Best DC Hikes For Leaf Peeping

September 13, 2022 | Lifestyle

With the sun quickly setting on summer and fall fast approaching, cozy sweaters and pumpkin spice lattes aren’t the only impending distractions on our mind. In DC, longtime residents and transplants alike know that the most eye-catching aspect of autumn is none other than the colorful scenery that takes center stage as soon as the first leaf turns hues.

Keep reading for the best local hikes to embark on for catching a glimpse of the area’s festive fall foliage in full force!

#1 Woodstock Tower Hike: Avoid the hordes of leaf-peepers on Sky-line Drive and head to the Massanutten Mountain range in the George Washington National Forest. This easy and never-crowded trail leads to a fire tower maintained by the Capital Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association. The tower’s three-story observation deck provides a 360-degree view, with the seven bends of the Shenandoah River to the west and Fort Valley to the east. As the sun begins to set, the red, orange, and yellow trees along the ridge appear to glow as if on fire.

#2 Stony Man: Skyline Drive has more than 500 miles of hiking trails. This short loop is the best bang for your buck, with three of the park’s most stellar views in less than four miles. Each of the overlooks is atop a rocky outcropping, with wide vistas of tree-covered peaks and valleys stretching to the horizon. The trail also passes the base of a 90-foot-high, sheer vertical wall that’s popular with rock climbers.

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#3 Annapolis Rock: The Appalachian Trail runs 2,200 miles from Maine to Georgia. This little stretch of Maryland is about 2,190 miles shorter but makes for a great way to sample the AT come fall. The well-trod path gradually ascends a few hundred feet through a dense forest before becoming an easy walk in the woods. Follow the white blaze for two miles to a short blue-blazed connector trail to the gleaming cliffs of Annapolis Rock. The cliffs, which are a popular spot for rock climbers—you may see them while you’re coming up from below—offer a 180-degree west-facing view of spectacular colors in fall, with Greenbrier Lake visible to the south.

#4 Loudoun Heights: This little-known hike is unrivaled for its views of the confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers, Harpers Ferry, and the soot-coated cliffs of Maryland Heights. Start at the Shenandoah Street lot to save a couple of miles of walking through town. The pathway crosses a small stream and follows the mountain ridge up past the remains of an old fort. It then opens to a view of the Potomac River at an overlook of the historic town and, in season, the thick autumn foliage draping down to the banks of the rivers.

#5 Sugarloaf Summit and White Rocks Overlook Hike: The closest mountain to DC, Sugarloaf has a variety of scenic overlooks, several accessible by car. For those who want to trek it all, a seven-mile loop starts in the East View Parking Area. Here, the view spreads out toward the southwest, to a sea of trees interrupted by islands of farmland. A stair-step path returns to a lower view toward the west and then down into the woods. After a couple of miles, you come upon two rocky outcroppings — the White Rocks overlooks — for even more fall-foliage vantage points.