Donaldson Run and the Potomac Heritage Trail

Sunday was a very busy day.  I teach sixth grade religious school, and we had a mock wedding in which we married off two couples from each class.  It was hectic and a bit scattered, being a new event for the sixth grade teaching team.  Despite being crazy busy, it came off beautifully and we got everything done.  The upshot was about 8000 steps in patent red leather kitten heels before I even headed out to the trail.   When Aaron brought my high-protein lunch and my hiking clothes I looked at them - the obstacle standing between me and my couch and my fluffy cat and some nice coffee.   Still, it would be better to walk ouside, I knew that, and my hips would thank me for the natural rhythm of foot to giving ground. 

"All right.  2 - 3 miles though, I want to be home by 5 to make dinner."

Aaron agreed and we set off.  He said we'd be starting near Potomac Overlook Regional Park, which really was lovely, and so I was glad to be going.  We headed down the trail and he said we'd be practicing crossing streams, as Donaldson Run crosses over this little river feeding into the potomac about 12 times, keeping the trail just along the river.

We get to a steep down - not quite a cliff, but down about 120 feet, that leads right to the bank of the potomac river.  Now, readers, I am not a small girl.  I'm not as rugged as I'd like to be.  I was a bit anxious, because a false move and I would've gone face first far enough to break SOMETHING.  But down we went, and I was glad we did. 

The view of the potomac was beautiful.  The sky was grey, and birds of prey were gliding overhead, swooping to grab fish from the river itself.  Their talons left trails along the glassy surface.  Greening hasn't happened here in DC yet, and in fact, it's quite snowy this morning, so the air smacked of winter and fire.   We sat a bit and had some trail mix, some water, and just enjoyed the serenity.  No traffic could be heard, and I was watching two people on the Maryland side across from us fishing in silence.

Then I looked back up.  No.  No - I was not at all interested in climbing back up.  "Aaron, if we walk further away surely we'll come to a different place to get back to the road and then go find our car."  He agreed, yes.  This was the Potomac Heritage Trail, and there are many ways to get back to the road.  We set towards Chain Bridge.

They use the term "trail" quite loosely.  This was the Potomac Heritage Boulder Scramble.  For half a mile, we traversed over very rocky terrain, at times having to throw our poles over the next boulder because we knew we'd need both hands to get up and across.  (I say we.  Aaron's hiked the Appalachian Tral.  He was fine.  When I incriminate him in the scramble-picking, I'm really just talking about ME here.)

We come to a green blaze side by side with a blue blaze.  This!  This will be our way back out of the river area! 

This turns out to be a nearly 200 foot cliff.

Fine.  We've just gone over half a mile of Bouldertown.  It can't be THAT bad.

At one point, I grasped the iron railing, which was a remnant of old days and not actually stable anymore, and swung my butt off to the left to shimmy around a crag and find footing on the far side. 

It was then I felt nearly immortal.

Once we climbed up and up and up and up, we got to the road and walked 3/4 mile back to our car.  It amazed me how much better trail feels under your feet, even when rocky, than ungiving pavement.  Aaron was true to his word, it was 3 miles on the trail.  And yes, we were home near 5.

All in all, an amazing afternoon.

Time spent on trail: 2 hours on the nose.
Difficulty: Difficult for inexperienced hikers, moderately difficult for experienced (Aaron said it was about the hardest thing you'd find each week on the Appalachian Trail.)
Bonuses:  You will feel like you can kick death in the shins afterwards.
View:  Amazing views of the potomac - you're practically in it.
Kid friendly:  If your kids are experienced hikers, it'd be very fun for them.  If they are not hikers, Donaldson Run itself is kid friendly, and fun to cross stream after stream, but don't go down to the river.