Bike Trails in the Washington, DC Area
Mount Vernon Trail: It’s a very scenic trail that runs along the Potomac River to George Washington’s estate at Mount Vernon. This Trail takes bicyclists, joggers and hikers from Roosevelt Island near Key Bridge to George Washington’s home in Mount Vernon (now Fairfax County), Va. This trail passes through Washington Monuments. It also connects to Rock Creek Trail to the north and the C&O Canal Towpath and Capital Crescent Trail to the northwest.
Rock Creek Trail: The scenic and popular trail winds 25 miles from the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. to LakeNeedwoodPark in Montgomery County, Md. The DC side of this trail is narrow, yet it gets congested on the weekend by cyclists and other foot traffic. The Maryland side (Montgomery County) of the trail is less congested, wider, and better maintained than the DC section, although it is open to car traffic. Sights on the bike trail include the National Zoo and the EquestrianCenter at the CandyCaneCity playground.
C&O Canal Towpath: the 184-mile C&O Canal Towpath serves both cycling and hiking interests in the Washington area. This trails runs from Washington DC all the way to Cumberland, MD. The surface of the towpath contains clay and crushed stone. Short trips are recommended for beginners.
Capital Crescent Trail: One of the DC area’s newest and best trail, the Capital Crescent, combines wonderful views, memorable bridges, a tunnel and a thick green forest environment with the area’s smoothest surface. It starts in Georgetown at the western end of Water Street N.W. The first three miles offers some wonderful views as it follows the Potomac River and the C & O Canal. After that, you cross Canal Road and heads north through some really up scale neighborhoods. The paved trail abruptly ends at Bethesda Ave., about 2 blocks west of Wisconsin Ave. Once you arrive Bethesda, you can pass through the Wisconsin Avenue Tunnel and continue westward on the Capital Crescent’s Georgetown Branch Trail.
Washington & Old Dominion Trail: One of the Washington area’s great bicycling resources, this 45 mile paved path takes bicyclists through Northern Virginia west from Shirlington Village in Arlington to Purcellville, just nine miles east of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The trail once sat on old railroad lines. It’s is one of the country’s most popular and successful rail-trails and one of the most heavily used parks in Virginia. If you’re planning to ride the entire trail, your total round trip distance will be a whopping 90 Miles.
Custis Trail: an extension of the Mount Vernon Trail, This 4 mile paved trail connects the W&OD trail with downtown Washington DC.
Washington, Baltimore, and Annapolis Trail: From Glen Dale to Annapolis, the WB&A Trail corridor stretches more than 20 miles and provides an integral link for a 50-mile trail system in both Anne Arundel and Prince George’s Counties. The 5.6-mile trail from Route 450 in Glenn Dale, running northeasterly to the PatuxentRiver, includes five bridge crossings, two tunnel crossings, and two at-grade intersections.
Anacostia Tributary Trail System: It is a series of seven different trails that connect at various intersections along the many tributaries of the AnacostiaRiver, winding through the woods, fields and wetlands of the Anacostia Headwaters. However, there are virtually no trail markers on the entire route, so keep track of where you are! The trail also passes LakeArtemesia, a man-made lake created by Metro; the College ParkAirport and Museum, and Adelphi Mill.
