Bike Trails in Washington, D.C., by Duane Stillions

When I am not studying for graduate school courses, I enjoy biking. Washington, D.C.

offers numerous bike trails, and I would like to share some with you here.

Capital Crescent Trail

Running from Georgetown to downtown Silver Spring, Maryland, this relatively flat route extends for more than 16 miles. The

condition of the terrain varies depending upon the location of that stretch of trail. While the path offers pavement from the starting point into Bethesda, Maryland, beyond that some

of the route becomes gravel. Interesting parts of the trail include a section that runs beneath

downtown Bethesda and the Rock Creek Trestle, which was opened in 2003 and

crosses a valley.

Mount Vernon Trail

This path follows the Potomac River from Theodore Roosevelt Island near Rosslyn, Virginia, to George Washington’s home at Mount Vernon, an 18-mile

trip. Area cyclists enjoy the route for sublime views of monuments and residences. They can also see

Old Town Alexandria and Arlington National Cemetery along the way. Stretches of the trail run

through the streets of Alexandria, so you may want to bring along a map. If you find yourself unable to

do a full round-trip excursion, you may catch a Metro train at one of the stops such as Arlington Cemetery, Reagan National Airport, or Braddock

Road.

Martha Custis Trail

The four-mile route from Arlington into downtown D.C. provides some ups and

downs as well as some curvy turns along the way. Although cyclists may face a challenge attempting to locate the starting point for this

trail because of missing signs, the trail features a wildflower area and may be picked up at the four-mile marker of the Washington

& Old Dominion path. The trail passes the Key Bridge Marriott hotel runs under I-66 for a

relatively long distance before reaching the city.