On Saturday, Amy and I joined the Summer Hiking Smallgroup at church to trek up to the Billy Goat Trail (section A), just off the C&O Canal Towpath near Great Falls. The trail is a definite challenge for the beginning hiker: very rough, with lots of clambering over fissured rocks and even a bit of wall climbing at certain points. (If you can call a 45° slope of rock a “wall.”) The challenge of the trail is worth the great views you get of the Potomac River. (I’m proud to say that my fiancée handled the hike perfectly, and managed the rocks almost like a pro.) There was lots of life, too: we found a tiny little baby toad, a newt, several freaky gypsy moth nests, dragonflies, a few turtles, a deer near the C&O, and even a couple of turkey vultures in a tree. And after the hike, we went over to Olmsted Island to see Great Falls from the Overlook.

A selection of photos follows, and you can see the full Billy Goat Trail and Great Falls photoset here.