Hiking the Appalachian Trail

This past weekend we went for another family outing--this time to Weverton Cliffs. We had heard great things about the view at the top of this hike, and since the kids did so well last week, we decided to give it a go.

This hike is part of the Appalachian Trail that spans over 2,200 miles from Georgia to Maine. Some people spend months hiking the A.T. from end to end; luckily, we didn't need that kind of commitment to experience the beauty of this path. Instead, we walked the 3 mile Weverton Cliffs loop.

The path is pretty steep and rocky with lots of switchbacks. It took us about 90 minutes to climb up. I think if you didn't have a four-year-old with you, you could do it much, much faster. But taking our time allowed us to appreciate nature. We saw a fuzzy caterpillar (that landed on my shoulder, scaring the bejesus out of me), a tiny ring neck snake, and tons of huge wood ear mushrooms. 

We stopped for a snack and bathroom break at some large flat rocks near the top. One of the things to note about the A.T. is there are no bathroom facilities on the trail. Just something to keep in mind if you're making a day of it.

We figured out last weekend that the kids LOVE lychee. Before this hike, we went to H-Mart to grab a huge bag of the fruit to use as enticements (a.k.a. "bribes") to keep moving. We created "lychee opportunities" every 20 minutes or so where the kids would look for the best place to stop and eat. I love the little things that make my kids happy.

The view at the top did not disappoint. We sat on the rocks overlooking the Potomac river and watched as a freight train traversed the hills. It was more crowded than I would have liked, but at least everyone was wearing masks and doing their best to keep distant. There were even hikers who set up a hammock there!

We had a nice picnic lunch before heading back down. The way back took significantly less time. I'd say maybe 45 minutes or an hour? The kids were such troopers. I'm so impressed and hopeful that we can do more of this in the future.

Have you been to Weverton Cliffs? Have you hiked the Appalachian Trail? Leave me a comment and let me know!