On Sunday, June 11 an adventurous group of Sierra Club hikers decided to tackle the U.S. National Arboretum. The hike was split into two sections, the first loop beginning at 9AM and the second loop beginning right after a lunch break. I might have only had enough time to do the first loop, but I can honestly say that any amount of time spent in the National Arboretum (even only a few hours) is time well spent! The whole group met in the parking lot where the hike's leaders Gabriele Ludwig, Frank Wodarczyk, and Paul Elliott started us off, heading for the trees. Our first stop? A bald eagles' nest!! The baby eagles are just about ready to fledge and fly away. It took a while to pick out the nest in the populous tree line, but once the first person found it they were quick to help the others searching. From far away you could spy some movement in the nest, but the Arboretum actually has a telescope you can peek through to watch the eagles in closer detail. With the telescope you could even see little wings flapping about behind the branches!
After the eagles nest, we trekked back through the forest, past a little garden, and then over to the National Grove of State Trees. Within the grove is an area displaying plaques of every state and its tree. Did you know that Maryland's state tree, the white oak, was chosen to commemorate the 300-year-old "Wye Oak" which has been recognized as the largest white oak in the nation? The Wye Oak's offspring have even been planted in the Arboretum! A short walk away from the grove sits the old entrance to the Arboretum; it was interesting to look across from the entrance at the vista that would greet past visitors. Even though we were in the heart of D.C., there was green landscape as far as you could see. It truly felt as if we had been transported to the countryside, not walking in the nation's capital!
We then headed for the Anacostia River, stopping outside of a copse of magnolia trees on the way. One by one, our group stepped between the branches and quickly disappeared underneath the trees. When I finally made it into the trees myself, I was amazed to find our entire group gathered inside them! The large limbs of the magnolias created a little hideaway for anyone who knew where to look. After (reluctantly) leaving the fairytale-esque magnolia hideout, we walked over to a picnic area beside the Anacostia. The group gathered and chatted for some time, appreciating the river running alongside the Arboretum.
We continued on, looping around and walking through a forest, across wooden bridges, and finally out into the sunlight near the old Capitol Columns. These columns, completed in 1826, were once a part of the east central portico of the U.S. Capitol until renovations in 1958. Now they rest at the Arboretum, providing quite a sight to those who venture to see them. It was almost eerie to see the columns standing alone in the middle of the grass, and they certainly made for a great photo op.
Everyone was sad to see the hike come to an end as we walked through the herb garden and approached the visitor center. I've lived in this area for 20 years, but this was my first time ever exploring the U.S. National Arboretum. Thinking back to our great day, I know that our Sunday adventure will not be my last visit there!
Thank you to Gabriele Ludwig, Frank Wodarczyk, and Paul Elliott for leading our hike!
Check out the Sierra Club calendar to see what else we'll be up to this summer: http://www.sierraclub.org/maryland/calendar