Places to Go - Winter Hiking at Turkey Run (McLean, VA)

It still sort of amazes me that I can now take all three kids "hiking", this just seems like such an event in itself. A few weekends ago, before the crazy cold wind hit, the kids and I decided to log some time on the trails. Every time we drive towards Maryland on the GW Parkway we pass a sign for Turkey Run Park, but this was our first time ever venturing there, primarily because I knew so little about it. Luckily, KidFriendly DC posted on the trailhead at parking lot C, so we followed her advice (though I think we took another trail when we reached the bottom of the hill).

On the upside, the kids had a fantastic time - checking out the river, picking up numerous sticks and stones, chasing our dog, and generally enjoying winter in the great outdoors. Then we hit our first stream crossing - stones throughout the shallow river made it more than "doable", but my kids still expressed lots of fear. Which all would have been fine in a "such an adventure" sense, until we encountered another stream crossing about 0.2 miles down the path, then another. I'm not sure who found them more stressful, the kids or the dog, but eventually we decided to turn around (sopping wet feet made this decision easier), so we never completed the turkey run loop. Hopefully, next time. And there will be a next time, as this place is too beautiful to not return. Though I'd definitely bring a cell phone, we met some fantastic and kind people along the trail, but a few sketchy guys kept circling the parking lot.



I love when they all get along.



Wish I had more pictures of the treacherous stream crossings, but I was too busy carrying T while trying to keep my feet dry.