Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Introduction
Washington, D.C., is a designed city, mostly urban and residential, without a lot of wild areas. That said,
however, there are many opportunities for hiking and getting back to nature. The city's biggest park,
Rock Creek Park, has many trails and outdoor activities. The C&O Canal begins its 185-mile run in Ge-
orgetown and a towpath follows the entire route; and the Potomac River is flanked with walking trails
on the Washington, D.C.; Maryland; and Virginia sides. Being the nation's capital means that much of
the land here is federally owned and protected for monuments and memorials, and for environmental
preserves. Part of the city is built on what was once swampland, so water plays a big part in the natural
ecosystem of the area. Marshes and wetlands abound along the river.
Washington, D.C., was designed on a grid system, with lettered streets running east-west and
numbered streets running north-south. The US Capitol is the center of the city and from it four sections
are created: Northwest (NW), Southwest (SW), Northeast (NE), and Southeast (SE). That's why every
address in Washington has one of these suffixes on it. To make things more interesting, however, diag-
onal avenues named for states pierce through the grid, creating squares and circles. But what the city
loses in easy navigation it gains in beauty, as many of these squares and circles provide opportunities to
honor history and make some green space. Ironically, the city was designed this way to prevent enemy
armies from finding easy access to important buildings. The British, however, in 1814, had no trouble
getting in and burning both the White House and the US Capitol. So the plan really only serves to con-
fuse those trying to get around today. Best advice: Carry a good map and be patient.
Weather
Washington, D.C., is in the mid-Atlantic region, which has a humid climate. The area is known for its
hot and sticky summers and, generally, mild winters, with roughly a foot of snow accumulated through
the season. While every hike in this topic can be done throughout the year, spring and fall usually offer
comfortable temperatures and are the ideal times for hiking. In summer try to walk in the morning or
evening. Trails, especially those that follow the river or the canal, can get buggy, so bring insect repel-
lent. The sun can be strong too, even in winter, so wear sunscreen on trails that are out in the open.
These hikes are designed for all levels of ability; generally a good pair of sneakers is enough to navigate
the trails.
Traffic
The Washington, D.C. metro area boasts some of the worst traffic in the country! That said, it's still a
great place to live and visit. Just be aware and plan a little extra time to get around. Also, many roads
have strict rush-hour restrictions on weekdays, except major holidays—in particular I-66, Canal Road,
and Rock Creek Parkway.
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I-66 inside the Beltway (I-495) is HOV-2 (a high-occupancy vehicle lane; at least two persons in
car) inbound (east toward Washington) from 6:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. and outbound (west from Washing-
ton, D.C.) from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
