W&OD Trailhead — Attraction in Green Valley

The W&OD Trail is this bike trail following the old railroad right of way from Shirlington to Purcerville. If you start at the trailhead in Shirlington, there isn't much to see. But the trail reveals itself to those who persevere. To do that, you need to ride out into the Piedmont. Going uphill at a leisurely 2 percent, the trail does make dips and bends as it negotiates more modern infrastructure. But once you get past the beltway, the trail generally settles down. But it becomes this maul of distance, ever straight, fading into the distance. Vistas become the norm by mile 30 and you get into more suburban land. If you stick it out and go all the way to Clark's Gap at mile 40, rejoice! You're only 5 miles from the end where you might find so local twists and turns as you enter the town of Purcerville. But don't quit! You gotta get home and its...

We normally ride the segment from Leesburg to Purceville but this time we started at the parking lot in Herndon with the goal of getting to Leesburg. Due to high winds we only did 14 miles round trip but it was still great fun. The trail is paved in excellent condition with a number of moderate lengthy climbs. I was pleasantly surprised that the scenery was woodsy and not too suburban. Our BEST discovery was Carolina Brothers BBQ right on the trail in Ashburn. Next time we will park at the lot across the trail from the BBQ place as a starting point. It was awesome to have BBQ at the end of our ride. Absolutely delicious with...

Part of the regional Park system, this trail along the path of an old railroad route runs from Arlington to Harper's Ferry. The trailhead has a guide to the trail, postings for community recreation events, and a water fountain for people and dogs. This is Mile 0, and the trail runs west. You can also find the Four Mile trail across Shirlington DR, which runs both east and west. There is plenty of street parking along Four Mile Run Drive. Great, popular start for your biking, walking, and...