Mid-Atlantic News

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).

On the spur of the moment we have added an event to our Women Outdoors Mid-Atlantic schedule. Read on for more info on this late breaking activity.

Celebrate your favorite December holiday with a bit of a lark. Join us on Saturday, December 16 for our Creek Walk and Cocoa Crawl in Takoma Park, MD.

First we'll go for a 3-mile walk through quaint Takoma Park neighborhoods and along the ever popular Sligo Creek Trail. After our walk, we'll go back to our members' home for a brown bag lunch.

Following lunch, we'll head out (take your pick: drive or walk just over a mile) for the fabulous Takoma Cocoa Crawl. Local restaurants and cafes will offer their signature take on hot cocoa. Adult versions will be available, too. In addition, many Old Town Takoma businesses will be offering special holiday deals.

We'd love it if you could join us for the whole caper, but feel free to come for just the creek walk or just the brown bag lunch or just the cocoa crawl. Mostly we just want to enjoy your company and celebrate the season. Ugly holiday sweaters are encouraged!

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 the Creek Walk and Cocoa Crawl.

Registration closes on Friday, December 15. Sorry, no doggies on this event.

There's more lore than ore along the Goldmine Loop Trail, but the real treasure lies in the beauty of the setting. Join us on Sunday, November 12 as we combine the 2.5-mile Goldmine Loop Trail with the 2.5-mile loop to the Maryland Overlook at Great Falls for a lovely fall hike.

The views from the Overlook of the Potomac River Valley and the C&O Canal are spectacular! The moderate trails are through an airy forest in the C&O Canal National Historical Park.

After the hike, we'll gather for a potluck brunch at a member's home nearby.

Sorry, no doggies on this hike and brunch.

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. 

Registration closes on Friday, Nov. 10.

Click here to register for the Gold Mine Loop Trail Hike and Brunch.

A hike and history at the same time

Many of us have enjoyed kayaking at Jug Bay, but here's a chance to explore some of the other gems at Patuxent River Park. We'll start by going up the observation tower and take in the views over the wide marshes of Jug Bay. The tower is handicap-accessible if the spirit is willing but the knees are weak.

Next we'll head out on a mostly flat hike of about 4 miles that will take us through a diverse landscape of upland forests, swamps and marshes filled with birds and wetland vegetation. (Did you know that a swamp is a wetland with trees, while a marsh has only shrubs and herbaceous vegetation? Tip of the hat to Bryan MacKay, author of Hike Maryland.) We may also enjoy some leaf peeping on this hike as well as more views of Jug Bay.

After the hike, we'll sit down for a brown bag lunch at picnic tables overlooking Jug Bay. After lunch we have a special treat for history buffs or anyone who wants to step back in time - a walk through the Patuxent Rural Life Museums, a collection of museums and buildings dedicated to preserving the rural heritage of southern Prince Georges County.

The Duckett Freedman Log Cabin is a rare surviving example of a chestnut log farm tenant house from the 1880s. The Duvall Tool Museum features exhibits about traditional trades and crafts, a general store, and even a dental office from the early 20th century. A 1923 Sears Simplex House ($443) certainly qualifies as an OG Tiny House - just three rooms and a front porch with the separately purchased outhouse ($40) out back. Other museums highlight blacksmithing, tobacco farming and working on the Patuxent River.

Feel free to join us for just the observation tower and the Black Walnut Nature Study Area (short walking paths and boardwalks) at the very beginning of our hike. Then skip the 4-mile hike (and perhaps explore the Visitor's Center instead) and join us for the picnic lunch and Rural Life Museums afterwards.

To improve our chances of seeing lots of birds and possibly even some waterfowl on this hike, no doggies.

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. 

Registration closes on Thursday, Oct. 26. Click here for more information and to register.