some really nice trail. For a weekend hike, I like the stretch between Pine Grove and Caledonia. The Catoctin Trail near Frederick is a nice one, but you have to camp at the campgrounds. There are a couple of backcountry shelters at the north end of the trail. You could hike to them from headquarters, then back again.