Groundhog's Day at Great Falls National Park

02/02/2020 --  Groundhog's Day.

There's a long tradition in the little town of Punxsutawney in west-central Pennsylvania, where people in 18th century black top hats and black coats wait for the groundhog to emerge from his burrow. According to Stormfax.com, "when German settlers (Pennsylvania Dutch) arrived in the 1700s, they brought a tradition known as Candlemas Day, which has an early origin in the pagan celebration of Imbolc. It came at the mid-point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox."

The long-awaited prediction this year is for an early spring, as Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow and decided to venture further outdoors on Sunday.

In northern Virginia, the temperature was in the high 40s/lower 50s, sunny with a light breeze. Not one to spend a beautiful day inside, I decided to venture over to Great Falls National Park in Maryland, about 10 miles north of the Maryland/DC line. The good weather was enough to bring other humans out of their dens, too. Despite the previous day's rain, the ground was very walkable. And, it led to a fast flowing Potomac River. 

The video below captures a little of my experience that day. I hope it inspires you to get out there and visit a nearby park. Enjoy!