Off the beaten path: Hidden Gems Throughout the DMV
Once you’ve mastered the DC classics (Rock Creek Park, National Mall, MBT, Anacostia, and the Capital Crescent), you may be looking for somewhere new to run. Fortunately, for DC runners willing to travel a little further from home, the area is chock full of interesting routes to test your fitness. Some of these are metro accessible, and some will require four wheels, but they’re all worth the trip.
Rock Creek Regional Park (Near Rockville, MD)
Rock Creek Regional Park is nestled near the northern end of Rock Creek National Park about 40 minutes outside of Washington, D.C. The park is home to Lake Needwood and Lake Frank, which are surrounded by 13 miles of scenic natural trails. If you’re looking for a long-run without having to check your AllTrails, you can hop on the paved Rock Creek Hiker/Biker Trail, which heads to the District of Columbia line.
During the cooler months, parking is easy to find, but the park does get busy in the spring and summer.
The National Arboretum (Washington, DC)
The National Arboretum is one of the best kept secrets in DC. (Yes, I know it isn’t actually a secret, but be honest, how many years had you lived here before visiting the first time?). For those who haven’t gotten to experience the arboretum, you’re in for a treat any time of year. The park is a research facility for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, established by President Coolidge in 1927.
The 421 acre park is home to rolling trails and roads open to visitors all year. In the spring, you will find yourself running through beautiful cherry blossoms, and the summer months are beautiful in their own right as the wooded areas fill out with their leaves.
It can be a hike to get there without a car, but not impossible. Metro to Stadium-Armory and take the C41 bus to Bladensburg Rd NE and Rand Pl NE for a short walk to the R Street Entrance. By car, you can enter the park from the New York Ave Entrance Gate. The ground are open every day from 8:00am to 5:00pm every day.
Washington and Old Dominion Railroad Regional Park (Shirlington to Purcellville, VA)
There are plenty of trails in DC for a good long run, but nothing beats the 45-mile paved route you can take on the W&OD trail. Built on the former Washington & Old Dominion Railroad, the multi-use trail takes you from urban northern Virginia into the countryside. It is a great location to log easy miles, tempo runs, and speed workouts.
You can access the trail from numerous points throughout northern Virginia, including via WMATA, depending on where you want to start.
