Northern Virginia · Arlington to Purcellville · Running · Point to point
Washington & Old Dominion Trail
A 45-mile paved rail-trail from Shirlington to Purcellville — Northern Virginia's main artery.
- Distance
- 45mi
- Climb (measured)
- 1,573ft
- Time (hiking est.)
- Your call
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Terrain
- Paved
The route
Map and elevation, linked
1,573 ft up, 1,081 ft down · 57–614 ft
What it feels like
What it feels like
Rolling rather than one big ascent: 5 distinct climbs, the longest a gradual 8.3 mi at 0.9%. Firm, even surface.
Before you drive
What to know first
Closures and conditions change. Check the agency's alerts page before leaving.
- Parking
- Numerous access points with parking along the 45-mile trail between Shirlington and Purcellville; users may also join or leave the trail at a point of their choosing. Agency-listed parking locations: Shirlington (roadside parking; agency advises against leaving a vehicle overnight); Arlington/Bluemont Park (two lots — Manchester/4th Street north of Route 50, and Wilson Boulevard west of the Bon Air rose gardens); Vienna East (Vienna Community Center lot via Park Street); Vienna West (train station lot via Mill Street and Ayr Hill Road); Reston (paved trailside lot on Old Reston Avenue, plus a Sunset Hills Road commuter lot that is usually full on weekdays); Herndon (municipal center lot via Elden and Station Streets); Sterling/Pacific Boulevard (about 3 miles north of Dulles Airport); Ashburn (40-car lot at the Ashburn Road trail crossing, near Mile Marker 27.5); Leesburg (rear lot at the Douglass Community Center); Leesburg West (Loudoun County High School lot — weekends only during the school year); Purcellville (Loudoun Valley High School lot — weekends only during the school year); Purcellville West (gravel lot at the Hatcher Street trailhead). No parking fee or permit requirement is stated by the agency.
- Fees
- Free.
- Permits
- Not on file
- Hours
- Open 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, year-round, along the entire 45-mile trail (NOVA Parks, effective May 29, 2026).
- Restrooms
- Not on file
- Water
- Not on file
- Dogs
- Dogs allowed on leash
- Cell service
- Not on file
- Emergency
- Not on file
How hard it will feel
Difficulty, explained
Easy
Rail-grade paving with very gradual elevation change across its full length.
Commitment is up to you: turn around whenever you like on a long, level corridor.
- Distance
- +0
- A 45 mi corridor you can join for as little or as much as you like.
- Climb
- +0
- About 35 ft per mile: rail-grade or flatter.
- Footing
- +1
- Natural tread: roots, mud after rain, uneven in places.
- Technicality
- +0
- Nothing technical recorded; walking the whole way.
- Exposure
- —
- Exposure not on file.
Commitment
How long it takes
This is a corridor you join for as long as you like, so there is no honest total. Plan with a pace instead:
- Hiking:
- ~23 min per mile
- Running:
- ~11 min per mile
- Family pace:
- ~40 min per mile
Terrain
Underfoot
- Surface
- Paved, Gravel
- Technicality
- Nothing technical recorded
- Crossings
- Road crossings at grade in towns
- Exposure
- Not on file
- Grade
- Steepest quarter mile 3.8% · 1% of the route climbing at 5%+ · 84% near level Trailfinder reading
Recorded hazards
- Fast cyclist traffic
- Road crossings at grade in towns
What you'll see
On the record
- 45 continuous paved miles
- Mile markers throughout
- Metro-accessible at several points
Setting on file: Urban, Forest, Park.
When to go
Seasonal character
Northern VirginiaUsable year-round. Summer afternoons are hot and crowded; winter ice lingers on shaded paved sections after storms.
General seasonal character, not a live condition report. Check the agency's alerts page for closures.
Who it fits
Is this for you?
- Runners
- Yes, running is supported
- Families
- Good with kids
- Strollers
- Stroller friendly
- Dogs
- Dogs allowed on leash
- Accessibility
- Paved, gently graded, and wheelchair accessible for essentially its entire length.
- Experience
- Beginners welcome
The long version
About this route
The W&OD follows a former railroad grade from Arlington out through Falls Church, Vienna, Reston, Herndon, Ashburn, and Leesburg to Purcellville. It is paved the whole way, with a parallel gravel bridle path on the western half.
Mile markers count from the eastern terminus, which makes it the easiest place in Virginia to run a precise long run. Expect heavy weekend bike traffic between Arlington and Reston; the western end is far quieter.
If not this one
Related, and why
Northern Virginia
Mount Vernon Trail
- Distance
- 18mi
- Elevation gain
- 535ft
- Hiking time (estimate)
- Your call
- Paved
- Riverside
Shorter version · 18 mi if time is short.
Northern Virginia
Burke Lake Loop
- Distance
- 4.7mi
- Elevation gain
- 200ft
- Hiking time (estimate)
- ~1h55
- Crushed stone
- Shaded
Less climbing · 200 ft of gain instead of 900.
Before you drive
What to know first
Closures and conditions change. Check the agency's alerts page before leaving.
- Parking
- Numerous access points with parking along the 45-mile trail between Shirlington and Purcellville; users may also join or leave the trail at a point of their choosing. Agency-listed parking locations: Shirlington (roadside parking; agency advises against leaving a vehicle overnight); Arlington/Bluemont Park (two lots — Manchester/4th Street north of Route 50, and Wilson Boulevard west of the Bon Air rose gardens); Vienna East (Vienna Community Center lot via Park Street); Vienna West (train station lot via Mill Street and Ayr Hill Road); Reston (paved trailside lot on Old Reston Avenue, plus a Sunset Hills Road commuter lot that is usually full on weekdays); Herndon (municipal center lot via Elden and Station Streets); Sterling/Pacific Boulevard (about 3 miles north of Dulles Airport); Ashburn (40-car lot at the Ashburn Road trail crossing, near Mile Marker 27.5); Leesburg (rear lot at the Douglass Community Center); Leesburg West (Loudoun County High School lot — weekends only during the school year); Purcellville (Loudoun Valley High School lot — weekends only during the school year); Purcellville West (gravel lot at the Hatcher Street trailhead). No parking fee or permit requirement is stated by the agency.
- Fees
- Free.
- Permits
- Not on file
- Hours
- Open 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, year-round, along the entire 45-mile trail (NOVA Parks, effective May 29, 2026).
- Restrooms
- Not on file
- Water
- Not on file
- Dogs
- Dogs allowed on leash
- Cell service
- Not on file
- Emergency
- Not on file
Provenance
- Facts:
- verified against the managing agency · last checked August 29, 2026.
- Route line:
- 176 OpenStreetMap ways (ODbL), fetched 2026-09-05; elevation from USGS 3DEP 10 m, 2026-09-05. Assembled as single line.
- Readings:
- anything marked Trailfinder reading is derived by Trailfinder from those sources, not published by the agency.
Before you go: Trail conditions, access rules, weather, water availability, and closures can change. Check the linked official source before leaving and choose a route appropriate for your experience and current conditions.