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.

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.

This is a nice scenic shady trail, however it’s pretty overgrown in certain areas.

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.

My husband and I took this trail from Hancock, going west, for ~ 16 miles and then back again. We ride multi use bikes.
We thought this trail was great! It has convenient access points and plenty of parking w opportunities to “rest”.
The trail is flat so pedaling is required the entire time but it isn’t a difficult trail. We went in August, so there was plenty of shade from the full foliage.
The trail does have a couple rough spots where roots are pressing up on the pavement but they are not challenging or severe. It has lots of straight stretches, just as the railroad track it follows would’ve had. No surprise there. The bridges that merge the trail to the C & O canal tow path are in excellent condition! There are C &O points of interest to stop and check out and a campsite or two along the part we travelled. Saw a good bit of wildlife but nothing dangerous. While the full foliage blocks views of the Potomac most of the time, the trail is a feast for the other senses. Birdsong is plentiful and the smells of the river and mountain air are easily detected.
I’d recommend this trail to anyone looking for a bit of exercise ( really no coasting unless you’re on an e bike) and I suspect it is absolutely beautiful during the autumn too. No trail we’ve been on is absolutely perfect in every way, but we’ve never had to pay to go on one either, so doubt let the negative reviews of this one fool you.

The W&OD is a great bike trail throughout, obviously. But the western part, generally from Herndon to Purcellville, is far nicer and less busy than the eastern part in the northern VA suburbs. The eastern part is my home trail and nice for a quick workout ride, but it is super busy with walkers, talkers, dog on long leashes and obnoxious dudes who think they are in the Tour de France. I like a nice fast ride as much as anyone, but the western portion is not choked with users, much more greenery in a rural-exurban setting, far more beautiful and one that evokes the railroad of yore more, too. Leesburg and Purcellville offer nice rest/eat/drink/chill options if you desire that. Bike from Herndon to Purcellville, the trip back is somewhat more downhill and makes it *slightly* more uphill west and downhill on the return, a nice recipe. It's about 13 miles in that stretch, 26 RT. 4 stars for the eastern bit (after all, a nicely maintained road bike path), 5 stars for western section (as nice as any road bike rail trail, and well paved).

We spent the day biking from Hancock west on the paved trail. Wonderfully maintained. Loved the scenery and although it was warm we had a terrific time.

Last July I walked the north half of this trail (top 20 miles) and today I walked the bottom half (bottom 20 miles). Both halves were beautiful, though I think I’d give a slight edge to the northern half in terms of beauty and general enjoyment. When I walked the northern half last year, I relied solely on the maps provided by fairfax county, which are black and white and not particularly detailed. Since I made it through the hike, they obviously got the job done, but not without a lot of backtracking and hunting for trail markers. The southern half would have been just as bad, if not worse, if I hadn’t found this app last night before I left this morning. For any others considering traversing the entire county by foot-whether in two trips or more-this app will save you from a huge amount of backtracking and stress thinking you have left the trail. Overall, it was a great hike though!

This could be such a nice trail, but it has been neglected for years and the tree roots and pot holes have taken over. Expect to pop your bike chain more than once. Avoid like the plague!