Explore the best rated trails in Warrenton, VA, whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park and Winchester Green Circle . With more than 90 trails covering 4494 miles you're bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
Good pavement, gentle inclines, wildlife, views, benches. Only drawback is crossing multiple busy roads.
This is probably the most I could handle on a bike ride. We rode the GAP and C&O back to back like many do in 8 days. It was great fun but the C&O is noticeably rougher, fewer port-a-Johns and very scarce potable water sources. On our 7th day from Williamsport to Brunswick we ran out of water midway and rode the remaining 25 miles without water. Fortunately the shade offered by the beautiful canopy of trees made it bearable. We made sure to load up on extra water on our final day. The mix of loose sand that caught us by surprise & the larger stones on the trail made for a more challenging ride than expected. On the one rainy day we had from Cumberland to Little Orleans, some of the puddles we encountered offered a new sense of “oh dear” as we didn’t know how deep the hole we were riding thru when there was no room to go around the puddle.
This is a great trail. Shaded and flat. It could use some more signage, though, to help identify right and lefts.
We started at Lake Needwood which had great parking. The trail is not well maintained. It is bumpy most of the way south. It looks like there has been some attempt to patch the asphalt but the transitions were not smoothed out so many jarring bumps. Also tree roots have pushed up the trail which is not unusual but given all the other bumps it was annoying. Also be aware that from Lake Needwood - it is downhill so if you are returning to the same spot, you will have an uphill climb which is not too bad.
there are some really old bridges that go over the C&O. the highlight is the paw paw tunnel. better to walk through it. once you hit little orleans, i suggest going on the western maryland trail. it is fully paved and nice.
hancock is a great town
Multiple spots to stop. Most of the trail is shaded. There are some beautiful spots to stop on either end of the trail. Never over packed. I always see a ton of wildlife, which my kids love. It's not hard to bike, mostly flat.
The trail is 100% paved and takes you along the Anacostia River. I like that this trail has a good mix of city elements and natural beauty. The Kenilworth aquatic gardens are a wonderful stop early in the trail, you get to see a lot of swamp flowers. Later, closer to Dc you are taken up to the Fredrick Douglas memorial bridge. The large white arches of the bridge are breathtaking. There are many places to eat diner once you make it to Dc. I stopped at Gordon Ramseys fish and chips. Great trail!
Starts at a dam and has some hills. It is not bike/stroller friendly. Hiking boots are better. Sneaker can be a challenge especially after rain. Dumps off into a neighborhood and you pick it back up. About a 4 mile loop.
I have used this trail a few times to commute from the Arlington, VA area into the district. It is convenient but could use a repaving. The paved path is bumpy (It looks like tree roots grew to create the wavy in the path). The first time I rode it I was pulling my dog and the wavy ness of the trail actually broke the bike rack connecting the dog trailer from the bumps. 3 years later from when by rack broke, the path has only gotten more wavy.
This trail is also hilly so you will get a workout. Going from Ballston to DC it was more downhill and rather easy, coming back the hills were somewhat steep. A good workout but not overly difficult.
On a side note: If you are visiting DC, I strongly suggest using the bike trails in DC, around DC, and all the trails in the surrounding areas. Every Smithsonian has bike racks to lock up your bike while visiting the museums. It is a great way to see the monuments, museums, and the mall without miles of walking. Today I first went to Library of Congress (to do some research), then to National African American Museum, and to the Native American Museum. I rode about a mile between the two museums which was much easier than walking.
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