Find the top rated trails in Jefferson, 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.
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 Ox Road Sidepath is a paved trail that runs parallel to Ox Road/State Route 123 in Fairfax County. The trail runs from George Mason University's main Fairfax campus to just south of the former...
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...
Although less than two miles long, the Meadowlark Connector Trail provides a terrific link between the Meadowlark Botanical Gardens and the popular W&OD Trail. The trail meets the W&OD in Vienna;...
The Anacostia River Trail begins in Cottage City, Maryland, at the split of the Anacostia River into its northeast and northwest branches. Those traveling south on either the Northeast Branch Trail or...
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Prince George's County's Paint Branch Trail (not to be confused with Montgomery County's Paint Branch Trail farther north) runs for 3.5 miles between Lake Artemesia and Cherry Hill Neighborhood Park...
Downs Park Trail is located in Downs Park on the Chesapeake Bay just north of Gibson Island. The 3.5-mile perimeter trail is paved, popular for walkers and cyclists alike, and an additional 1.5 miles...
The MacArthur Boulevard Bike Path follows the winding road through the communities of Bethesda and Potomac, just north of Washington, DC. Along the way, the path passes shops in Cabin John and Glen...
Southern Maryland's Three Notch Trail is a work-in-progress under the guidance of St. Mary's County and other stakeholders. When complete, the recreational trail will extend 28 miles along an...
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 Bluemont Junction Trail is a short paved trail that branches off from the popular Washington and Old Dominion Trail (W&OD) in the heart of Arlington. The trail was built on a spur line that once...
Black Hill Trail offers a wooded trek with gentle inclines through Black Hill Regional Park in Boyds, Maryland, just outside of Washington, DC. The trail is primarily paved, though a short section in...
Opened in 2009, the short Lord Fairfax Community College Connector Trail extends from the parking lot of the junior college to its temporary endpoint in a scenic wildlife area. Eventually, an extended...
The Henson Creek Trail is located in the southwestern portion of Prince George's County, Maryland, and connects the growing District of Columbia suburbs of Fort Washington and Oxon Hill with 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,...
The Northeast Branch Trail follows the levee along theyou guessed itNortheast Branch of the Anacostia River from the Lake Artemesia Natural Area to Baltimore Avenue/US 1 (south of Hyattsville). The...
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...
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...
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...
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Maryland's Indian Creek Trail is one of the shorter components of the Anacostia Tributary Trail System, but it serves as a vital link between the town of Berwyn Heights, Maryland, and scenic Lake...
The MacArthur Boulevard Bike Path follows the winding road through the communities of Bethesda and Potomac, just north of Washington, DC. Along the way, the path passes shops in Cabin John and Glen...
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...
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...
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 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 Mount Airy Rail-Trail will one day span nearly 4 miles across the town of Mount Airy and through a scenic, wooded area. The first completed section of the trail covers a half mile and is surfaced...
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...
The Henson Creek Trail is located in the southwestern portion of Prince George's County, Maryland, and connects the growing District of Columbia suburbs of Fort Washington and Oxon Hill with the...
The Stringfellow Road Sidepath runs for three miles through Chantilly and Centreville in Northern Virginia's Fairfax County. The asphalt and concrete trail connects multiple neighborhoods to various...
<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 Rappahannock Canal Walk follows the old towpath along the disused canal just northwest of downtown Fredericksburg. The path follows a winding course past old suburban back yards and through a...
The Bluemont Junction Trail is a short paved trail that branches off from the popular Washington and Old Dominion Trail (W&OD) in the heart of Arlington. The trail was built on a spur line that once...
The 3-mile separated multi-use path along Middletown Road allows for safe recreation and transportation along the western side of Waldorf, Maryland. The trail begins just south of State Route 228 and...
The Marvin Gaye Trail offers a paved pathway through the Deanwood, Burville, Lincoln Heights, and Hillbrook neighborhoods of Washington, DC. Just shy of 2 miles, it runs from Minnesota Avenue NE, near...
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...
Baltimore’s Herring Run Trail runs through scenic Herring Run Park, centered on a tributary of the Back River. The winding trail follows Herring Run through a woodlands environment so peaceful you're...
Baltimore’s Stony Run Trail follows an old Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad line through nearly 3 miles of wooded stream valleys and small parks, providing a quiet escape from the hustle and bustle...
When complete, the Jones Falls Trail will extend 10 miles between Baltimore's Inner Harbor and the Mount Washington Light Rail Station. Currently, a paved, off-road section runs from Cylburn...
Southern Maryland's Three Notch Trail is a work-in-progress under the guidance of St. Mary's County and other stakeholders. When complete, the recreational trail will extend 28 miles along an...
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...
The White’s Mill Trail provides a scenic route through wetlands and residential areas in the rural town of Warrenton. Trail-goers will enjoy the natural beauty of the Cedar Run valley and wildlife...
The Mount Airy Rail-Trail will one day span nearly 4 miles across the town of Mount Airy and through a scenic, wooded area. The first completed section of the trail covers a half mile and is surfaced...
The Klingle Valley Trail spans just shy of a mile in a leafy, residential area of northwest Washington, DC. The trail opened in June 2017 and is accessible to the neighborhoods of Cleveland Park,...
The West Campus Access Road Trail, the newest rail-trail in Washington, D.C., travels through the sprawling former campus of St. Elizabeths Hospital, now set to become the new home of the Department...
Southern Maryland's Three Notch Trail is a work-in-progress under the guidance of St. Mary's County and other stakeholders. When complete, the recreational trail will extend 28 miles along an...
The MacArthur Boulevard Bike Path follows the winding road through the communities of Bethesda and Potomac, just north of Washington, DC. Along the way, the path passes shops in Cabin John and Glen...
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...
The Holmes Run Trail offers a scenic pathway through the heart of a busy residential area in Alexandria and adjoining Fairfax County, both suburbs of Washington, D.C. The trail, which is divided into...
The Rhode Island Avenue Trolley Trail provides a safe pathway for students, from kindergartners to doctoral candidates, to walk and bike to school in College Park, Riverdale Park and Hyattsville. 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...
The Anacostia River Trail begins in Cottage City, Maryland, at the split of the Anacostia River into its northeast and northwest branches. Those traveling south on either the Northeast Branch Trail or...
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 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...
This paved sidepath runs parallel to Centreville Road/State Route 657, providing a safe route for alternative transportation along the busy suburban roadway in western Fairfax County. The trail runs...
Maryland's Cross Island Trail spans Kent Island, east to west, in Queen Anne's County, providing multiple points of access to everything from libraries and schools to ball fields and the waterfront....
Although less than two miles long, the Meadowlark Connector Trail provides a terrific link between the Meadowlark Botanical Gardens and the popular W&OD Trail. The trail meets the W&OD in Vienna;...
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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...
The Bluemont Junction Trail is a short paved trail that branches off from the popular Washington and Old Dominion Trail (W&OD) in the heart of Arlington. The trail was built on a spur line that once...
The Unfinished Railroad Loop Trail is a short hiking trail within Manassas National Battlefield Park. The rail-trail runs on a corridor planned in the mid-19th century as a complement to the Manassas...
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.
I'm rating this for biking. If you're under the age of 70, and if you ride faster than 5 miles per hour, this trail is not for you. I ride a street (racing) bike, and this trail was a very bad experience for me. The "trail" is extremely bumpy throughout because of tree roots. It winds through the woods, which makes for beautiful scenery, but because of the twisty nature, it also has poor visibility. I turned a curve and almost ran into a woman and her child because they were stopped and completely blocking the trail. There are sections where you can see more than 20 feet, but overall, I would not ride this again. It was rough on my bike and on my rear.
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.
Also, you can see cool rocks and things from the bridge. The spiral staircase to get up to the bridge was not built with bicyclists in mind.
Love this trail! It offers a pleasant and easy walk from the Braddock Metro station into a quiet residential neighborhood. We take it up to E. Monroe Avenue, where there's a YMCA, community park, grocery store, and other shops. On this stretch, my young daughter enjoys the playground at E. Glendale Avenue and the exercise stations along the route.
A small 10 mile loop around Rockville on an Urban trail.
I've done this trail twice now. Easy to find, take Jackson Road off of New Hampshire and you end up in the park. I parked across from the pool and the other time by the tennis courts. The trail starts at the end of Jackson Road, but I road around by the playground and around the lake a bit before starting the trail . You start out mostly downhill and get to a pretty steep hill about halfway through. There's one more hill till you get to Fairland. Then the way back is a bit easier with a few hills and the last bit of trail before you get back to Jackson is uphill .
I did Mapmyrun and the mileage from the trail and around the lake was closer to 5 miles, FYI.
What I like best is the shady 100% paved roads and the three historical markers you can stop and read. It tells you about the mills that used to be here. Not gonna say anymore, come out and read them yourself!
There are a few people on the trail on a weekend morning. Not sure what it's like after work hours during the week.
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