Bicycle and Pedestrian Trails and Routes

The Washington, D.C. area is surprisingly bicycle-friendly, with hundreds of miles of interconnected off-street trails and on-street bike routes.

Major area trails are listed below, along with links to information on other trails in each area. Also see the Bicycling Links and Resources page for links to trail organizations and other resources.

Anacostia Tributaries Trail System, a link in the national shore-to-shore American Discovery Trail, provides miles of uninterrupted trails along the tributaries of the Anacostia River. The southernmost point of the trail is located at Colmar Manor Community Park in Prince Georges County, and trail spurs extend northeasterly and northwesterly from there along beautiful stream valley parkland. The trail system links several neighborhoods to Metro stations, but commuters needing to travel at speeds greater than 12 miles per hour should consider alternative routes. The trail system is open for public use from sunrise to sunset each day.

Baltimore and Annapolis Trail Park, Anne Arundel County, MD. The Baltimore & Annapolis Trail is an established recreational greenway following the route of the old Baltimore & Annapolis Railroad from Glen Burnie to Annapolis. This linear park is 13.3 miles long and encompasses 112 acres. The trail has a 10-foot wide, paved surface within a 66-foot wide, landscaped corridor. The trail has a two percent grade and is used by walkers, runners, bicyclists and equestrians as well as various forms of wildlife. From Glen Burnie, a short connector path will take you over to the 11-mile BWI Trail.

BWI Trail, Anne Arundel County, MD. The 12.5-mile scenic trail encircles BWI Airport property and connects hikers, bicyclists, walkers and joggers to community resources, public transportation and area attractions. Most of the trail is constructed of asphalt; however, wooden boardwalks were used in environmentally sensitive areas to protect natural features.

Capital Crescent Trail. A Rails-To-Trails project that converted the old Georgetown Branch of the B&O Railroad that ran from Georgetown to Silver Spring, MD from a railroad bed to a paved trail with gentle gradients.

Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Canal National Historical Park. National Park Service site with information about the 184-mile C&O Canal towpath, a great resource for hikers and bicyclists.

The C&O Canal Towpath at Mile 3, parallel to the Capital Crescent Trail. Photo courtesy BikeWashington.org

Custis Trail (I-66 Trail). Trail runs along I-66 in Arlington County and is protected by noise walls, open 24 hours a day and lit at night. http://bikewashington.org/trails/wad/custis.htm

The I-66 Custis Trail is a community asset for people of all ages. Trail lighting makes commuting safer during the short winter days.

Fairfax County Bike Trails. A guide to the recreational bicycle trails from Fairfax County's official site.

Henson Creek Trail provides a scenic, recreational route through Henson Creek Stream Valley Park in southern Prince Georges County for hiking, biking, jogging, horseback riding, and in-line skating.

Metropolitan Branch Trail. The trail will ultimately be an eight-mile linear park and trail running parallel to Metro’s Red Line from Union Station in D.C. to Silver Spring, Maryland, connecting to the Capital Crescent Trail. The Coalition for the Metropolitan Branch Trail, formed in November 1989, is currently a project of the Washington Area Bicyclist Association.

Mount Vernon Trail. Constructed by the National Park Service in 1973, the 18.5 mile Mount Vernon Trail runs along the Potomac River, parallel to the George Washington Parkway, between Theordore Roosevelt Island and Mount Vernon, VA, connecting to the Custis and Washington & Old Dominion trails.

The North Central Railroad (NCR) and York County Heritage (YCH) Trails combine to create a 41 mile long trail from Maryland to Pennsylvania. Beginning near Cockeysville, MD, the NCR trail continues north for 20 miles and crosses the Mason-Dixon Line into Pennsylvania and becomes the YCH. This trail continues another 21 miles north to York, PA.

Rock Creek Park Trail. The trail runs 25 miles from the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. to Lake Needwood Park in Montgomery County, Md.

Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) Bike Trails Page. Maps and information on bike paths and trails in the Washington D.C. area.

Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis (WB&A) Trail. This Prince Georges County trail runs along the site of the former Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis Railroad.The 5.6-mile trail runs from Route 450 in Glenn Dale, northeast to the Patuxent River. Ancillary facilities include trail head parking and rest areas with benches, bike racks, and landscaping.

Opened in November 2000, the 10-foot wide bituminous Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Trail runs from Glenn Dale through Bowie.

Washington & Old Dominion (W&OD) Trail. Owned and operated by the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority, the W&OD is a 45-mile multi-use rail-trail. Built on the roadbed of the former Washington & Old Dominion Railroad, the W&OD Trail runs through the urban heartland and countryside of Northern Virginia, from Shirlington near I-395 to Purcellville in Loudoun County.

The Theodore Roosevelt Island Pedestrian/ Bicycle Bridge provides access to the Potomac riverfront from Arlington. The bridge is also a key link in a network of trails that run 64 miles from Mount Vernon to Purcellville, Virginia