The 40 Hikes List

I often get asked “How did you decide where to hike?” There was no real method to choosing the 40 hikes…some were conveniently close, some were mentioned to me by various people (friends, rangers, people I met while hiking, etc)., but most were chosen from good ole Google. I Googled terms like “best hikes in VA” “best hikes in MD” “best hikes near DC” “best kid-friendly hikes in VA” and “best hikes near xx (whatever town/state I was visiting)”…you get the idea. After awhile I would notice a lot of the same hikes popping up on different lists. I also became a member of AllTrails.com and used the website to read reviews (I’ve found that the app isn’t as helpful as the actual website).

When we visited family and friends I also tried to incorporate hiking/trail walking as an activity that we could all do together for fun. We discovered some really cool trails in areas we had visited many times — we had just never taken the time to research before!

There are so many more hikes that I’d love to do in the future — in our area and beyond. I certainly didn’t get to do every trail that sounded interesting/beautiful, but I definitely got to see A LOT more of our gorgeous area. Let me know which trails are your favorites — I’d love more ideas!

I starred (*) hikes that I’d highly recommend. But quite honestly every single one was worth the time! Please research before you bring kids — and make sure that hikes are appropriate based on everyone’s fitness level.

  1. Dragon’s Tooth, Catawba, VA* (moderate to difficult — rock scrambling)
  2. Cascade Falls, Pembroke, VA* (easy to moderate — gorgeous hike to a huge waterfall and swimming hole)
  3. Big Schloss, Woodstock, VA*(moderate)
  4. Scott’s Run Nature Preserve, McLean, VA (easy to moderate)
  5. White Oak Canyon, Lower Falls, Shenandoah National Park, VA, starting at the boundary trailhead parking lot at the bottom of the mountain in Syria, VA* (easy to moderate — great family hike)
  6. White Oak Canyon, boundary trailhead to Upper Falls/Skyline Drive, Shenandoah National Park, VA (strenuous)
  7. Billy Goat Trail, Potomac, MD* (moderate and stunning)
  8. Cedar Run Circuit, Syria, VA, Shenandoah National Park* (moderate to strenuous, with an amazing swimming hole and natural rock/water slide…make sure you know where to find them)
  9. Plotter Kill Nature Preserve, Schenectady, NY (easy to moderate)
  10. Little Rock Pond Trail, Danby, VT (easy to moderate)
  11. Thatcher Park Indian Ladder Trail/Paint Mine Nature Trail, Altamont, NY (easy to moderate)
  12. Harpers Ferry West Virginia AT/Jefferson Rock/Town Trail, Harpers Ferry, WV (easy to moderate)
  13. Old Rag Mountain* (moderate to strenuous — one of the most incredible hikes in the mid-Atlantic region. A must do but be prepared for an all day hike and lots of rock scrambling. Should be in fairly good shape to tackle this one.)
  14. Cunningham Falls, Thurmont, MD (easy to moderate)
  15. Bear’s Den, Bluemont, VA* (easy to moderate)
  16. Crabtree Falls, Tyro, VA (moderate)
  17. Balls Bluff, Leesburg, VA (easy to moderate)
  18. Raven Rocks, Bluemont, VA* (moderate to strenuous)
  19. Bull Run Mountain Conservancy, Broad Run, VA (easy to moderate)
  20. Signal Knob/Menaka Peak Loop, Fort Valley, VA* (strenuous — beautiful)
  21. Colvin Run, Great Falls, VA (easy)
  22. Red Rock Wilderness Overlook, Leesburg, VA (easy)
  23. Hemlock Overlook, Manassas, VA* (easy)
  24. Fountainhead Regional Park, Fairfax Station, VA (easy to moderate)
  25. Land Run Falls, Front Royal, VA, Shenandoah National Park (easy to moderate)
  26. Sugarloaf Mountain, Dickerson, MD (easy to moderate)
  27. Bull Run Regional Park, Bull Run Occoquan Trail, Centreville, VA (easy to moderate)
  28. Buzzard Rock/Elizabeth Furnace, Fort Valley/Front Royal, VA (moderate)
  29. Rose River Falls, Shenandoah National Park, VA* (moderate — beautiful falls)
  30. Dark Hollow Falls, Shenandoah National Park, VA (moderate)
  31. Hazel River Loop Trail, Sperryville, VA (moderate)
  32. Bearfence Mountain and rock scramble, Shenandoah National Park, VA* (easy to moderate)
  33. South River Falls, Standardsville, VA, Shenandoah National Park (moderate)
  34. Sky Meadows State Park, Delaplane, VA* (various trails range from easy to strenuous– beautiful)
  35. Riverbend Park, Potomac Trail, Great Falls, VA
  36. Riprap Trail/Chimney Rocks, Crozet, VA, Shenandoah National Park* (moderate to strenuous)
  37. James River Park/Belle Isle, Richmond, VA* (easy and lots fun spots to swim and wade depending on water level)
  38. Harpers Ferry, Maryland Heights, MD* (moderate – beautiful views)
  39. McAfee Knob, Salem, VA* (moderate – beautiful views and most photographed spot on the Appalachian Trail)
  40. Mount Rogers, Troutdale, VA* (beautiful hike and wild ponies!)

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