Find the top rated trails in Chantilly, whether you're looking an easy walking path or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
Burke VRE Trail lies within Pohick Stream Valley Park and provides an important commuting and recreational corridor, connecting a shopping center, residential neighborhoods, and a Virginia Railway...
Detour notice: As of Sept. 5, 2017, a 3.5-mile section between Woodmont Avenue in Bethesda and Talbot Avenue in Silver Spring at the northeastern tip of the Capital Crescent Trail (also known as the...
The separated multi-use Rosewick Road Sidepath provides a direct link for both recreation and transportation between the southern Maryland communities of St. Charles and La Plata. The path runs...
The Rappahannock River Heritage Trail offers a pleasant, paved route in the center of Fredericksburg with beautiful views of the Rappahannock River. Part of the trail winds through Old Mill Park,...
The Carl Henn Millennium Trail is Rockville's bicycle beltway. The 10-mile trail creates a circle around the city, providing a safe and convenient way to get around town or enjoy a leisurely...
Cameron Station Linear Park is the quintessential neighborhood trail. Located in Alexandria, a suburb of Washington, D.C., it offers a pleasant paved pathway frequented by joggers, dog walkers,...
The Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park (a.k.a. C&O Canal Towpath) follows the route of the Potomac River for 184.5 miles between Georgetown in Washington, D.C., and Cumberland, Maryland....
The Linton Hall Road Trail runs parallel to its namesake—also signed as State Route 619—in western Prince William County. More utilitarian than scenic, the trail acts as a transportation route for...
The Patuxent Branch Trail is part of a 20-mile trail system over and around the rolling hills of Howard County that follows a former Baltimore and Ohio Railroad line along the Patuxent River. The...
Following the route of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad's Metropolitan Branch rail line, the Met Branch Trail is a busy urban rail-with-trail that shares a corridor with Metro's Red Line, MARC commuter...
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The Cross County Trail is a multi-use trail that generally follows the various stream valleys in Fairfax County, Virginia. Some sections are wheelchair/mobility scooter accessible but not all...
Like its name suggests, this is a circular pedestrian and bike trail in Winchester, Virginia. A popular trail, the trails appeal lies not just in its lovely landscaping, or simply as a welcoming space...
Providing an important urban link between the Crystal City area of Arlington and the western edge of historical Alexandria, the Potomac Yard Trail is a huge boon to the area for commuting as well as...
This rail-with-trail bridge crosses the Potomac River near its confluence with the Shenandoah River, at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. A cantilevered section of the bridge allows pedestrian access...
Annapolis' Poplar Trail runs for nearly 1 mile on a section of the old Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis right-of-way in the heart of Maryland's capital city. Although short, the trail is a vital part...
The Fairfax County Parkway Trail parallels Fairfax County Parkway/State Route 286 on its route across Fairfax County, Virginia. While the paved trail varies in width and condition, most of the trail...
Running parallel to Beulah Street from Franconia to Fort Belvoir in southeast Fairfax County, the paved Beulah Street Sidepath provides a link to numerous neighborhoods along its route. A parallel...
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Rock Creek Trail forms a winding path, at times narrow, through the urban greenway of Rock Creek Regional Park. The trail extends between Needwood Lake northeast of Rockville, MD, and the Washington,...
The Anacostia Tributary Trail System includes a number of trails linked together and managed by the National Park Service. The trail include: the Anacostia River Trail, the Northwest Branch Trail, the...
Located in the northwest section of Washington, D.C., Rock Creek Park is the oldest and largest urban park in the national park system. Established in 1890, Rock Creek offers more than 1,700 acres of...
Following the route of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad's Metropolitan Branch rail line, the Met Branch Trail is a busy urban rail-with-trail that shares a corridor with Metro's Red Line, MARC commuter...
The Rappahannock River Heritage Trail offers a pleasant, paved route in the center of Fredericksburg with beautiful views of the Rappahannock River. Part of the trail winds through Old Mill Park,...
The Woodrow Wilson Bridge Trail provides a superb link between Alexandria, VA, and Maryland's National Harbor over the Potomac River. This well-used trail crosses on the up-river side of the bridge...
The Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park (a.k.a. C&O Canal Towpath) follows the route of the Potomac River for 184.5 miles between Georgetown in Washington, D.C., and Cumberland, Maryland....
Rock Creek Trail forms a winding path, at times narrow, through the urban greenway of Rock Creek Regional Park. The trail extends between Needwood Lake northeast of Rockville, MD, and the Washington,...
Although it parallels Eisenhower Avenue, this paved pathway is not without its charms. On its west end, Alexandria's Eisenhower Avenue Trail begins in Hensley Park, which offers plentiful parking and...
The Carl Henn Millennium Trail is Rockville's bicycle beltway. The 10-mile trail creates a circle around the city, providing a safe and convenient way to get around town or enjoy a leisurely...
The Grist Mill Trail at Patapsco Valley State Park course for 2.5 miles through the heavily wooded park between Ilchester Road and Lost Lake. The trail is gentle and wheelchair accessible. It passes...
The Custis Trail is a popular urban route that links Virginia's D.C. suburbs with the District itself, connecting to both the W&OD Railroad Regional Park Trail at the latter's 4-mile marker and the...
The Lake Mercer Loop Trail wraps around Lake Mercer in Fairfax and is slightly over five miles in length. From the Lake Mercer Loop Trail you can hop on to the South Run Trail, or the Burke Lake Loop...
The Suitland Parkway trail is a short paved multi-use path that runs adjacent to Suitland Parkway in SE D.C. to the border with Maryland. Proposed construction may extend the trail to the Branch...
The Savage Mill Trail in Savage Park travels along the rolling Patuxent River through the grounds of an old cotton mill. In the early 1800s, Savage was a major manufacturing center, harnessing power...
This rail-with-trail bridge crosses the Potomac River near its confluence with the Shenandoah River, at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. A cantilevered section of the bridge allows pedestrian access...
The Mary Washington Hospital Trail runs along the southeast border of the hospital center, proving a pleasant stroll or gentle bike ride for hospital visitors and patients.
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Maryland is home to two Paint Branch Trails, this one in Montgomery County and another farther south in Prince George's County. This Paint Branch Trail offers a well-shaded, paved pathway...
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The Washington & Old Dominion Trail (W&OD) is one of suburban Washington, D.C.'s most popular rail-trails. The heavily used trail is frequented by commuters and recreationists alike, and is a...
If you are looking to augment your physical workout with some intellectual exercise, look no further than the Baltimore & Annapolis Trail. The scenic, paved, 13-mile community trail is brimming with...
Tucked in the meandering, wooded hills of the sprawling yet understated multimillion-dollar estates of Great Falls, just outside Washington, D.C., is the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historic...
Cameron Station Linear Park is the quintessential neighborhood trail. Located in Alexandria, a suburb of Washington, D.C., it offers a pleasant paved pathway frequented by joggers, dog walkers,...
The Anacostia Riverwalk Trail is an important component of the transportation network in the nation's capital and a priority project under President Obama's America's Great Outdoors initiative. The...
When complete the Catonsville Short Line Trail will follow a 2.5-mile segment of the former Catonsville Short Line Railroad, which ran from Charlestown to Catonsville. As of 2013, the trail runs...
The Four Mile Run Trail traverses the Four Mile Run stream valley and has many twists and turns, not to mention steep sections (mercifully short). The trail more or less parallels the popular W&OD...
Detour notice: As of Sept. 5, 2017, a 3.5-mile section between Woodmont Avenue in Bethesda and Talbot Avenue in Silver Spring at the northeastern tip of the Capital Crescent Trail (also known as the...
Cameron Station Linear Park is the quintessential neighborhood trail. Located in Alexandria, a suburb of Washington, D.C., it offers a pleasant paved pathway frequented by joggers, dog walkers,...
Providing an important urban link between the Crystal City area of Arlington and the western edge of historical Alexandria, the Potomac Yard Trail is a huge boon to the area for commuting as well as...
The Bethesda Trolley Trail—also known as the North Bethesda Trail—is a 4-mile path linking Bethesda and North Bethesda, primarily by bridging two major highways. The trail occupies the abandoned...
The Rappahannock River Heritage Trail offers a pleasant, paved route in the center of Fredericksburg with beautiful views of the Rappahannock River. Part of the trail winds through Old Mill Park,...
The #8 Streetcar Path runs just a short distance (0.33 mile) along part of the route of the former streetcar system that once ran between Catonsville and Ellicott City. The streetcar operated from...
Like its name suggests, this is a circular pedestrian and bike trail in Winchester, Virginia. A popular trail, the trails appeal lies not just in its lovely landscaping, or simply as a welcoming space...
The Gwynns Falls Trail is a 15-mile continuous corridor connecting dozens of west and southwest Baltimore neighborhoods with parks, historical and cultural landmarks and the urban business district....
The 18-mile Mount Vernon Trail is one of the Washington, D.C. Metro area's most popular trails. Just across the Potomac River from D.C. in Virginia, the trail links Theodore Roosevelt Island Park with...
The Dahlgren Railroad Heritage Trail (DRHT) is currently a private-use trail only, which means a permit is required to use it. Friends of the DRHT are working to create public access to the trail,...
Situated midway between the nation’s capital and the Virginia capital of Richmond, the Virginia Central Railway Trail will one day offer more than 30 miles of trail from downtown Fredericksburg west...
The Custis Trail is a popular urban route that links Virginia's D.C. suburbs with the District itself, connecting to both the W&OD Railroad Regional Park Trail at the latter's 4-mile marker and the...
Following the route of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad's Metropolitan Branch rail line, the Met Branch Trail is a busy urban rail-with-trail that shares a corridor with Metro's Red Line, MARC commuter...
This short sidepath parallels Herndon Parkway on the eastern edge of Herndon in Northern Virginia. Much of the trail is the width of a standard sidewalk, and it includes crosswalks and curb-cuts at...
<p>The Long Branch Trail is a neighborhood trail tracing the Long Branch Creek beginning at its confluence with Sligo Creek in Takoma Park, to Piney Branch Road in Long Branch. The trail is an...
The first thing you may notice about the Trolly Line #9 Trail is the boardwalk that curves between the bluffs of massive rock. The granite was hand cut in the 1890s when the electric streetcar rails...
Central Maryland's WB&A Trail occupies an abandoned Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway corridorhence its namefor its entire route. The railroad operated electric commuter trains...
The Woodrow Wilson Bridge Trail provides a superb link between Alexandria, VA, and Maryland's National Harbor over the Potomac River. This well-used trail crosses on the up-river side of the bridge...
today I did the first time the B&A trail with my wife. We cycled starting up by the Baltimore Airport and traveled all the way down to the trail and not realizing that you can actually continue on a cross over into Annapolis. That said the trail has gentle gradients and for Monday was amazingly busy just Beware of the crowds but it is a quick SafeRide plenty of rest stops and a beautiful environment.
I parked today at the St. Mary's County Welcome Center and got on the trail near there, just a block away. There are only a few parking spaces there. More parking is available at the Northern Senior Center, a little further north (29655 Charlotte Hall Rd).
I rode 8 miles south on the trail, to John V. Baggett Park. The trail is smooth and quite wide for a bike trail. It's actually wide enough for a vehicle, and I did see one Amish buggy going down the trail. I didn't know that there were Amish communities in Maryland.
There are a couple of spot-a-pots along that section of the trail.
I'm new to this app. It looks good but only shows nearby parking. How about those who can only come to bike trail via train or bus. Maybe useful to have nearest metro stops. ( or the number bus that runs by, though maybe that would be more difficult ). At least nearest metro would be helpful. Thanks.
Many years ago I lived on Bragers Rd. The trail at that time was not paved & not maintained by the county. We used a tractor with a blade to plow out in the winter. Some of my family resides in one of the houses between Patuxent & Conway Roads. Reason I am mentioning is that the trail at that point is also a private driveway. They don't live in a McMansion, they live on a farm that has been in their family for 5 generations. Please know that they have to use the trail to get to their homes.
That all being said, I love the trail. My husband & I are getting back into casual bike riding. The trail is very level with only one spot that is a little challenging but we are getting better. It is amazing how different it is now. There were a lot of man hours that went into clearing the trail. We also love the new parking at Patuxent Road. Very convenient to head either North or South. Finally, a great project using tax money!
If you're okay with riding along side traffic, and stopping at red lights, then this "trail" might be for you. The local commuters don't appear to be very bike friendly. After hubby almost got hit by a car when we had the blinking right of way, and the next car almost clipped me, we turned around and left the "trail". Perhaps it is better done by foot. A lot of hills, not flat. Paved and concrete sidewalk. The park is nice, but cyclists are not permitted to ride around it. We chose to explore Shenandoah University by bike, and may returns to this path as walkers instead of cycling. Maybe you'd like this circle, but it is not for us. Happy Trails!
It is a wide sidewalk with plenty of room to pass people. It is smooth and very stroller friendly. The traffic along side it can be very busy and loud. There are a few larger hills.
I would not rate this a hike since it is paved. We choose this because my husband is in a shoulder sling and it had been raining hard the few days previous, so we needed on easy walk. Starting at the Avalon area, near Lost Lake, we completed the 2.2 mike trail each way. Along the trail there are interesting ruins from train bridges, the trail parallels an active train track for a lot of it. There are also the ruins of a flour mill and dam. The most fun for us were the swing bridges. One over the river that you can cross to go to a rest area and another at the end of the trail. They were fun as they move while your crossing. We went on a Sunday and there were a lot of people using the trail and camping, tubing, wading in the water along the trail. Will go again to hike some of the unsaved trails in the beautiful Patapsco Park.
Date: August, 2017. Riders 63 year old man and women. So that you know our skill level, my wife and I usually ride 15 – 20 miles without any problem. Often we ride the W&OD from route 28 north, the Custis trail, the Mount Vernon trail (both upper and lower), Four Mile Run…..
This trail is not what I expected after reading the description and reviews.
The Good: The trail is mostly covered with trees so the ride – even on a sunny day – is cool. There are many brooks and foliage as well as deer to see. It was not crowded on the Sunday afternoon when we went. There are many cross trails you can take and many parks along the way. The trail is very well marked and easy to follow. Steep grades are marked so rides riders can prepare. A great cardio workout.
The Bad: This trail is covered in asphalt, but it is not the smooth asphalt. The asphalt has tiny rocks in it providing a very bumpy ride. The trail has many parts where tree roots have broken the asphalt and the soil below is showing through – it has not been maintained. It has many hills and dales with some hills make “steep grade” – which was absolutely true – some were very difficult to get up. There are many blind curves.
Recently back into riding along with the family and have done 6 different trails over the past month or so. This trail is diverse enough around the loop to push the beginner or intermediate rider. Unlike other reviewers, I have not found the loop to be trashy or congested and the trails along the roadways is not a problem at all. Nice way to knock off 12 miles in a relatively short period.
The BWI is a local amenity. It's a super sized fitness trail. Think of it that way and you'll be pleased. If you compare it to a "destination trail," you'll be disappointed.
At 65yrs old, I am rekindling my riding skills. Went in at Glenn Dale Splash Park and rode 5.5 miles up towards Bowie State. Great ride. Maintenance was trimming and mowing and blocked some parts but mostly easy to navigate around. Path is relatively flat with some long inclines and declines. I rode from 10-11 and had good shade in many parts of trail. Enjoyable ride. I'll go back.
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