Mid-Atlantic News

Women Outdoors Mid-Atlantic listserv!

The Mid-Atlantic region of Women Outdoors has recently rolled out an exciting new benefit for our members: our very own Women Outdoors Mid-Atlantic listserv or email group.

The listserv will be another way to connect with WO members outside of our "official" monthly Mid-Atlantic activities. It's a way for WO members to organize spontaneous outdoor adventures with other members; share tidbits about upcoming events that may be of interest such as an outdoor concert; recommend books or movies about the outdoors; you get the drift.

For example, let's say the weather forecast for tomorrow is absolutely beautiful and you want to go on a hike at Sugarloaf Mountain and you'd like some of your WO Mid-Atlantic buds to join you. You would post an email on the listserv letting the other Mid-Atlantic members know your plans. You could ask folks to let you know if they can come or you could just post the time and place to meet and be surprised in the moment.

Just to reiterate, any activities that are organized through the Women Outdoors Mid-Atlantic listserv are not official Women Outdoors events. However, they are an opportunity for WO members to get together outside of our monthly "official" Mid-Atlantic Region activities.

How does it work?

We are using Groups.io for our email group. Participation is strictly voluntary. Mid-Atlantic members will need to opt-in to be a member of the email group. Once you join the Mid-Atlantic region, you will receive an invitation to join our listserv, WomenOutdoorsMid-Atlantic, from Groups.io. You will need to respond to that email within two weeks to register for the listserv.

How much does it cost?

It's FREE!

See you in the outdoors!

It's almost time for one of our perennial favorites: our Dog Days of August Hike on Saturday, August 17, 2024.

We’ll do a 3-4 mile out-and-back hike in Silver Spring, MD, with lots of shade and many great spots for the pooches to jump in the water to wade or swim. It's an easy up and down trail, however there is some uneven ground and it could potentially be a bit muddy.

Technically, dogs are supposed to be on leash, however most people let their dogs run free and go for swims. Be forewarned that there are deer in the woods so be ready for dogs to take off after deer.

We will most likely separate into two groups: One group will walk for an hour out and back (the trail's not a loop). The second group will be the dog owners who are allowing dogs to run free off leash. This group will need to make sure the dogs are with us and may need to do lots of calls and some waiting for them to reappear. 

After our walk in the woods we’ll have a backyard picnic nearby.

This activity is open to members and non-members of Women Outdoors. Non-members are welcome to attend two WO events as guests. On your third event, we'll ask you to join the Mid-Atlantic Region of Women Outdoors. You can also join right now by clicking on this Join Us link.

Registration is limited to 12 participants and will close on Thursday, August 15th or when full, whichever comes first. A wait list will open up once we reach 12 participants.

Click on this link for more information and to register.

Did you know there is a forested oasis that's part of the National Park system just ten miles from DC? Many don't know about this hidden gem in our own backyard: Greenbelt Park. That's right - it's a national park! Complete with campground, several picnic areas, two nature trails, a fitness trail and nearly ten miles of hiking trails altogether. 

Join us on Saturday, June 1, 2024, for a 4–5-mile hike of the park's Perimeter Trail. The entire trail is 5.3 miles, but we can shortcut that by about a mile if the group decides to do so. The trail is gently rolling and entirely in the trees, so plenty of shade to cool us as we hike. Bring a brown bag lunch to enjoy at one of the picnic areas along the way. 

Our hike with a stop for lunch will take about 3 hours. You may want hiking poles for this one, though it's certainly doable without them. There will be a bathroom at our start and several more along the way, including at our lunch stop.

If you'd rather bike than hike, the park roads are a favorite for local bicyclists. Bring your bike and helmet, ride to your heart's content and then join us at the picnic area for lunch (you'll know when we're there when you ride by).

Doggies allowed on this hike but must be leashed. On Saturdays, there are quite a few walkers with their dogs on the trail - all leashed.

Click on this link to register. Registration closes on Thursday, May 30th.

If you need to cancel after May 30th, please send an email to MidAtlantic@womenoutdoors.org or Becky@womenoutdoors.org.

ONE MORE NOTE: Hike leader, Becky, will be camped in Loop B in the Greenbelt campground from May 30th to June 3rd. Anyone who would like to join her is welcome to reserve her own campsite. Send Becky an email if you'd like to know her exact site to get your own nearby. Campsites (no hookups) are only $20/night, $10/night with a National Park pass. Make a reservation here:  https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/232474

FYI - The camping part is not an official Women Outdoors event.

Entry to Greenbelt Park for day use is free.

This free activity is open to members and non-members of Women Outdoors. Non-members are welcome to attend two WO events as guests. On your third event, we'll ask you to join the Mid-Atlantic Region of Women Outdoors. You can also join right now by clicking on this Join Us link.

Planning and potluck and brunch, oh my!

Ever wonder how we come up with all of our activities for fun and adventure here in the Mid-Atlantic Region of Women Outdoors? Well, it all starts with the time-honored tradition of the potluck brunch. Then we knock around ideas for outdoor escapades and such. Next we need a couple of members to volunteer to lead that venture and voila! We have an event to put on the calendar.

(There's also the prosaic part that involves actually setting up the online registration on the website and sending out an email to all WO members and other interested women about the upcoming event, but that's what your regional contacts are for.)

If there's an activity or special event you would like to see, come to the brunch and volunteer to lead it. We're always looking for new places to explore as well as old favorites to revisit. We are a completely volunteer organization and depend on our members for their energy and ideas.

Bring your calendars, hiking and biking books, and any other idea generators and help us plan activities for the upcoming months. We'll provide coffee and tea and ask you to bring a potluck dish to share.

This free activity is open to members and non-members of Women Outdoors. Non-members are welcome to attend two WO events as guests. On your third event, we'll ask you to join the Mid-Atlantic Region of Women Outdoors. (This brunch is a freebie and doesn't count as one of those events.) You can also join right now by clicking on this Join Us link. 

Click on this link for more information and to register for our Planning Meeting and Potluck Brunch.

Registration closes on Saturday, April 20.

Join us for one of our faves on Thursday, April 4, 2024, when we'll go walking through the bluebells.

Spring wildflowers grace hiking trails throughout the area after the vernal equinox, but one little bloom is especially captivating: the Virginia bluebell. These little blue beauties burst forth in exuberant abundance at Riverbend Park in Fairfax County, VA. We've done this hike many a time and it still remains one of our favorites.

We'll take the Potomac Heritage Trail along the Potomac River toward Great Falls. Most of the terrain is flat, but be sure and wear sturdy shoes or hiking boots because parts of the trail could be muddy.

Depending on how many folks sign up for this event, we may split into two groups: hikers and naturalists. The hikers will trek all the way down to Great Falls Park and back at a fairly good clip for a total distance of ~5-6 miles. Meanwhile, the naturalists can enjoy a leisurely walk in the woods with the birds and bluebells at a pace and distance to be decided by the group.

We realize some of you cannot come on a weekday but we are trying to experiment with a few mid-week events.

Bring your camera and binoculars on this picturesque hike as well as a picnic lunch for afterwards.

Sorry, no doggies on this hike.

This free activity is open to members and non-members of Women Outdoors. Non-members are welcome to attend two WO events as guests. On your third event, we'll ask you to join the Mid-Atlantic Region of Women Outdoors. You can also join right now by clicking on this Join Us link. 

Click on this link for more information and to register for Bluebells Hike - A Perennial Favorite.

Registration closes on Tuesday, April 2.

One of our go-to parks for Women Outdoors Mid-Atlantic is the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park. And so we wanted to let you know about a unique opportunity to offer your input to help improve the visitor experience at the park.

Please consider completing a 5-minute survey for a graduate school research project about visitors to the C&O National Historical Park and what services and information would be helpful when planning a visit to the park.

The study is for the Johns Hopkins Carey School of Business and the Maryland Institute College of Art in collaboration with the C&O Canal Trust.

Click on this link to take the survey:

https://jh.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3jWrU8lxBszDeJ0

Join Women Outdoors Mid-Atlantic on Saturday morning, March 16, 2024, for an easy amble along the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Towpath. Choose your conveyance: Pedal or bipedal. Bike or hike. Roll or stroll. Ride or stride. It's all good.

We'll meet at one of the lockhouses along the C&O Towpath and enjoy either a nice flat bike ride or a nice flat walk. The two groups will head out at the same time and then meet back at the lockhouse after our dual excursions for a picnic lunch.

Bikers - Plan on this being a gentle out-and-back bike ride of about 12-20 miles. Bike helmets are required.

Walkers - Bring your binoculars for some excellent birding along the way - downy woodpeckers, Carolina wrens, black-capped chickadees, indigo bunting, cardinals, great blue herons, turkey vultures and possibly even a bald eagle or two. We'll also keep an eye out for some early spring wildflowers - the petite harbinger-of-spring, cut-leaved toothwort and spring beauty.

Doggies are allowed to come if you're walking. Per park rules, dogs must be on a 6' leash at all times.

This free activity is open to members and non-members of Women Outdoors. Non-members are welcome to attend two WO events as guests. On your third event, we'll ask you to join the Mid-Atlantic Region of Women Outdoors. You can also join right now by clicking on this Join Us link. 

Click on this link for more information and to register for Pedal or Bipedal - Your Choice. 

Registration closes on Thursday, March 14.

Come explore the nation's front yard with a winter walk on the National Mall on Saturday, February 17, 2024.

We'll start at the U.S. Botanic Garden and then wander over to a hidden gem, the Bartholdi Fountain and Gardens.

From there we'll head down the National Mall and take in the majesty of the monumental core of our capital city as envisioned by Pierre L'Enfant. Our plan is to do a brisk winter walk along the Mall, but folks can also choose to stop by one of the Smithsonian museums along the way and then meet up with the group on our way back. Anticipate about a 3-mile walk in all.

For those who are interested, we'll wrap up our day at Mitsitam Cafe, located in the National Museum of the American Indian. You can either grab a pastry and specialty coffee at the Mitsitam Espresso Coffee Bar or stay for a culinary adventure all its own at the Mitsitam Cafe.

From their website: "The word Mitsitam means Let's Eat! in the Native language of the Delaware and Piscataway peoples, reflecting the cafe's focus on the indigenous cuisines of the Americas. . . . The menu is divided into different regions, including the Northern Woodlands, South America, the Northwest Coast, Mesoamerica, and the Great Plains. Each section features traditional foods from those regions."

This free activity is open to members and non-members of Women Outdoors. Non-members are welcome to attend two WO events as guests. On your third event, we'll ask you to join the Mid-Atlantic Region of Women Outdoors. You can also join right now by clicking on this Join Us link. 

Click on this link to register for a Winter Walk on the National Mall.

Registration closes on Thursday, February 15, 2024.

Southern Maryland was once covered by a shallow sea. When the waters receded, the remains of prehistoric species were left behind. Over 600 species of fossils have been identified at Calvert Cliffs. Shark teeth are the most common find, so let’s go see if we have any luck at finding something really cool.

We’ll hike a 4.8-mile loop through marsh and woodland areas. At about the midpoint of our hike, we’ll spend some time on the little Chesapeake beach looking for shark teeth and other fossils. The 4.8-mile loop can be shortcut to 4 miles that day if it’s particularly cold. There is very little elevation change on this hike since the park sits at sea level on Chesapeake Bay.

Optional: For those who want to continue the fun after our hike, let’s warm up with a "hearty breakfast at lunchtime" at 2 Soul Sisters restaurant in Lusby, MD where breakfast is served all day! There are lunch/dinner combo plates as well if you’d rather.

Doggies allowed on this hike, though they won't be allowed at the restaurant.

Parking, meeting location and restroom details will be included in the confirmation email you receive after you register.

This free activity is open to members and non-members of Women Outdoors. Non-members are welcome to attend two WO events as guests. On your third event, we'll ask you to join the Mid-Atlantic Region of Women Outdoors. You can also join right now by clicking on this Join Us link. 

Click on this link to register for our fossil hunting adventure.

Registration closes on Friday, Jan 26.

Bring your signature side dish, marvelous main dish or divine dessert to share with others at our ever popular Midwinter Movie Night and Potluck on Saturday, January 20, 2024.

We'll have dinner first and then sit back and enjoy the movie, Nyad.

Marathon swimmer Diana Nyad sets out at 60 to achieve a feat that eluded her at 28: to swim from Cuba to Florida across more than 100 miles of open ocean. Academy Award winners Annette Bening and Jodie Foster bring to life the prickly Diana Nyad and her longtime friend and coach Bonnie Stoll.

This event is for Women Outdoors members only. If you would like to join Women Outdoors or renew your membership, please click on this Join Us link and follow the instructions.

Registration is limited to 10 Women Outdoors members. A wait list will open up if we reach 10.

Registration for movie night will open up on Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023, at 9:00 a.m.

Click on this link for more information and to register (once registration opens up).