Natural Happenings: Full Moon, Devils, and More...

Our calendar of events for this week is a little lighter than usual. Not only is Saturday Halloween, but clocks turn back an hour on Sunday -- I'm guessing the 8 AM birdwatching trips won't be too popular this Sunday morning. Instead, our weekend picks:

How about kicking off the Halloween weekend with a nighttime hike along the C&O Canal? The moon will be nearly full. Meet the Capital Hiking Club in the parking lot across from Old Angler's Inn at 8:30 p.m. on Friday night and see what spooky things you will come across. Or just enjoy the moonlight on the water.

On Saturday, the Center Hiking Club is going to the aptly-named Little Devil's Stairs. There's a long, steep climb at the beginning, but that same steepness contributes to a beautiful hike. It's 8 miles total. To complete the Halloween aura, the trip description also notes that you'll pass by a graveyard on the hike. $2 for non-members. Meets 9 am at the Vienna Metro. Contact: Russ, (703) 860-6735.

If these don't appeal, there are several other hikes and events on the calendar. Now get outside -- we'll see you out there!

Like the photos in this post? Mouse over for credits; a click takes you to the photographer on Flickr.