by Melanie McManus | Sep 3, 2021 | Potomac Heritage Trail 2020-21, Trail Journals, Virginia
I was stoked today to hike through the Occoquan section of the PHT, since this would mark the end of my exploration in this area of the trail. Before heading there, I first hiked a few miles out of Prince William Forest Park in the opposite direction that I’d...
by Melanie McManus | Sep 4, 2021 | Potomac Heritage Trail 2020-21, Trail Journals, Virginia
Today starts a new section of the PHT – an angled path along the Potomac (Virginia side) from Ball’s Bluff to D.C. As it’s a Saturday, Maura decided to join us for the day. So we headed out for Ball’s Bluff Regional Park bright and early in the...
by Melanie McManus | Sep 13, 2021 | Maryland, Potomac Heritage Trail 2020-21, Trail Journals
I wasn’t super stoked for today’s hike, as it was supposed to be hot and humid as I made my way to the Little Pool campsite. And with so many campsite pumps being out of operation, I had no idea what I’d be facing. But first, a look at last night. I spent most of the...
by Melanie McManus | Sep 14, 2021 | Maryland, Potomac Heritage Trail 2020-21, Trail Journals
Today’s hike to Devil’s Alley nearly killed me. OK, so that’s a bit of an exaggeration. But it did a number on me mentally. It wasn’t the day in and of itself, but rather the culmination of hiking so many, many days in temperatures around 90 F (+32 C), with high...
by Melanie McManus | Sep 16, 2021 | Maryland, Potomac Heritage Trail 2020-21, Trail Journals
The big question for today: Should I hike all the way from the Paw Paw Campground to Cumberland, a roughly 30-mile (48.3 km) trek, or stop a few miles/kilometers short and tack them onto tomorrow? I decided to take it hour by hour. The bike shop near the Fairfield Inn...
