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This past Sunday I got a chance to head down to Great Falls, MD to do some hiking around, take some pictures, and capture some video. This was my first time entering the Maryland area of the park - there is also a Virginia side to Great Falls as the Potomac River runs right through the middle of the area and is the border line for MD and VA.
Anyway, it was an extremely hot day out and I underestimated what I was getting into. Since I had not been hiking in the Maryland side of the park before, I just assumed that it was pretty similar to the Virginia side - fairly easy hiking trails and old canal tow paths. Although this assumption was true, there are also some different more strenuous sections of trail, such as the Billy Goat Trail which I hiked on Sunday. Speaking of which, I actually decided to get off the trail early because I literally ran out of water (in about an hour I drank a full 70 oz Camelbak). Luckily, I came across an “emergency exit” from the Billy Goat Trail that ran right to the main tow path trail. Although it was marked as for emergency exits only, there were a fair amount of people using it as a connector (it was about the half way point of the Billy Goat trail).
The trail is extremely nice, but also features a lot of boulder fields and rock scrambels that you will need to ascend. The trail takes you right along the edge of the Potomac in most places and you can enjoy the amazing views of the river as well as the rock formations and rock face on the Virginia side. Another neat thing about this park is that since Great Falls is on both sides of the river, while hiking, if you look out across the river, you will most likley see other people hiking as well. On top of the hiking the other side, Great Falls, VA offers some great climbing routes for beginners to experts. Another big attraction to the park is the kayaking in the area - kayakers were everywhere I looked along the river having an awesome time in the water and hitting some big holes and waterfalls. There was even some sort of kayaking competition going on, which I tried to show you a bit within the video.
Above is a video I put together as well as some pictures from the day. Hope you enjoy! It was a great place for a day hike and I strongly recommend you checking it out!
Friday I got the chance to head out to Harper’s Ferry, WV with my fiancé for the day. We weren’t really too sure what we would do while we were there (it’s not that big of a town) because we were not sure if we would get some hiking in or not. For those that do not know, the Appalachian Trail runs right through Harper’s Ferry and most hikers consider it the half way point.
Harper’s Ferry is a very historic town and area going back to the days of the civil war. Here is a quick excerpt from the National Park Service’s website about the history of the area.
THE HISTORY OF HARPERS FERRY HAS FEW PARALLELS IN THE AMERICAN DRAMA. It is more than one event, one date, or one individual. It is multi-layered – involving a diverse number of people and events that influenced the course of our nation’s history. Harpers Ferry witnessed the first successful application of interchangeable manufacture, the arrival of the first successful American railroad, John Brown’s attack on slavery, the largest surrender of Federal troops during the Civil War, and the education of former slaves in one of the earliest integrated schools in the United States.
As you can tell Harper’s Ferry has a lot of different history and shows it in the atmosphere. The lower section of the town is set up in a historical period with many different time period stores such as a general store, a book store, a dry goods store, and more. Then, the upper part of the town is more of a “shopping district” with many little different boutiques, small restaurants, and the best part of all - an outdoor outfitter!
Planning for an upcoming backpacking trip? Not sure what kind of gear you should take with you? Use the list below as an outline for things to consider carrying on your trip, but be sure to adjust the list to fit your needs and include the gear that will be necessary for your trip.
When you are putting together your personal packing list for a backpacking trip, experience is your best guide to go by. Backpacking is probably the only activity where the efficient packer is rewarded with a light pack and the over packer gets punished. Below is just a guide/outline for items that you should consider taking on a backpacking trip.
The Basics
Backpack
Sleeping bag
Tent
Sleeping pad (more…)
When you are out and about in the wilderness, whether backpacking, camping, rock climbing, or just hiking, it is important to remember the seven principles of Leave No Trace and to follow them as best as you can. Here are some different tips to be sure you follow the Leave No Trace principles when you are taking a hike!
Limit Group Size - Large groups have adverse impact on both the land and on other wilderness users. One person hiking along sees more wildlife than two people. Two people see more than tree people. A group of more than three people is unlikely to see anything at all.
Stay On The Trail - Most especially, don’t cut switchbacks. Obviously, this is more of a temptation going downhill than going uphill, especially on those western pack trails that swing back and forth as evenly as a pendulum. Switchbacks make for easier climbing, and they also help control erosion on steep slopes. That straight route down the fall line can’t handle years of foot traffic and soon turns into an eroded mess.
Hike Single File - Traisl are cut and constructed for one hiker at a time. They’ll last longer, erode less, and look nicer if that’s how people hike them.
