Find the top rated walking trails in Dale City, whether you're looking for an easy short walking trail or a long walking trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a walking trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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Oxon Run is the name of a tributary of the Potomac River in southeast DC, which lends its name to both the trail system and park in which the trail loop is found. The trail on both sides of the...
The West Ox Road Sidepath is a short paved trail along the west side of West Ox Road. The trail extends from the Oak Hill area of Fairfax County to southeastern Chantilly (near Fair Oaks Mall in...
The Lake Artemesia Trailone component of the larger Anacostia Tributary Trail Systemcompletely encircles its scenic eponymous lake in Prince George's County, Maryland. The trail is also a great...
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...
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...
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...
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...
The Burke Lake Loop Trail offers a nearly 5-mile route for a pleasant walk or bike, while enjoying the beautiful scenery around Burke Lake in Fairfax. Since the Burke Lake Loop Trail is within Burke...
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...
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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 easy ride:...
The 11-mile BWI Trail was primarily designed for area commuters; however, the trail also makes for a great recreation venue. Despite being close to BWI-Thurgood Marshall Airport, much of the trail is...
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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 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...
In Northern Virginia's suburban community of Springfield, Lake Accotink Park provides a wilderness escape amid the city surroundings. The 500-acre park features picnic areas, miniature golf, an...
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...
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 rail-with-trail is short but makes some pretty significant connections: it links the King Street and Braddock Road metro stations. It also connects to the Potomac Yard Trail, helping to...
The Cub Run Stream Valley Trail offers a paved route meandering through Cub Run Stream Valley Park in the Northern Virginia suburb of Centreville. Though it's surrounded by residential neighborhoods,...
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...
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...
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 Folly Lick Branch Trail begins in Herndon, a northern Virginia suburb. The paved pathway begins off Herndon Parkway and winds northeast along the Folly Lick Branch stream through a residential...
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.
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...
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 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 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...
A winding line of asphalt meanders between Glenn Dale Park in Lanham to Annapolis Road. The trail is sheltered amongst the riparian woodland of Folly Branch. At the north end of the trail can be...
Rocky Run Stream Valley Trail is part of the countywide trail system. This trail runs from the Fairfax County Parkway to Ellanor C. Lawrence Park. The distance along the trail from the Parkway to the...
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...
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...
Washington, D.C.'s Fort Circle Park Hiker-Biker Trail links some of the District's dozens of Civil War era forts (now national parks) that were built to defend the city from attack by the southern...
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...
The Vesper Trail, which opened in 2019, serves as a short but important connector between Tysons and northern Vienna. The pathway spans 0.4 miles between the Spring Hill Metro Station (on the Silver...
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...
The Northwest Branch Trail—an integral part of the Anacostia Tributary Trail System—runs between the Maryland towns of Hyattsville and Silver Spring, linking two bustling suburbs of Washington, D.C....
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 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...
In Northern Virginia's suburban community of Springfield, Lake Accotink Park provides a wilderness escape amid the city surroundings. The 500-acre park features picnic areas, miniature golf, 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...
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...
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...
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...
Lake Frank is a 54-acre reservoir located in the heart of Rock Creek Regional Park in Derwood, east of Rockville. The reservoir, together with Lake Needwood was created for flood control and was named...
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...
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 Cub Run Stream Valley Trail offers a paved route meandering through Cub Run Stream Valley Park in the Northern Virginia suburb of Centreville. Though it's surrounded by residential neighborhoods,...
The Dahlgren Railroad Heritage Trail (DRHT) traverses a scenic forested landscape abounding with wildlife in Virginia's Northern Neck. The rail-trail, which was designated as a National Recreation...
The 11-mile BWI Trail was primarily designed for area commuters; however, the trail also makes for a great recreation venue. Despite being close to BWI-Thurgood Marshall Airport, much of the trail is...
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This trail traces a hilly green swath located in a Pepco electric utility right-of-way that stretches between South Gernmantown Recreational Park and Muddy Branch Stream Valley Park. It's a natural...
Washington, D.C.'s Fort Circle Park Hiker-Biker Trail links some of the District's dozens of Civil War era forts (now national parks) that were built to defend the city from attack by the southern...
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 Burke Lake Loop Trail offers a nearly 5-mile route for a pleasant walk or bike, while enjoying the beautiful scenery around Burke Lake in Fairfax. Since the Burke Lake Loop Trail is within Burke...
The Northwest Branch Trail—an integral part of the Anacostia Tributary Trail System—runs between the Maryland towns of Hyattsville and Silver Spring, linking two bustling suburbs of Washington, D.C....
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...
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...
The Anacostia River Trail, sometimes referred to as the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail, is an important component of the Capital Trails Coalition's plan to create an 800-mile network of multiuse trails...
The 11-mile Capital Crescent Trail follows the former route of the Georgetown Branch rail line of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. It begins in Silver Spring, Maryland, east of the Rock Creek Trestle,...
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 Vesper Trail, which opened in 2019, serves as a short but important connector between Tysons and northern Vienna. The pathway spans 0.4 miles between the Spring Hill Metro Station (on the Silver...
Some parts are fine, parts very bumpy, and some sections have very thick, large stones that are difficult to maneuver through.
Seems like a great path but horribly marked. I started at the Occoquan end and made it maybe five miles before getting frustrated and lost several times. There are intersecting trails, neighborhood paths, etc. that all look the same but no signage to tell you which way to go. Halfway through I started using this app for the trail map and still got off the trail several times.
Visited the trail today at the chancellors run end after 0.36 of a mile the paved ground disappeared at the end of the Walmart (which put me in the street) and picked back up at the McDonald’s with no warning to trail users on how to connect to the other end. This was very confusing and interfered with my timed run. There are no proper signs welcoming you to the trail.
I completed this ride the first week of September, cycling from Cumberland to DC the day after Hurricane Ida passed through. The first time I have done a multi-day ride. Took the Amtrak to Cumberland with my bike and stayed at 9 Decatur (recommended). The trail was in good shape. A couple of additional puddles from the rain but very rideable. I had a great time. Four days and three nights. Rode 50/50/50 and 30 miles. Camping worked out very well at the hiker/biker sites. The only major hitch was the Pawpaw tunnel had just closed and taking a bike loaded with gear up and over is quite a slog. Hopefully some entrepreneurial locals have come up with some drive around alternatives. Unless you are a purist I recommend taking advantage if they have.
Don't expect stunning vistas but settle in to a rhythm and enjoy the history and it is a meditative and fulfilling experience.
Thanks to all the park staff who keep the park in such great shape.
Woke up this morning and decided to find one of the trails closer to me that people rave about. So with the Indian Head Trail being only an hour away I decided to give it a try. Only 2 months back on a bike after 30 something years I can say this trail was worth the drive. Scenic, clean and very well taken care of.
This is a nice scenic shady trail, however it’s pretty overgrown in certain areas.
Even after almost two years (of no reviews), the barn kitties mentioned in a couple of the earlier reviews are still there! I couldn't believe it! In fact, I thought, "there's no way those cats are there now", but there was something in the middle of the trail ahead...I thought it might be a groundhog, but it didn't move as I got closer. In fact, it was a barn cat, lounging in the sun, and as soon as I stopped, it sauntered right up to me and gave me so much affection! Never even wandered away! *I* was the one who finally had to leave. Also, another barn cat came sauntering over; it was friendly enough, but was easily bored, lol, and just as soon walked back to the barn.
As for the trail itself, it is still well-maintained (maintenance was even going on that day) and a pleasant ride thru country. I parked at the Charlotte Hall Library, which has a bathroom (important!). I live an hour away and I'd say it's worth the drive. You are not just biking/walking thru woods, so there is some variation in scenery; woods, farms, backyards, a couple of places with horses.
The pictures posted are a bit misleading. Very little of the BWI trail is tranquil, forested, besides farmland or very pleasing. Yes, there is a true path that is well maintained, but you really are circling an airport and traveling besides busy roads the majority of the time. The signage could be much better too. Is it better than cycling in a city? Depends what you want, but it certainly isn't the country.
Our first time on this trail. For cyclist I would recommend a mountain bike, skinny tires would not be fun. Quiet except for the gunshots in the distance the first 1 to 2 miles but hey you are out in the country. Nice tree covered trail reminds me of the Poolesville Md stretch of the C&O Canal Trail. relatively flat. We did not complete the full trail but will most definitely be back. The very few people we ran into on the trail were very friendly.
Signs for riders to take caution or maybe even to STOP should be posted at the crosswalk located at Pinecrest Road overpass. Riders are can only see one direction depending on what way they are riding due to sound barriers. On coming traffic from East will only see them when they emerge from sound barriers.
First, thank you TrailLink for a very good description of how to find this trail and follow it! I hiked out from Savage Park to the Pratt Through-Truss Bridge this morning (2.2 miles), then went a little further on a nearby trail. Total of 5.2 mostly shaded miles by the time I returned to my car. Lovely! Next time will start at Elkhorn Lake and go the other way — or bring my bike to explore further!
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