Soapstone Valley Park

I’m fortunate enough to live in a space with a balcony that overlooks Soapstone Valley Park, so I get to enjoy the views daily. I seriously love this little area of forestation.
There are two entrances to hike paths in Soapstone Valley, and the hike is a fairly easy one and safe. The park is clean, aside from moderate litter at the entrances, and the sounds of the stream echo throughout the space, and luckily for me, up into my apartment when the windows are open.
The hike through Soapstone Valley can lead to an area to hop into Rock Creek for more hiking, or just straight through the park itself to the other entrance. The existence of this park is part of the perk of living in the Van Ness area as it provides a huge dose of nature and solitude right next to busy Connecticut Ave.

It’s a GREAT trail hidden back behind Van Ness. It’s perfect for a quick hike, morning jog, or as a way to get back to Beach Drive and what I call the «big» Rock Creek Park. I love taking my dog back here. It’s quiet, a little challenging in spots — lots of hills and not too many people.

A sweet little park that is endangered. There is talk of partial destruction to repair pipes. They might have to build a road through the park to make the repairs.

4.25 stars.
I liked it a lot! It was just after a heavy rain when I went, which I think is why portions were fairly hard to navigate. Take care not to slip and take your time. You can get some nice inner city nature shots on this trail and I barely saw anyone else. A good way to feel isolated even though you are never truly that far from a metro or bus. Interesting. I would do it again if I were not moving out of DC soon, but glad I did before I move. Hike this once while living in DC, at least!

Small, but serene trail. There are two entrances near the Van Ness Metro; which can get a bit confusing as the marking isn’t great. Just follow the stream. There’s some moderately difficult rocky areas, and after rainfall it can get a little tough to navigate as the trail crosses the stream several times. Despite being surrounded by residential areas, the valley is deep enough that you can’t hear or see them much. The unusual rocks and plant life provide a slightly different aesthetic than the rest of Rock Creek Park.
It’s a very nice place; a good start to a longer hike as it ends on Beach Drive and the accompanying trails along Rock Creek. Word of warning: the end of the trail requires you to walk on a road a bit to get to anything else in Rock Creek Park. Stay cautious there; there isn’t much space.

Great hike in the middle of the city. Easily accessible from the Van Ness metro station. Good hike for beginners to moderate hikers.