On Saturday, June 3 we celebrated a beautiful National Trails Day with a hike around the Potomac. In fact, our hike was the only National Trails Day hike in the United States that visited a foreign country-- the Swedish Embassy, that is! Our group traveled 8 miles around Georgetown, Arlington, and D.C. over the course of this hike, guided by our fearless leader Barbara Saffir. Beginning in the small but lovely Francis Scott Key Memorial Park on the edge of Georgetown, we made our way across the Francis Scott Key Bridge to Arlington and then over to Roosevelt Island. A D.C. landmark designed in the 1930s to mimic the natural forest that once grew there, Roosevelt Island now provides countless visitors with stellar trails and views of the Potomac.
After meandering along the trails through the forest with periodic stops for picking mulberries and enjoying the view, we headed back out to Arlington. It was not hard to be impressed by the Potomac while walking riverside along the 18-mile Mount Vernon Trail. We even got to snap photos of the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial lining up perfectly across the river! Then we circled back around and crossed over the beautiful Memorial Bridge. On our way back to Georgetown, we passed the Lincoln Memorial, the Kennedy Center, and the Watergate. Barbara then led us to Mile Marker Zero of the 184.5-mile long C&O Canal; nestled on the edge of the Georgetown Waterfront, it can be easily missed!
Finally, we made our way over to the Swedish Embassy along the waterfront. There, our host Myriam Puryicky taught us about the Swedish concept of Allemansrätten. This concept, meaning "every man's right", is Sweden's constitutionally protected "Right of Public Access" which allows people to go out into nature freely, without needing permission to cross private land. The caveat is that any travelers must take care to leave the environment undisturbed in order to prevent the degradation of their natural spaces. This concept not only encourages people to immerse themselves in nature, but it also promotes the respect and appreciation of the environment they are able to enjoy.
We were led to the embassy rooftop where we were given a 360-degree view of Georgetown, D.C., and Arlington. With our entire 8-mile hike laid out before us, it was easy to wish for our own Allemansrätten here in the United States. Gazing down upon the busy streets of the Georgetown Waterfront, the lush forest on Roosevelt Island, and the green-lined pathways that connect the spaces, I thought about how nature and development can coexist. We may live in a bustling city, but that doesn't mean we cannot explore, enjoy, and protect the environment around us.
Thanks to Barbara Saffir for leading such an amazing hike! Learn more about her and her hikes around D.C. here: http://www.walkingwashingtondc.com
Don't miss out on any events like this hike! Check out our calendar to keep up to date on everything we're doing this summer: http://www.sierraclub.org/maryland/calendar