Find the top rated running trails in District of Columbia, whether you're looking for an easy short running trail or a long running trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a running trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
Rode about 7 miles of this trail with my son along the Anacostia River at sunset. The trail is wide and well maintained. Picked up the trail just south of Benning road and crossed the river at the Frederick Douglass bridge. It was a great ride and we are looking forward to coming back to ride the full length of the trail.
I’ve ridden the entire C&O Canal Trail three times and shorter sections several other times. It is a great trail for its natural beauty as well as historic significance, with one big caveat. You need to pay close attention to the weather and trail conditions because it can become an awful mess after heavy or extended rains and flooding. The first two times we rode the entire C&O (as well as the GAP), we had dry weather and the trail was very rideable except for occasional mud puddles. However, the third time in June 2018 followed several weeks of heavy rains and flooding, and the trail was impassable in many spots. We had to hire shuttles to carry us around two sections, and we were bogged down by thick mud and downed trees in some of the sections we rode. I will follow trail and weather reports more closely if I ride the C&O again.
Today I decided to try the trails I haven't ride in DC. Anacostia, Sligo, Takoma and Metropolitan Branch. The first three were a nice surprise. The last one, the MBT, was a disappointment. The first 3-4 miles until 8th street are a real trail. Then it becomes a loose segments on road with very poor signs and not well planned. I appreciate all the effort these guys have made but calling it a Trail is really misleading.
A lot of people think this trail ends at Bladensburg. In fact you can continue on beautiful bike paths all the way to Wheaton or almost to Greenbelt.
Technically, the "Riverwalk" trail ends at Bladensburg, but then the "River" trails take over. https://www.traillink.com/trail/anacostia-tributary-trail-system/
Lots of water views, not too many hills... lots little bridges. parked at Anacostia River Park, rode to Bladensburg Md.
The section between Bethesda and Silver Spring is closed until 2022 while the add a heavy rail transit.
This trail was expanded last year and i ride it but you end way before the end. Want to support but payment of fee demands currency on your end. The trail ends in bladensberg now. Please update.
I'm new to this app. It looks good but only shows nearby parking. How about those who can only come to bike trail via train or bus. Maybe useful to have nearest metro stops. ( or the number bus that runs by, though maybe that would be more difficult ). At least nearest metro would be helpful. Thanks.
My wife and I wanted to find a fairly easy, scenic ride and that's what this was. We used public parking near the stadium, went to the water and headed North. It's easy to find the trail from there, but it's kind of weird riding on the sidewalks initially. After the first section you have a long, "walk the bike" section in front of Navy Yard.
After that the original trail is closed so you have to go left at ML King Ave, up to Water Street and the right to follow Water. The trail shares the road for a bit, but it has very little traffic.
We then rode up just past the DC United stadium. This has some nice shady areas and places to pull off. You can go up farther and cross the river, but we turned back and crossed at the Sousa bridge and went South on the other side. There are restrooms available in the Anacostia Fields section of the park. This part of the ride is very sunny.
We continued to the Frederick Douglas Bridge and crossed back over the the stadium. The trail maps don't show a connection, but if you come off the bridge and go right on Potomac Ave, you will be right back where we started.
A friend and I just recently finished this trail. It was an amazing ride with plenty to see along the route. The trail was very well maintained with the grass having been recently mowed and some sections of the trail having been repaved.
We completed this trail in 4 days going from Cumberland to DC; I was quite surprised at how empty the trail was, so if you want a nice peaceful ride and learn some historic facts about the area this is a great trail for you. There are plenty of free camping spots along the route as well as port-a-potties (not the best well kept many had wasp nests inside). Also their are water pumps along the route to stop and refill so you do not need to carry too much water.
We stopped at Harpers Ferry and were told by at least 3 park rangers that all you have to do is put your bikes on the bus at the Visitors Center ...cross the bridge and get on the trail. None of those people told us that when you cross the bridge there is a spiral staircase and about 40 metal stairs you have to carry your bike down to get on the trail. It was not fun and very dangerous. Luckily a few nice strong young men carried our bikes. The trail at the bottom of the stairs was nice, but very muddy. All I could think of was how are we gonna get our bikes back up the stairs. When I mentioned this to the business owners in Harpers Ferry, they all said yes, you need to complain to the park service. No where on any of the trail information is this problem listed.
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