DC/MD/VA/WV Adventures

Love hiking our national parks? Let’s stand up for them—together.
Join the us for a special event in DC where we’ll trade boots for business casual and advocate for the National Park System on Capitol Hill. This is a chance to make your voice heard, meet like-minded advocates, and show your passion for public lands where it really counts. Want to learn more? Visit https://novatrailblazers.com/get-involved

No lobbying experience needed—just your enthusiasm and support for our parks! As usual, we'll do a happy hour afterwards - this time at Dirty Habit, an elegant cocktail bar dowtown.
Dress Code: Suggested dress is business casual

### Schedule – Wednesday, April 30

• 12:00 p.m. – Meet at South Capitol Metro Station
• 12:30 p.m. – Orientation & walkthrough (we’ll wait for any late arrivals)
• 1:00–4:00 p.m. – Hill Meetings

We’ll visit congressional offices to speak up for the National Park System. Meetings will be pre-arranged, but we have the option to also drop-in to others to distribute flyers and share our message

• 4:00 p.m. – Regroup + Group photo
• 5:00–7:00 p.m. – Happy Hour in DC!

Relax, connect, and celebrate our impact together

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Why this matters
National Parks need advocates now more than ever. Funding, access, and protections are all on the line—and nothing speaks louder than constituents showing up in person.
Whether you’re a seasoned park lover or new to the Trailblazers, this is a unique way to give back to the places we hike and explore.

📣 RSVP now to help us plan logistics—and bring a friend if they care about our parks too!

DESCRIPTION: This is a 3 day, 2 night, 26.4 mile kayaking/camping trip on the scenic Upper James River, starting at the Twin River shop in Buchanan (640 Lowe St, Buchanan, VA 24066), VA, and ending at the Snowden public boat launch (river mile marker 63.7).

This trip features lots of remote wilderness scenery and fun class 1-2 rapids, with a white water section of class 2-3 rapids through the James River Gorge/Balcony falls on the last section (Glasgow to Snowden). Previous class 1-2 canoe/kayak experience required and there is an 8 person min to do this trip. An experienced guide will be available to pick up at Glasgow to guide us through the white water section if needed. If we have time Sunday afternoon, we could drive over to Natural Bridge (15 min away) and have lunch before heading home.

Day 1: Start at 1pm, paddle from Buchanan to Arcadia Campground (6 miles, mile #43.5)
Day 2: Start at 0800, paddle from Arcadia Campground to Back Run Campground (10 miles, mile #53.3)
Day 3: Start at 0800, paddle from Back Run Campground to take out spot, Snowden Boat Ramp (10 miles, mile #63.7)

Planning to use Twin River Outfitters (contact info: 540-254-8012, contact person John, 540-261-7334 or twinriveroutfitter@gmail.com)

Note: A gear shuttle service is available for $15 to shuttle camping gear to/between campsites so you don't have to carry all your gear on your kayak!

Sit on top kayak $164
Sit inside kayak $164
Bring your own boat (shuttle service only) $126
I've booked the trip for our dates and reserved firewood/water jugs for our campsites. Please use the following link to sign up and pay individually for this trip:
https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/canoevirginia/items/37934/availability/1738649572/book/?full-items=yes

Pricing includes: Rental of boat, paddles, life jackets, safety orientation, river maps, use of dry bags, 5-gallon water jugs, access to private land for camping, and all required shuttles.

Campground is primitive, hammock friendly, right on the river, and has a bathroom (portajohn).

TRAIL MAP:
Maps - The Upper James River Water Trail

Multi-Day Trips - Twin River Outfitters

PARKING/CARPOOLING: Please arrive at the Twin Rivers Shop, 640 Lowe St, Buchanan, VA 24066 15 minutes before the start of the paddle trip. Also, I encourage carpooling wherever possible. If you need a ride or want a ride, look at the list of attendees and where they live (it says in their profile). Then, for those who live near you, hit the "Chat" button to ask if they want or can offer a ride. If you are a rider, please chip in towards gas (usually $5 - $20 depending on distance and # of riders). Additionally, you can post a request to give or receive a ride in the chat section of the event.

EXPECTATIONS: Download the trail map onto your phone before you arrive. Bring hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, river shoes plus dry bag containing change of clothes/sleeping bag/camping gear and your own boat, paddle and life jacket, or you can rent these at Twin River Outfitters. Know your physical limits and cardiovascular fitness. Bring proper clothing and gear for the weather. Water temperature in the river is in the mid 50s - wetsuit/synthetic clothing encouraged! If you have any concerns or questions, don't hesitate to contact the trip leader via the chat feature or direct messaging.

RELEASE OF LIABILITY & ASSUMPTION OF RISK AGREEMENT: By attending this hike, I acknowledge that hiking in nature carries the risk of potential harm to myself up to and including the risk of injuries such as broken bones or muscle/tendon injuries, illness, disability, or death. These can be caused by slipping or falling off rocks due to loss of balance or lack of coordination; twisting ankles on rocks, brush, limbs, or ice; Acts of nature such as rock falls, inclement weather, lightning, strong wind, extreme temperatures; drownings in rivers, streams, or other bodies of water; drinking unfiltered contaminated water or becoming dehydrated; succumbing to heat exhaustion; getting bit or stung by venomous reptiles, animals, or insects; and my own or other’s negligent or risky behaviors. This list is not exhaustive nor is it inclusive of all risks. In response, I release and hold harmless with respect to all injury, disability, death, or loss of property, whether caused by negligence or otherwise, the meetup group’s leadership as well as the designated event leaders for this activity.

SICKNESS (COVID/FLU/COLD): As always, if you have been exposed to a contagious illness, or are having any symptoms at all, please do not attend. There will be plenty of future events.

• Difficulty Level: Very Strenuous
• Length: 37 Miles
• Duration: 3 Days
• Elevation Gain: 8,015 Feet
• Bear Canisters: Not Required
• Permits: Not Required
• Parking: Dragon's Tooth Trailhead Parking Lot
• Coordinates: 37.378936, -80.156161
• AllTrails Map: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/virginia/virginias-triple-crown-loop?u=i&sh=rak641

Throughout this backpacking adventure you will get a chance to conquer three of the regions most spectacular overlooks: McAfee Knob, one of the most photographed spots along the AT; Tinker Cliffs, which offers 180-degree views of mountain ranges and amazing sunsets; and Dragon’s Tooth, a rock-scrambling climb to a unique jagged peak.

This route is known to be challenging and this trip is NOT recommended for inexperienced hikers. First time backpackers will not be allowed to join this one, sorry. Please ensure you are able to manage 10-15 miles per day. Water can be scarce on this hike. I recommend bringing more than you might normally bring - up to 4 liters.

Trail Details:
On Saturday morning, we will meet at the trailhead at 9am. If you're driving from the DC area, I'd suggest staying in Roanoke the night before, as parking at the trailhead is limited (it's best to get there early).

Day 1 (12.8 miles)
On the first day, we will leave the parking lot and walk along well-defined trails that wind through streams and forest. After about 1.5 miles, we will start a steep ascent up to the first of the three "crowns," known as Dragon's Tooth. The final mile to the Tooth will require some bouldering/scrambling, with the use of iron bars but the panoramic view at the top is well worth it. Afterwards, we descend and turn to hike along the AT until we reach Catawba Campsite at about 13 miles total. We will camp here for the night and refill water.

Day 2 (11.8 miles)
Day 2 will see two of the scenic overlooks - McAfee’s Knob and Tinker Cliffs. We will reach McAfee’s Knob first thing on day 2 - It’s an amazing overhung cliff with a 270-degree panorama of the Catawba valley and is the most photographed spot on the Appalachian Trail. After another few miles, we will reach Tinker Cliffs, which offer another amazing view of the idyllic Catawba valley. After a brief lunch we will continue down a steep decline and turn off the AT on to the Andy Lane trail and refill water. After several more miles we will camp near the top of North Mountain.

Day 3 (10.5 miles)
This day should be an easy final day - it consists of a mostly flat-then-downward hike back to the parking area at Dragons tooth. Please note, that after turning from Andy Lane trail to North Mountain trail, there will be no opportunities to refill water. Plan accordingly.
Note that the plan is to meet at the trailhead - but carpooling is encouraged due to limited parking at the trailhead parking lot. If you are willing to drive, please post a comment. As a rider, please comment on the driver’s post that you need a ride. If you do plan to hitch a ride, please offer to chip in for gas.

LIABILITY NOTICE:
Please remember that this group operates under the common adventurer model. We are a group of friends and volunteers organizing trips for fun and shared experience. Participants are expected to be familiar with best hiking practices and choose hikes that align with their physical abilities and experience. Organizers and members are not liable for any injuries, loss, or damage to persons or property arising from group activities. By attending this event, you agree to assume all risks associated with the activity.​

For more information on the common adventurer model, please see Ron Watters' definition.​

If you believe you may be lost during the hike, follow the advice of the US Forest Service.
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See you on the trail!