Walks & hikes near Washington, DC

From the leafy trails of Rock Creek to the rocky summit of Old Rag, here are hikes near and far, long and short, steep and flat.

Updated Saturday, October 3, 2026 · real listings, pulled from 130+ sources and reviewed by a person.

Out the door

• Rock Creek Park: Valley Trail–Western Ridge loop — A loop on the park's two main trails: the Valley Trail along the creek and the Western Ridge Trail. Free · Peirce Mill, 2401 Tilden St NW, Washington, DC 20008
  Car-free: Van Ness–UDC Metro (Red), then about a mile south on Connecticut Avenue and down Tilden Street to Peirce Mill; Beach Drive from Broad Branch Road north to Joyce Road is closed to cars except on two scenic driving days a year.
• Rock Creek Park: Boulder Bridge loop — A loop past Boulder Bridge and along the creek, back on the Western Ridge Trail. About 3.5 miles from the Nature Center · one steep half-mile climb from Boulder Bridge back to the ridge · Free · Boulder Bridge, Beach Dr NW near Broad Branch Rd NW, Washington, DC
  When to go: Icy in winter.
• Soapstone Valley Trail — A stream valley running from Albemarle Street down to Broad Branch Road. Free · Soapstone Valley Park, Albemarle St NW, Washington, DC
  Car-free: The trailhead is on Albemarle Street.
• Reservation 630 (the former Melvin Hazen Park) — A stream valley from Connecticut Avenue down to Rock Creek near Picnic Grove 1. Free · Reservation 630 (formerly Melvin Hazen Park), Connecticut Ave NW between Sedgwick St and Quebec St NW, Washington, DC
  Car-free: The trailhead is on Connecticut Avenue between Sedgwick and Quebec streets.
• Theodore Roosevelt Island — A wooded island in the Potomac with a boardwalk through the marsh and the Roosevelt memorial plaza in the middle — a 1.5-mile loop. About 1.5 miles on the Swamp Trail loop, plus the short Woods and Upland trails · mostly flat; boardwalk and pea gravel · Free · Theodore Roosevelt Island, George Washington Memorial Pkwy
  Car-free: Rosslyn Metro, then a 10–15 minute walk toward Key Bridge and down the connecting trail to the parking lot and footbridge. The car lot is reachable only from the northbound George Washington Parkway.
  When to go: The lot fills quickly on weekends; the Metro walk skips it. The marsh boardwalk is good for birds.
• C&O Canal towpath: Georgetown to Fletcher's Cove — The flat mile-marker walk everyone should do once: out of Georgetown on the towpath, river on one side, canal on the other, to the boathouse at Fletcher's. About 3 miles one way · No fee listed
  When to go: Parts can flood when the river rises — check the park's alerts. Fletcher's rents boats seasonally.
• Capital Crescent Trail: Georgetown to Bethesda — A paved rail trail from the Georgetown waterfront to downtown Bethesda — the walk-to-brunch route, and a straight 7 miles if you want the workout. About 7 miles one way · paved, gentle grades · No fee listed · Capital Crescent Trail trailhead, west end of Water St NW (K St), Georgetown, Washington, DC
  Car-free: Finish at Bethesda Metro, four blocks from where the trail crosses Bethesda Avenue — a one-way walk with a train home.
  When to go: Mostly through parks and woods, including the Dalecarlia tunnel.
• Glover-Archbold Park — A 183-acre park in Northwest DC with a nearly 2.5-mile trail from Van Ness Street toward the canal. About 2.5 miles one way · rugged dirt, several street crossings · Free · Glover Archbold Park, Van Ness St NW, Washington, DC
  Car-free: The north end is at Van Ness Street; the south end joins the C&O towpath via the Foundry Branch trail (now closed for safety — follow the posted detour).
• Battery Kemble Park — A Civil War fort site. Free · Battery Kemble Park, Chain Bridge Rd NW & 49th St NW, Washington, DC
  Car-free: The D94 bus runs along MacArthur Boulevard, which borders the park.
  When to go: Dogs must stay leashed.
• Dumbarton Oaks Park — The wild half of the Dumbarton Oaks garden — a stream valley with meadows and waterfalls — and free. Free · Dumbarton Oaks Park, R St NW & Lovers Ln NW, Washington, DC
  Car-free: Enter via Lovers' Lane off R Street, just east of 31st Street, beside Montrose Park.
  When to go: Not the ticketed Dumbarton Oaks Gardens next door; this park is free, dawn to dusk.
• National Arboretum — 451 acres of collections — the Capitol Columns, Fern Valley, the Asian Collections — with nine miles of roads and more paths between them. Roads and paths over rolling ground · Free · 3501 New York Ave NE, Washington, DC 20002
  Car-free: The C41 bus from Stadium-Armory Metro up Bladensburg Road to Rand Place, then a block south and left on R Street to the gate; walkers and cyclists must use the R Street gate.
  When to go: The bonsai museum is open 10 to 4 daily except federal holidays November through February. Grounds open 8 to 5 daily except Dec. 25 (last entry 4:30); free.
• Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens & the Anacostia River Trail — Lotus and water-lily ponds on the Anacostia's east bank, a boardwalk into the marsh, and the paved river trail running north and south from the gate. A quarter-mile connector links the gardens to the Anacostia River Trail. · Free · Anacostia Ave NE, Washington, DC
  Car-free: Deanwood Metro (Orange), then take the pedestrian overpass over the freeway at the end of Polk Street, follow Douglas Street to Anacostia Avenue, and turn right to the gardens' gate.
  When to go: Lotus at peak in mid-July, the festival weekend; go in the morning, before the flowers close. Check the gardens' hours.
• Kingman and Heritage Islands — Two man-made islands in the Anacostia behind the old RFK site, with dirt trails, a boardwalk and more herons than people. No fee listed · Kingman Island, 575 Oklahoma Ave NE, Washington, DC 20002
  Car-free: Stadium-Armory Metro (Blue/Orange/Silver), then about a mile on foot via 19th Street, C Street and Oklahoma Avenue to the main gate in RFK Lot 6.
  When to go: Closed at dusk, and it has closed recently — check the island's page before going.
• Fort Circle Parks hiker-biker trail: Fort Dupont to Fort Mahan — A mostly unpaved trail east of the river linking the Civil War fort sites — Fort Dupont, Fort Davis, Fort Chaplin, Fort Mahan. About 3 miles one way from Fort Dupont to Fort Mahan; the full trail runs seven miles from Fort Stanton · mostly unpaved · No fee listed · Fort Dupont Park, 3600 F St SE, Washington, DC 20019
  Car-free: Minnesota Avenue Metro (Orange) is next to the Fort Mahan end; for the Fort Dupont end, the C35 bus (via Fort Dupont and Minnesota Avenue), or a 1.5-mile walk along Texas Avenue from Benning Road Metro.
  When to go: Tell a friend your route if going alone. Parts are eroded and overgrown.

A short trip

• Billy Goat Trail, Section A — One of the busiest trails around: a rock scramble with views of Mather Gorge and the Potomac — hands on rock in places, not a stroll. 1.75 miles one way, starting and ending on the towpath · scrambling over angled rocks and boulders, with some climbing · $20 per vehicle at the Great Falls entrance (cashless), good for 7 days at both Great Falls parks; $10 on foot or bike · Great Falls Tavern Visitor Center, 11710 MacArthur Blvd, Potomac, MD 20854
  Car-free: By bike, the towpath from Georgetown reaches Great Falls Tavern at mile 14.3.
  When to go: Closes when the river is high; check the park's conditions page. No dogs on Section A, and not for small kids.
• Billy Goat Trail, Section B — Section B: a few small scrambles instead of A's climbing, starting from the Anglers lot across from Old Angler's Inn instead of the tavern, with dogs allowed. 1.4 miles one way, starting and ending on the towpath · a few small rock scrambles · Free from the Old Angler's Inn lot (no entrance station) · Anglers Parking Area, across MacArthur Blvd from Old Angler's Inn, Potomac, MD
  Car-free: The trailhead is the lot opposite Old Angler's Inn on MacArthur Boulevard, or bike up the towpath.
  When to go: The Anglers lots are free. Check the conditions page before you go. Dogs allowed.
• Billy Goat Trail, Section C — The easiest of the three: a mostly wooded trail near Carderock with river views and a small waterfall. Dogs allowed. 1.6 miles one way, starting and ending on the towpath · mostly wooded, a few rock outcroppings · Free · Carderock Recreation Area, towpath mile 10.5
  Car-free: The Carderock Recreation Area lot, or bike the towpath.
  When to go: The Carderock area closes at dark, half an hour after sunset. Lot 1 has reduced space for contractor staging. Dogs allowed.
• Great Falls Park, Virginia: River Trail and the overlooks — The Virginia side: three overlooks five to ten minutes from the lot, then the River Trail along the cliff tops of Mather Gorge. Overlooks: five to ten minutes' walk from the lot. River Trail: 1.5 miles one way along the cliff tops, rocky, with some scrambling and cliff-edge drop-offs. · $20 per vehicle, 7 days (also good at the Maryland side); $10 on foot or bike; cashless · 9200 Old Dominion Dr, McLean, VA 22102
  When to go: On nice weekends and holidays a line to enter starts around 10:30 or 11 and can run 45 minutes to an hour — come early; the park opens at 7 am.
• Scott's Run Nature Preserve — A steep nature preserve in McLean: a grove of ancient hemlocks, a waterfall where Scott's Run enters the Potomac, and trails up and down steep hills and cliffs. A 2-mile loop · steep, with rocky descents down the bluffs · Free · 7400 Georgetown Pike, McLean, VA 22102
  Car-free: The two small lots are off Georgetown Pike.
  When to go: Two small lots, 50 cars in all; no parking on the road or nearby streets, and violators can be towed. No swimming or wading — the currents are deadly. Closes at dark.
• Turkey Run Park — Trails through the Potomac Gorge just off the GW Parkway near the Beltway — riverbanks, flood terraces, streams, and a stretch of the Potomac Heritage Trail. Free · Turkey Run Park, George Washington Memorial Pkwy, McLean, VA 22101
  Car-free: Off the George Washington Parkway; on foot, it's reachable along the Potomac Heritage Trail from Roosevelt Island.
  When to go: Open 6 am to 10 pm; the gate by parkway headquarters shuts at 4:15 pm weekdays and all weekend.
• Potomac Heritage Trail: Roosevelt Island to Chain Bridge — The rugged trail on the Virginia bank from Roosevelt Island to Chain Bridge — four miles of relatively wild country close to the city. 4.2 miles one way · rugged, with roots and moderate inclines · Free · Theodore Roosevelt Island parking lot, George Washington Memorial Pkwy
  Car-free: Rosslyn Metro (Blue/Orange/Silver), then a 10–15 minute walk to the start at Roosevelt Island. At Chain Bridge, cross to the C&O towpath, which runs downstream to Georgetown.
  When to go: Floods at both ends in high water.
• Mount Vernon Trail — Eighteen paved miles along the river from Roosevelt Island to Mount Vernon — pick a piece: Gravelly Point for the planes. Any length up to 18 miles one way · paved · Free · Gravelly Point, George Washington Memorial Pkwy
  Car-free: Rosslyn or National Airport Metro at the north end, and the Fairfax Connector from Huntington Metro to Mount Vernon at the south end.
  When to go: At peak times the stretch north of Alexandria is one of the most heavily used trails in the country. Gravelly Point is the place to watch planes.
• Riverbend Park — Great Falls' upstream neighbor: a riverside trail, a nature center, and a big bluebell display in spring. 1.8 miles each way to the Great Falls visitor center on the Potomac Heritage Trail · flat except a steep, rocky climb around the Aqueduct Dam; more loops in the uplands · Free (groups of 12 or more pay $30) · 8700 Potomac Hills St, Great Falls, VA 22066
  When to go: Bluebells peak in early April. On busy weekends and holidays (usually 9:30 to 4:30) the park fills and entry closes until spaces open. The visitor center is open noon to 5, Wednesday to Sunday.
• Huntley Meadows Park — A half-mile raised boardwalk through a wetland of herons, beavers and frogs to an observation tower — some of the best wildlife watching around Washington. A 2-mile interpretive trail system, including a half-mile boardwalk · Free · 3701 Lockheed Blvd, Alexandria, VA 22306
  Car-free: Huntington Metro (Yellow), then Fairfax Connector 161 or 162, which runs along Lockheed Boulevard to Harrison Lane; the park entrance is at 3701 Lockheed Blvd.
  When to go: Dawn and dusk for the wildlife. No dogs on the boardwalk or the Heron and Restoration trails; leashed dogs are fine on the others.
• Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve — An old mining road turned trail through one of the largest freshwater tidal marshes left near Washington, at Belle Haven on the Mount Vernon Trail — an easy, flat three-quarters of a mile. A three-quarter-mile trail · flat, pea gravel and boardwalk · Free · Belle Haven Park, George Washington Memorial Pkwy
  Car-free: The Mount Vernon Trail runs through Belle Haven Park at the trailhead.
  When to go: The Belle Haven lot is free.
• Northwest Branch Trail, the gorge (Rachel Carson Greenway) — The Northwest Branch between Kemp Mill and Colesville Roads, on the hiker-only Rachel Carson Greenway Trail. Natural surface; a paved trail continues south of the Beltway · No fee listed · Burnt Mills East Special Park, 10701 Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20901
  Car-free: Silver Spring Metro, then Metrobus M54 up Colesville Road to Columbia Pike at Burnt Mills; trail parking is at the Burnt Mills Dam.
• Sligo Creek Trail — Ten paved miles along a creek through Takoma Park. Any length up to about 10 miles · paved · No fee listed · Sligo Creek Pkwy & Piney Branch Rd
  When to go: Sections of the parkway close to cars on weekends — check the county's schedule, then walk the road.
• Cabin John Stream Valley Trail — A long, quiet dirt trail along Cabin John Creek, hikers only from River Road down to MacArthur Boulevard. About 8.8 miles one way · natural surface; the hardest part is crossing River Road · No fee listed · Cabin John Regional Park, 7400 Tuckerman Ln, Bethesda, MD 20817
  Car-free: Ride On 6 and 96 run from Grosvenor Metro along Tuckerman Lane, home of Cabin John Regional Park.
• Greenbelt Park — A national park with 1,100 acres of woods, a 5-mile perimeter trail and shorter loops. Perimeter trail 5.3 miles; Azalea 1.2, Dogwood 1.5 and Blueberry 0.8 miles · Free · 6565 Greenbelt Rd, Greenbelt, MD 20770
  Car-free: College Park–U of Md Metro, then 1.5 miles on foot east on Campus Drive and Good Luck Road to the south gate; the last 250 feet have no sidewalk.
  When to go: Closes at dusk, free; ticks. Camping if you want a night out.
• Lake Artemesia — A loop around a lake, with the Anacostia Tributary Trails running off it. No fee listed · 8200 55th Ave, College Park, MD
  When to go: Sunset. Closed at dusk.
• Winkler Botanical Preserve — Forty-four acres of woodland in Alexandria's West End, with streams, a lake and a waterfall. No fee listed · 5400 Roanoke Ave, Alexandria, VA 22311
  Car-free: Van Dorn Street Metro, then DASH Line 35 along Beauregard Street.
  When to go: Open 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m., to 7 p.m. Thursdays and Saturdays April–October. NOVA Parks took it over in 2022. Dogs on leash.
• Burke Lake Park loop — A 4.7-mile loop around a lake, with a miniature train and carousel. 4.7-mile loop · gravel for most of its length · Free on weekdays and for Fairfax County residents; non-residents pay $12 per car on weekends and holidays, April to late October · 7315 Ox Rd, Fairfax Station, VA 22039
  When to go: A per-vehicle fee for non-Fairfax residents on weekends and holidays in season. Ice cream parlor.
• Lake Accotink Park — A 4-mile loop around a lake on the Cross County Trail, with a carousel and a marina. About a 4-mile loop · natural surface; the trail by the dam floods in rain, with no bypass · No fee listed · 7500 Accotink Park Rd, Springfield, VA 22150
  Car-free: Car or bike (the Cross County Trail runs through).
  When to go: The lake is silting up; the county is studying keeping a smaller lake, with the study due in 2027. The trail by the dam floods after rain.
• Brookside Gardens & Wheaton Regional Park — Fifty acres of free display gardens with a conservatory, opening onto Wheaton Regional's woods, trails, miniature train and playgrounds. Gardens: a level hard-surface path. Park: over 4 miles of hard-surface trail and about 5 miles of natural surface · Free · 1800 Glenallan Ave, Wheaton, MD 20902
  Car-free: Wheaton Metro, then Ride On 31 to Glenallan Avenue.
  When to go: Free; the gardens open sunrise to sunset, the conservatory 10 to 5. The Garden of Lights runs mid-November to early January (ticketed). No pets in the gardens; allowed in the rest of the park.
• Blockhouse Point Conservation Park — Views over the Potomac from a Civil War site, reached through mature woods off River Road. No fee listed · Blockhouse Point Conservation Park, 14750 River Rd, Darnestown, MD 20854
  When to go: Two gravel lots on River Road, the main one about 25 cars.

An hour out

• Sugarloaf Mountain — A 1,282-foot mountain, 800 feet above the land around it and owned by Stronghold Inc., with rugged quartzite cliffs on the summit. No entrance fee listed; a donation of $5 or more is asked at the entrance · 7901 Comus Rd, Dickerson, MD 20842
  When to go: The gate is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. year-round; be off the property by sunset — cars left after sunset are towed. A donation of $5 or more is asked at the entrance.
• Seneca Creek State Park: Clopper Lake loop — A 3.7-mile loop around 90-acre Clopper Lake through woods and fields, with boat rentals Memorial Day to Labor Day. Lake Shore Trail, a 3.7-mile loop, moderate · $3 per person for Maryland residents, $5 out of state (plus a processing fee) on weekends and holidays April–October; free otherwise · 11950 Clopper Rd, Gaithersburg, MD 20878
  Car-free: Ride On 61 from Shady Grove Metro runs daily via Clopper Road (MD 117).
  When to go: A per-person day-use charge on weekends and holidays April through October.
• Catoctin Mountain Park & Cunningham Falls — Two parks on one mountain: the national park's rocky overlooks (Chimney Rock, Wolf Rock, Hog Rock) and, across Route 77, Maryland's largest cascading waterfall, 78 feet, at the end of the half-mile Lower Trail. The falls: the Lower Trail, half a mile each way from the lake, easy to moderate. Overlook loops 2.5–8.5 miles · rocky · Catoctin: free. Cunningham Falls State Park: $5 per person MD, $7 out of state on summer weekends ($3/$5 summer weekdays); $3/$5 per vehicle after Labor Day until Memorial Day weekend · Catoctin Mountain Park Visitor Center, 14707 Park Central Rd, Thurmont, MD 21788
  Car-free: The county's Emmitsburg/Thurmont Shuttle serves Thurmont.
  When to go: The national park is free; Cunningham Falls (state) charges per person from Memorial Day to Labor Day, more on weekends, and per car the rest of the year. The falls area can fill and close to traffic on summer weekends. Camp David is inside the national park and closed to the public.
• Prince William Forest Park — 15,000 acres of forest with 37 miles of trail along the two forks of Quantico Creek, off I-95. Trails from 0.2 mile to the 9.7-mile South Valley Trail along South Fork Quantico Creek; few loops, but many trails combine into them · $20 per vehicle, good for 7 days; $10 on foot or bike; $35 annual pass · 18170 Park Entrance Rd, Triangle, VA 22172
  Car-free: No bus serves the park; OmniRide local buses reach Dumfries and Triangle, and VRE and Amtrak stop in Quantico, about 5 miles away.
  When to go: A $20 entrance fee per vehicle, good for 7 days. Relatively uncrowded; busiest on summer and fall weekends. Rustic cabins by reservation, mid-April to early October.
• Mason Neck State Park — Bald eagles, elevated walkways over the marsh and trails by Belmont Bay, with the Elizabeth Hartwell refuge next door — 45 minutes from D.C. Bay View Trail 1.02 miles and Wilson Spring Trail 0.63; the refuge's Woodmarsh Trail is a 3-mile circuit · $10 parking fee per vehicle · 7301 High Point Rd, Lorton, VA 22079
  When to go: A $10 parking fee, paid at the contact station or by self-pay envelope. Canoe, kayak and paddleboard rentals Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend.
• Calvert Cliffs State Park — A 1.8-mile trail to a quarter-mile sandy Chesapeake beach below fossil cliffs — sieves can be used to sift the sand for shark teeth. The Red Trail, 1.8 miles each way to the beach · $5 per vehicle for Maryland residents, $7 from out of state; cash only · 10540 H G Trueman Rd, Lusby, MD 20657
  When to go: A per-vehicle fee, cash only. Stay out from under the cliffs — the area is permanently closed because of landslides.
• Bull Run–Occoquan Trail & Fountainhead — The 19.7-mile Bull Run Occoquan Trail, the blue trail, links Bull Run, Hemlock Overlook, Bull Run Marina and Fountainhead, with Virginia bluebells at the Bull Run end in April. Bull Run Regional Park: free for member-jurisdiction residents; $8 per car weekdays and $10 weekends for others · Fountainhead Regional Park, 10875 Hampton Rd, Fairfax Station, VA 22039
  When to go: Bull Run Regional Park's Bluebell Trail, a 1.5-mile loop, usually peaks mid-April; entry is free for residents of NOVA Parks member jurisdictions and charged per car for others. Fountainhead is open year-round; its marina closes November 2 to March 6.
• Sky Meadows State Park — Pastures of a historic farm on the eastern side of the Blue Ridge, with Appalachian Trail access — over an hour from D.C., off I-66. Piedmont Overlook Trail 0.6 mile; North Ridge and South Ridge trails 1.5 miles each; 22 miles of hiking trail in all · $10 parking fee per vehicle · 11012 Edmonds Ln, Delaplane, VA 20144
  When to go: A $10 parking fee per vehicle. Monthly astronomy programs, Fall Farm Day and the Fall Foliage Festival are on the park's calendar. Open 8 a.m. to dusk.
• G. Richard Thompson Wildlife Management Area — The Blue Ridge slope above Linden, known for large-flowered trillium at the higher elevations in spring, with seven miles of the Appalachian Trail. Virginia WMA access permit, daily or annual, unless you hold a hunting or fishing license (verify) · Freezeland Rd (Route 638), Linden, VA
  When to go: It's a hunting area — deer, turkey and small game. Visitors 17 and older need a Virginia access permit (or a hunting, fishing or trapping license or boat registration); it can be bought online. The ridge-top lots are reached by Freezeland Road and the unimproved Fire Trail.
• Manassas National Battlefield loops — Open fields of the two Bull Run battlefields — the 5.4-mile First Manassas loop from the visitor center covers the first battle. First Manassas loop 5.4 miles; Henry Hill loop 1.1 miles · Free · 6511 Sudley Rd, Manassas, VA 20109
  Car-free: OmniRide 65 from downtown Manassas stops at NOVA's Manassas campus, just short of the visitor center entrance on Sudley Road; weekdays and Saturdays.
  When to go: Free. Ticks — bring insect repellent.
• Patapsco Valley State Park — A 16,000-acre river-valley park along 32 miles of the Patapsco outside Baltimore — Cascade Falls and the swinging bridge in the Avalon and Orange Grove areas, more trail at McKeldin. $2 per car on weekdays and November–March ($4 out of state); $3 per person on weekends and holidays April–October ($5 out of state) · Patapsco Valley State Park, Avalon Area, 5120 South St, Baltimore, MD 21227
  When to go: A day-use fee. Avalon, Orange Grove and other areas often fill to capacity on summer weekends — arrive early.
• Little Bennett & Black Hill Regional Parks — Two Montgomery County parks: Little Bennett's 25-plus miles of natural-surface trail, and Black Hill on Little Seneca Lake with boat rentals and the Black Hill Discovery Center. Black Hill Trail 4.6 miles, paved, plus over 16 miles of natural-surface trail; Little Bennett over 25 miles of natural-surface trail · No fee listed · Black Hill Regional Park, 20930 Lake Ridge Dr, Boyds, MD 20841

A day of it

• Harpers Ferry: Maryland Heights — A climb from the C&O Canal to cliffs overlooking Harpers Ferry, with Civil War batteries on the way. About 4.5 miles round trip to the overlook, 6.5 with the Stone Fort loop · rocky, steep in places, 1,154 feet of climb to the overlook · Harpers Ferry NHP entrance: $20 per vehicle, or $10 per person (16 and up) on foot or by bike; good for 3 days · Harpers Ferry Train Station, Potomac St, Harpers Ferry, WV 25425
  Car-free: MARC Brunswick Line trains to Harpers Ferry run weekdays only; Amtrak's daily Floridian, the temporary stand-in for the Capitol Limited, also stops. The footbridge to the trail is closed for repairs through October 2026; a park shuttle runs from the visitor center to C&O Canal Lock 34 for the trailhead.
  When to go: Drivers park at the Harpers Ferry visitor center and shuttle in; the lower-town lots are small and often full early. The trail is open sunrise to sunset only.
• Harpers Ferry: Loudoun Heights — The other mountain over Harpers Ferry — across the Shenandoah on the Appalachian Trail, up to overlooks facing the town. About 7.5 miles round trip from the lower town · strenuous, 1,377 feet of climb · Harpers Ferry NHP entrance: $20 per vehicle, or $10 per person (16 and up) on foot or by bike; good for 3 days · Harpers Ferry Train Station, Potomac St, Harpers Ferry, WV 25425
  Car-free: The train to Harpers Ferry (MARC weekdays only, or Amtrak's daily Floridian), then the AT from High Street past Jefferson Rock and across the Route 340 bridge over the Shenandoah.
  When to go: Hunting is banned in the park, but hunters use adjacent land from fall into winter, and Loudoun County's deer season runs through March. Wear orange.
• Weverton Cliffs (Appalachian Trail) — A short, steep climb on switchbacks to cliffs with a view of the Potomac River and Harpers Ferry. About 2 miles round trip · steep switchbacks · No fee listed · Weverton Cliff Rd trailhead lot, off MD 67 at US 340, Weverton, MD
  Car-free: MARC Brunswick Line to Brunswick (weekdays only), then about 3 miles west on the C&O Canal towpath to the AT junction at Weverton, and north on the AT up the switchbacks.
  When to go: A paved lot on Weverton Cliff Road; it fills fast, and cars on the road shoulder risk a fine or a tow. Sunset is the move.
• Annapolis Rock (Appalachian Trail) — A popular Maryland AT day hike from the Route 40 lot to Annapolis Rock, with a view west over Greenbrier Lake and the Cumberland Valley. 2.2 miles to Annapolis Rock per Maryland DNR; Black Rock is a mile farther north on the AT · moderate · No fee listed · Appalachian Trail parking on US-40, a quarter mile east of Greenbrier State Park
  When to go: The Route 40 lot is limited and very crowded on weekends and holidays; cars parked outside designated spaces risk a fine or a tow.
• Bears Den & Raven Rocks (Appalachian Trail, Bluemont) — A westward overlook of the Shenandoah Valley at Bears Den, on the AT's roller coaster section. Bears Den overlook: about 200 yards from the lodge. · $3 per car at Bears Den's lot · Bears Den Trail Center, 18393 Blueridge Mountain Rd, Bluemont, VA 20135
  When to go: Bears Den's lot costs $3 a car and its gate closes at 9 pm. The overlook faces west over the Shenandoah Valley.
• Shenandoah: Compton Peak — 2.4 miles round trip on the AT from Skyline Drive mile 10.4 to two viewpoints, with a look at columnar jointing in the basalt below the eastern cliff. About 2.4 miles round trip · a climb on the AT, then rough, rocky spurs · $30 per vehicle, 7 days (Shenandoah National Park) · Compton Gap parking, Skyline Drive mile 10.4
  When to go: The park entrance fee is per vehicle for 7 days. Skyline Drive closes in bad weather — check the park's status before driving out.
• Shenandoah: Mary's Rock — A summit with westward views of the Shenandoah Valley and Massanutten Mountain, 3.7 miles round trip from the Panorama lot in the central district. About 3.7 miles round trip from Panorama, 1,210 feet of climb; from Meadow Spring it's 2.9 miles and easier · $30 per vehicle, 7 days · Panorama parking, Skyline Drive mile 31.5
  When to go: Entrance fee. Skyline Drive weather closures.
• Shenandoah: Overall Run Falls — The park's tallest waterfall, 93 feet; it may have little or no water unless rain has been plentiful. About 5.1 miles round trip from the Mathews Arm campground lot · 1,291 feet of climb · $30 per vehicle, 7 days · Mathews Arm Campground registration parking, Skyline Drive mile 22.1
  When to go: Unless there's been plenty of rain, the falls can be a trickle or dry. Entrance fee. Mathews Arm campground, where the hike starts, closes November 1; after that, park at mile 21 and take the AT, which adds a mile.
• Shenandoah: Old Rag — The scramble everyone asks about — a strenuous rock scramble to a summit with 360-degree views — and it needs a ticket. About 9.4 miles as a loop · 2,348 feet of climb, a genuine rock scramble; 7–8 hours · $2 day-use ticket per person, March–November, plus the $30 park entrance per vehicle · Old Rag parking at the park boundary, Etlan, VA; the main lot is closed until about November 2026, so use the overflow lots
  When to go: A $2 day-use ticket per person is required March 1 to November 30, bought on recreation.gov in advance — 400 released 30 days ahead and 400 five days ahead, both at 10 am — on top of the park entrance fee. A ticket doesn't guarantee parking. The main lot is closed for construction until about November 2026; park in the overflow lots, and expect limited parking on October weekends. No dogs.