Battery Kemble Park

Join us for a six mile circuit hike starting at Battery Kemble Park in Washington, DC. Battery Kemble was a fortification used for the defense of Washington during the Civil War.

From the parking lot, we will proceed south on Battery Kemble Trail. At the Wesley Heights Trail, we will head east to intersect the Glover Archbold Trail. Heading south on Glover Archbold, we reach the C&O Canal path and then head west to Fletcher Cove. We will stop briefly at the cove and then finish the hike by heading north along the Palisades and Battery Kemble Ridge Trails.

During the hike, we will be under forest canopy with the exception of the C&O Canal path, which is exposed to the sun.

Trail Information

Length: 6 miles
Estimated Time: Two and a half (2.5) hours
Hike Pace: 2.5 mph
Trail Type: Dirt, stairs, grass, and gravel.
Elevation Gain: 650 feet
Hike Type: Circuit
Stream Crossings: There are five minor stream crossings by stone. Water depth is three to six inches.
Skill Level: Moderate

What to Bring: Sunscreen, hat, water, sunglasses, and insect repellant.

Dogs Are Permitted: Per National Park Service regulations, dogs are permitted on this hike provided they are on a leash.

Facilities: There are no restrooms at Battery Kemble Park. Restroom facilities are available at Fletcher Cove, which is at mile 4.5 of this 6 mile hike.

GPS coordinates: 38.9283787,-77.0955592

Contribution and Costs: SCPRO requests a voluntary $2/person donation to support our many volunteer-led activities. You can become a Sierra Club member by clicking “Join” on the Virginia Sierra Club’s site http://www.sierraclub.org/virginia.

Optional Lunch

For those interested, join us for lunch at th Black Coffee restaurant (4885 MacArthur Blvd NW, Washington, DC) (1.3 miles).

Directions

From MacArthur Boulevard in Northwest DC, turn (left if inbound, right if outbound) onto Chain Bridge Rd. Go one-half mile to the park entrance on the right. Follow the winding park road to the parking area.

Leader: Paul (571) 365-5166 (C)