I rode this trail with my girlfriend on a Friday evening starting from around the intersection of routes 1 and 120, in Alexandria, VA and it was wonderful. Here is the link to my ride stats and map generated by my Garmin Edge 500 computer: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/106009753

I think because it was Friday and in the evening, there were fewer people on the trail compared to weekends and the more northern section closer to D.C. (which generally has lots of varied traffic - walkers, kids, pets, super fast bike racers, and so on). The last two miles heading into Mt. Vernon are mostly uphill and some areas like the last few hundred yards reached about a 7% grade, so drop to your lowest easy gears and keep peddling! The 0-mile marker is located as you enter into parking area slightly obscured by trees from the visitor center where you can buy refreshments and use the rest room (highly recommended). Along the trail you will find several other "sanitary" facilities for mother nature's call, but the two we visited (one traveling south, the other on our way north) were a bit stenchy in the hot summer weather.

We loved the steep hilly inclines of the last three miles because you can pick up good speed to the point that it makes getting up the next hill a lot easier if you can keep your momentum up. Personally, I found it easier to climb the hills by keeping my cadence closer to 100 so that the bike did more work than my body. It takes a lot of shifting, but it pays off. The varied surfaces combine greatly different scenery as you ride along the picturesque Potomac, over boardwalks in swampy sections into densely wooded areas, and through upscale neighborhoods. Old Town is quaint and very pleasant - just watch for peds and cars!

I'd also suggest you eat a high protein diet several hours before riding this one - you'll need the energy. Bring as much water as you can and stay hydrated. A protein bar at the end is a great way to re-fuel for the ride back. When leaving Mt. Vernon, heading north, you'll enjoy the downhill portions immensely as they offer more recuperation time needed to make it the rest of the way...

Two Thumbs Up for this trail!

Rode out and back on a nice but cool fall day. The Washington end was very crowded with joggers bikers and walkers. as we progressed eastward the crowd thinned out to a more acceptable level. Most people were courteous with the exception of the wannabe Lance's who past on turns and with oncoming bikes and pedestrians giving the rest a bad name. With this trail this was unacceptable due to the crowd. Most joggers seemed to be totally absorbed with their ear plugs shoved deep into their ears to the point of not hearing you but they were at least to the sides so passing was not an issue.

This trail is a marvel of engineering. It has variety, goes through dense wooded areas, along the Potomac, around the National Airport, through Old Town Alexandria, across from the National Mall, and has breathtaking views all along the way, from Rosslyn to Mt. Vernon. The trail is well paved, clearly marked and beautifully maintained. There are several rest stations with water (when they are working) every few miles. But, be warned, on weekends it is crowded with weekend athletes, pedestrians, kids, and worst of all, wannabe Lance Armstrongs in their obnoxious spandex outfits, racing along the trail, making it an often dangerous and tricky place to ride. These men and women have little regard for others, display a complete lack of trail etiquette, and speed much faster than they have any business to on such a popular path. I live in Alexandria and make a point of staying away on weekends. But mornings on weekdays are wonderful.

This trail is a very nice ride. It has terriffic views of the Potomac River. There are a number of picture stops. It is a mild challenge, a little hilly. Visiting Mount Vernon makes the ride worth it. I would recommend the trail, just not on a weekend. On Saturdays and Sundays the trail is busy with walkers, joggers and families, some with pets along. This sharing should not present a challenge to riders just sightseeing. However, the Lance wannabes make the ride or walk dangerous. The overall etiquette of the DC area riders is poor to non-existent. Only one in ten would announce their presence when overtaking you. A near head-on collision really increased the heart rate. While allowing for some walkers to pass each other before my wife and I could safely pass them, (single file) a rider came around a bend and out of a tree lined protion of the trail speeding directly at all of us. The walkers scattered, leaving me to face him head-on. I went left, he swerved onto the grassy area. The walkers converged to him, telling him that he was travelling too fast.
There were numerous brush-bys from other speeding riders that made the overall experience a little uncomfortable.

I recently rode the trail from washington to mt. vernon and back. The first few miles out of washington were ok. The spot at the end of the runway by the airport was pretty neat. When I got to Alexandria, I found the trail confusing and poorly marked. I rode through town and picked up the trail south of town. From there on I found the trail not your average rail trail level. There was an especially steep hill at the end of trail up to Mt.Vernon. Also you have to be paying attention, the trail is narrow and there were plenty of Lance wannabes

We spent two days riding the Mount Vernon trail. We were staying in Alexandria and rode the northern part the first day. The trail is well marked and easy to follow. The views along the river are beautiful. Unfortunately, I am a recreational rider and I was in fear for my life for most of the northern portion of this trail. There are many twists and turns which would have been fun except the trail was very crowded and the Lance Armstrong wanna-be's were weaving in and out so quickly you had to be on guard at all times. It was hard to enjoy the trail and views because you had to constantly be concerned about meeting someone head on or someone passing you. We saw a pretty serious accident with someone being taken away on a body board with neck brace and bloody face. The second day started out much better with fewer people on the southern end of the trail. Again the views were beautiful along the Potomac River and the trail was very well marked and well kept. The problem I had on the southern end was there are several serious hills to climb! We had already purchased tickets for Mount Vernon and I really wanted to be there for the 4th of July. If not, I probably would have turned around and not finished the trail to Mount Vernon. The last mile is all up hill. But that's ok - when the hill gets too steep, get off and walk that bike for a while. There is no shame in that! The trip back to Alexandria was much easier and enjoyable. Even though the hills were tough on the southern end I enjoyed the ride more because the trail wasn't as crowded. Overall it was a great ride with beautiful scenery.

I just started using this trail. It is a really good trail for a walk or even a bike ride. Just be aware if the more experienced bikers if you are just beginning they are really good at letting you know when they are passing you but they pass by usually kind of fast. It is really beautiful along the southern part of the trail as you are right there along the river, so take some time to just relax and take in the view.

Rode the trail on the first day of fall. Weather was great. Temperature about 70 degrees and the humidity was low. Started at the Mount Vernon end of the trail. Parking was free and easy to find. The trail starts at the north end of the east parking lot. An extension is in progress to bring the trail pretty much to the front entrance of Mount Vernon. The trail is mostly in the shade and pretty scenic. The portion through Alexandria is well marked along Union St. However,it has moderate to heavy vehicle traffic. Take a break to eat at Gadsby's Tavern. Located three blocks up from Union St. on Cameron St. at the corner of Cameron and Royal Sts. Washington did'nt sleep here but,he did eat here. Along with Thomas Jefferson and others. Another good site is Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary¿ at the corner of King St. and Faifax St.,two blocks up from Union St. The only negative on the trail were the Lance Armstrong wanna-be's. You know,the one's with a fancy bike and spandex outfits. On the weekends and holidays,these folks use the trail like it is a velodrome. It is bad enough riding a wide trail with these guys. But, on this trail with the narrowness,trees and curvy route it is deadly.

We racked up our bikes in Connecticut and headed to the DC area and this trail for the Memorial Day Weekend. The Mount Vernon Trail was on our "to do" list for a while and it didn't disappoint! The weather was great, the trees were in bloom, and the sky was blue. We rode from Rosslyn to Alexandria and back and enjoyed the monument sites in DC from along the Potomac on the Virginia side. I suggest you walk your bike on the narrow highway overpass and the very narrow single lane highway underpass. You will find some hard chargers in both areas that insist on riding through and look at you disparagingly. Just stare them down, it’s a public bike path! On the flip side, we stopped twice to make some bike adjustments and tighten shoe laces. Both times more courteous riders called out to make sure we were OK and ask if we needed help! I love Southern hospitality! Just outside Alexandria and around the corner from a bike shop was a deli with great sandwiches. Of course, in Old Alexandria there are countless restaurants and bike racks if you want to stroll on the dock and shop. Riding on the docks is not allowed. The trail path is paved and can be a bit narrow, but it is very enjoyable. Set your own pace. There are riders of all levels, from tots on training wheels to Olympic wanna-be’s. We had a great ride.

We racked up our bikes in Connecticut and headed to the DC area and this trail for the Memorial Day Weekend. The Mount Vernon Trail was on out "to do" list for a while and it didn't disappoint! The weather was great, the trees were in bloom, and the sky was blue. We rode from Rosslyn to Alexandria and back, enjoyed the monument sites in DC from along the Potomac on the Virginia side. I suggest you walk your the bike on the narrow highway overpass and the very narrow single lane highway underpass. You will find some hard chargers in both areas that insist on riding through and look at you disparagingly. Just stare them down, it’s a public bike path! On the flip side, we stopped twice to make some bike adjustments and tighten shoe laces. Both time more courteous riders called out to make sure we were OK and ask if we needed help! I love Southern hospitality! Just outside Alexandria and around the corner from a bike shop was a deli with great sandwiches. Of course, in Old Alexandria there are countless restaurants and bike racks if you want to stroll on the dock and shop. Riding on the docks is not allowed. The trail path is paved and can be a bit narrow, but it is very enjoyable. Set your own pace. There are riders of all levels, from tots on training wheels to Olympic wanna-be’s. We had a great ride.

"A very scenic trail.

Only tricky parts are the high traffic areas around Alexandria, you may encounter some pretty annoying bikers on busy days.

The detour through Old Town is a scenic but out of the way.

Overall a beautiful ride."

This was my first time riding the trail. I parked at Daingerfield Island and rode over to the Washington Monument. My next trip I want to go up to the Key Bridge. This is an awesome trail. I had a great time. Email me with any questions.