This short out and back hike is about as good as it get's so close to the D.C. Metro area. Winding over two ridges before arriving at the Raven Rocks wall, you gain over 1,500 feet of altitude in total. As you can see from the elevation profile, this one can be a good workout.

With Saturday in the upper 50's, we managed to make this hike in t-shirts, instead of the fleeces we usually wear this time of year. And with spring not to far away, days like these make you want to head further west to hike in the larger mountains of West Virginia and western Virginia.

The view from Raven Rocks is one of the best in the area. This is also a popular area with rock climbers, as it can be accessed by a road 0.4 miles from the east.  With some of the rockiest trails in the area, make sure to wear sturdy footwear.