Mount Vernon Trail — Attraction in Alexandria

I've been conducting my 12-mile road marches on this trail for the past six months. It's a great trail featuring spectacular views of the river. There are lots of hills, which are great for improving stamina and cardio. The part of the trail that I primarily use is the area just south of Mount Vernon to just north of the southern most park along the river.

A word of caution - the trail can get crowded with the occasional inconsiderate cyclist who speeds by too closely without announcing his or herself. I never understood why they do that. Maybe they think that they own the trail and should be the only ones to use it. Maybe they're just unaware. I've seen multiple people almost get hit, and I've almost been hit by a few cyclists. Anyway, the best times to get out on the trail if you work during the week are early in the morning as soon as the sun comes up to avoid the cyclists. Also, the trail isn't as crowded with cyclists during the winter months.

It can also get crowded with unaware tourists around Mount Vernon who aren't sure what they're doing or where they're going, which results in them congregating and blocking the trail. You can avoid them by parking in a parking area north of Mount Vernon and starting...

I needed to run an errand to Alexandria on President's Day. I was going to drive until I heard that there was going to be a parade there. If you know Alexandria you know a parade means fun and traffic issues. No way for me.

So I decided to ride my bike in. I parked at Gravelly Point just north of National airport and rode down to Alexandria. Once my errand was done I rode farther south. And I was amazed. Alexandria got rid of all the old run down buildings and created a beautiful park and living area along with extending the bike path. It was a beautiful ride. By the time I returned to Gravelly Point I had done about 15 miles, had a great time, got lots of exercise and marveled at the renewal projects!

We just moved back to the DelMarVA area eight years ago and while the traffic has gotten amazingly worse project like this along the Mount Vernon Trail make it...

Beautiful 17 mile trail along GW Parkway with sweeping views of the monuments and DC skyline. The trail starts from Roosevelt Island bends around Gravelly Point to the DCA airport, then uphill to Crystal City and meanders through Alexandria, goes past River Farm, and finally winds up at Mount Vernon Estate. The trail is relatively flat and shaded in most areas. I've done the full stretch while training for the Marine Corp marathon. Great preparation!

From downtown Alexandria to Mount Vernon, it's hard to find a good pit stop to get water/food and the trial is swarmed with bikers. The lanes can get narrow, so be on the look-out with some ringing in your ears! The Gravelly Point section gets the most foot traffic as Crystal City is an easy entry point and right near the metro.

My favorite running trail in VA with...