Mount Vernon Trail

Do you like to bike? Then you should try Mount Vernon Trail in Washington, D.C.  Mount Vernon Trail is an 18-mile long trail that extends from George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate to Arlington National Cemetery. It was first opened in 1972 as a multi-use path after biking became popular along the nearby George Washington Parkway.

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A good view of the structure of the trail, about 6-8 feet wide, paved with a stripe down the middle to aid the flow of two-way bike traffic. I often had to step off the trail to avoid being a hazard for bikes.

Our Weather. Partly cloudy and an unseasonably warm 80 degrees.

Overall Impression. As a hiker, I was the odd man out on the Mount Vernon Trail. Based on the few hours I spent along the trail, it’s about 70% bicyclists, 15% joggers, 10% scooters, and 5% anyone else. Along the way are many memorials and related parks that are worth a stop, and they’re far less crowded than the trail itself. Despite constantly dodging bikes, the trail is an enjoyable way to get some exercise and transit the western bank of the Potomac River.

Visiting. You can access the Mount Vernon Trail from just about anywhere along the western bank of the Potomac from Mount Vernon to Arlington. There are parking lots for many of the parks and memorials along the trail, and there are many paths leading from nearby city blocks. I was staying in a hotel in Pentagon City (Alexandria), and it was a 3/4 mile walk from my hotel to the trail which I picked up at Reagan National Airport. From there, visiting is as simple as picking a direction and heading out.

Just a few feet off the trail is the small Navy and Merchant Marine Memorial, a peaceful and reflective place.

In the section between Reagan National Airport and Arlington, the major attractions are Gravelly Point, the Navy and Merchant Marine Memorial, and Lady Bird Johnson Park. Gravelly Point is a local hangout with sports fields, but it’s most noticeable feature is an unobstructed view right down the main runway at Reagan National Airport–it’s a great place to just sit and watch the planes take off or land right over your head. The Navy and Merchant Marine Memorial is a relatively small affair just a few feet from the trail–it’s a masonry base with a statue of birds and waves atop it. I found I was the only one visiting, so it was easy to take my time reading the inscriptions around it and reflecting. The trail runs through Lady Bird Johnson Park, an open space full of trees and flowers, and the LBJ Memorial Grove is across the busy George Washington Parkway, but it can be accessed via a side trail.

The trail runs through Lady Bird Johnson Park, home to many trees and flowers

At its north end, the trail runs alongside Arlington National Cemetery where you can head west to the Women in Military Service for America Memorial, Arlington House and the Robert E. Lee Memorial, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and cemetery. You can also head north to the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial and Netherlands Carillon. Heading east will take you across Memorial Bridge to the National Mall. The south end of the trail runs through several parks including Jones Point Park, Belle Haven Park, Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve, Fort Hunt Park, and Riverside Park, and it’s anchored at the south end by the trail’s namesake, the Mount Vernon Estate and Garden.

Suggestions. Consider bringing or renting a bike or scooter–you can cover a lot more ground that way! If you’re walking, keep to the edge of the trail or walk alongside the trail–bikes can move pretty quickly, and there is lots of traffic and some blind spots along the trail. Distances on the trail can be deceiving, so if you’re going to visit more than a mile or two or use it as a route to the National Mall, be sure to bring plenty of water! My maps app told me I was 1.5 miles away from the Lincoln Memorial as the crow flies, but due to the winding route of the walking trails and the bridges, it was a 5 mile walk one-way, about 3 of that on the Mount Vernon Trail. I wish I’d brought better walking shoes.

Nearby Towns Arlington, Alexandria (VA), Washington, D.C.

Other Nearby Attractions National Mall, National Capital Parks East, Manassas National Battlefield, Shenandoah National Park

Official Website Mount Vernon Trail

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