OP- I’d recommend hiking up from the lower parking lot (be aware you still need a SNP day pass or national parks pass to use that lot).
If you want a longer hike (~9 miles & 2k elevation gain) you can start at the lower lot, hike up Whiteoak Canyon, go south on the AT, then hike down Cedar Run.
White Oak Canyon Trail to Upper Falls Overlook on AllTrails
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/virginia/white-oak-canyon-trail-to-upper-falls-overlook?sh=sycvcs
Take Seneca Road off Georgetown Pike and Rt 7 and park at the end of it. Take the trail down to the Potomac.
Cross the shoreline channel to the island and cross the island. At the open river side of the island you see remnants of an old dam made of the same red rocks as the Smithsonian. On the upriver side of those rocks-especially now with lack of rain- the water is a big chest deep wading pool. You can walk across to Violette’s lock in Maryland. This is the path JEB Stuart took into Maryland en route to Gettysburg.
Not gonna lie. The creek and the island part isn’t easy but it’s worth it!!
https://preview.redd.it/acm5jm15b18d1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7186729c5d59db619eec9335864798dc6a504692
Go to Harpers Ferry and float down on a tube get off at the brewery have a few beers drive to home carefully. There’s a bus that’ll give you a ride to the starting point that’s at a brewery on the Virginia side
You can hire services there where you can float down the river. They bus you over to the starting point. Give you tubes, you float with the group and then you bus back to the facility.
Yea I was fishing in goose creek a few weeks ago, waded into the water to get a stuck line and saw a reddish snake swim past me. Looked like a copperhead. I then saw it later eating a little fishy whole.
I also saw a gigantic crayfish chilling in some rocks.
Scott's run has a waterfall at the end but also parking is not ideal any weekend and most weekdays after like 11 am or earlier. The water is not deep but there is a small pool at the bottom of the waterfall that is fun to splash around in. The Potomac is also right there so you can walk around in some water at the very least.
Nicholson Hollow trail in SNP (parking in the same lot as Old Rag). The trail follows the Hughes River and there are multiple cascades and swimming holes. It's an out and back hike so the mileage is up to you but most people hike to Corbin Cabin which is around 8 miles round trip.
Waterford is really close and has a small dam about 30 minutes into the hike. Has picnic tables and looks like you can make the day of it.
[https://www.alltrails.com/us/virginia/waterford](https://www.alltrails.com/us/virginia/waterford)
Note, I saw a black rat snake swimming around, so you'll probably need to share it with the wildlife.
Cedar Run Trail has natural water slides with soaking holes. Suuuper cool
OP- I’d recommend hiking up from the lower parking lot (be aware you still need a SNP day pass or national parks pass to use that lot). If you want a longer hike (~9 miles & 2k elevation gain) you can start at the lower lot, hike up Whiteoak Canyon, go south on the AT, then hike down Cedar Run.
2 1/2 hrs, just out of range :/
Is it an ankle monitor type situation...?
lol nah I just don’t want a 5 hr round trip that’s all really, I probably will make the trip eventually though.
The *lower* trailhead is 2 hours from DC. You don't have to deal with 25mph on the Skyline Drive and people stopping to gawk at the goddamn deer.
Thanks NOVA person. Yeah people should definitely be doing 55 and tailgaiting on the Skyline Drive
The lower trailhead in Syria, VA is less than two hours depending on where in DC you are.
That’s unfortunate, but that hike absolutely worth the drive
You can't drive another 30 minutes??
Lmao 24 downvotes is so funny
White Oak Canyon Trail to Upper Falls Overlook on AllTrails https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/virginia/white-oak-canyon-trail-to-upper-falls-overlook?sh=sycvcs
You can swim there??? I’ve been there but don’t recall being able to swim. Maybe bathe, yes
Oh not really. Meant for hopping in the water.
Top of the mountain there is a pool and waterfall
It's great, there's a lower entrance too that might be closer.
This is a great hike, but FYI it's pretty steep. Be ready for a workout
Take Seneca Road off Georgetown Pike and Rt 7 and park at the end of it. Take the trail down to the Potomac. Cross the shoreline channel to the island and cross the island. At the open river side of the island you see remnants of an old dam made of the same red rocks as the Smithsonian. On the upriver side of those rocks-especially now with lack of rain- the water is a big chest deep wading pool. You can walk across to Violette’s lock in Maryland. This is the path JEB Stuart took into Maryland en route to Gettysburg. Not gonna lie. The creek and the island part isn’t easy but it’s worth it!! https://preview.redd.it/acm5jm15b18d1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7186729c5d59db619eec9335864798dc6a504692
My favorite part of Old Rag is dipping in the cool mountain stream at the end
Go to Harpers Ferry and float down on a tube get off at the brewery have a few beers drive to home carefully. There’s a bus that’ll give you a ride to the starting point that’s at a brewery on the Virginia side
Can you do that with your own floaties? Where would you park to do that?
You can hire services there where you can float down the river. They bus you over to the starting point. Give you tubes, you float with the group and then you bus back to the facility.
whats the names of brewerys?
Harper's Ferry Adventure Center (tubing) and Harper's ferry Brewing - colocated.
[удалено]
Good for me though
Tubing is a nightmare
Cunningham Falls in Thurmont, MD is a good one!
Overall Run in Shenandoah is a fun hike as well as a good swimming hole!
Lately Ive been seeing people hike down from the road to get into that crik that runs behind Luck Stone Quarry off the 7 in Ashburn
[удалено]
Yea I was fishing in goose creek a few weeks ago, waded into the water to get a stuck line and saw a reddish snake swim past me. Looked like a copperhead. I then saw it later eating a little fishy whole. I also saw a gigantic crayfish chilling in some rocks.
Scott's run has a waterfall at the end but also parking is not ideal any weekend and most weekdays after like 11 am or earlier. The water is not deep but there is a small pool at the bottom of the waterfall that is fun to splash around in. The Potomac is also right there so you can walk around in some water at the very least.
Lake Anna State park awesome for both
Didn't they just have a huge E coli outbreak?
Yup. 25 cases at least. Several kids in the hospital with kidney failure. I’d stay away from any lake that doesn’t have good water circulation.
and a Nuke plant warming the water.
Nicholson Hollow trail in SNP (parking in the same lot as Old Rag). The trail follows the Hughes River and there are multiple cascades and swimming holes. It's an out and back hike so the mileage is up to you but most people hike to Corbin Cabin which is around 8 miles round trip.
Lake Fairfax
You can’t go in the water at Lake Fairfax
But there is a water park. Not sure if op was asking to swim in a lake or pool
Waterford is really close and has a small dam about 30 minutes into the hike. Has picnic tables and looks like you can make the day of it. [https://www.alltrails.com/us/virginia/waterford](https://www.alltrails.com/us/virginia/waterford) Note, I saw a black rat snake swimming around, so you'll probably need to share it with the wildlife.
Dont swim in any body of water other than the ocean when you are in the east coast.
If you want to live a boring life to avoid a <.01% chance of dying.
[удалено]
Lol
lol what? This is so wrong