Take a Hike!

With the weather turning pleasant, I've been hit with the urge to go hiking. As I don't have a car, I can't head down to my favorite weekend hike, the McAfee Knob-Dragon's Tooth-Home Place trifecta along the Appalachian Trail in central Virginia. For those who share my plight, or just want to get out for the day, here are some great hikes within DC.

• C & O Canal Towpath: Starts in Georgetown and runs the length of the C & O Canal (almost 200 miles) to end in Cumberland, Pennsylvania. More popular as a bike path because it's so flat and smooth, but there are campsites along the way. Bonus: You can hike a mile or two in Georgetown and pop out at the movie theater or Snap, an amazing crepe/bubble tea place.
• Capital Crescent Trail: Another trail popular with cyclists, this 12-mile trail goes from Silver Spring to Georgetown.
• Rock Creek Park Trail: Kind of a mixed bag, this trail cuts a North-South path straight through the city along Rock Creek. Inside the park are lots of grassy areas and picnic benches, but parts of the trail hug the Rock Creek Parkway, which offers more traffic than scenery.

Happy hiking!