A journey to the Piedmont

One of the Washington area's great bicycling resources, the Washington and Old Dominion (W&OD) Railroad Regional Park takes bicyclists through Northern Virginia west from Shirlington Village in Arlington to Purcellville, just nine miles east of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

The W&OD Trail takes its name from the railroad that ran along the right-of-way for nearly 100 years. Also named the "Virginia Creeper" after the pervasive vine growing along the corridor (and because of its reputed slow service!), the train transported residents of Washington to the Northern Virginia countryside, where they escaped the hot city summers in country resorts established along the rail line.

The corridor was abandoned for train travel in 1968, and later put to new use by the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority. Today the W&OD Trail is one of the country's most popular and successful rail-trails and one of the most heavily used parks in Virginia.

The town of Purcellville, a business center for surrounding cattle farms and villages, was incorporated in 1908. In its early days, a bicyclist was fined a hefty $2.50 for riding on the wooden sidewalks.

For a rewarding westward extension to this tour, you can continue on country roads from Purcellville to the HI-Bear's Den Lodge. From the terminus of the W&OD Trail in Purcellville, this short but challenging extension explores the rural community of Bluemont before ending at Bear's Den.

Bear's Den Lodge is a mountaintop mansion built in the 19305 by Wagnerian diva Francesca Caspar Lawson. It offers a sweeping view of the Shenandoah Valley and serves as a hiking and bicycling stopover on the way to Front Royal and Shenandoah National Park.

LENGTH: 45.0 miles; 59.1 miles with continuation to Bear's Den.

TERRAIN: level, smooth asphalt surface. Continuation from Purcellville to Bear's Den is rolling, with extended and steep uphill climb to the hostel.

POINTS OF INTEREST: Glencarlyn Park at 1.7 miles; Bon Air Park at 3.5 miles, with beautiful rose garden; Falls Church Community Center at 5.7 miles; Historic Freeman House at 11.8 miles; Vienna railroad station and train museum at 12.0 miles; lake Fairfax Park at 17.0 miles; Sunset Hills railroad station at 18.0 miles; Herndon railroad station at 20.0 miles; leesburg Community Center at 33.7 miles; Leesburg train station at 34.5 miles; Work Horse Museum at 39.5 miles; Hamilton train station at 41.1 miles; and Purcellville train station at 44.4 miles. Bluemont at 56.5 miles, with fall fair and picnic grounds; Bear's Den at end (59.1 miles), with scenic overlook. Many bicycle shops on or near the trail.

FOOD: Generally available. Markets at 5.6,11.8, 17.5,18.1,27.7,35.0, 45.0,45.5 and 54.5 miles. Fast food at 7.2,11.8,17.0,20.0,23.6 and 34.5 miles. Restaurants in Arlington, Falls Church, Vienna, Herndon, Reston, leesburg and Purcellville. Water on trail at 2.5, 3.3, 3.9, 11.6, 16.6, 20.0, 22.5 and 34.0 miles.

LODGING: In Leesburg, laurel Brigade Inn (703-777-1010) at 20 West Market Street, three blocks north of the trail, near intersection with US 15 at 35.8 miles. In Purcellville, Purcellville Inn (540-338-2075) on Main Street (VA 7). Near Bluemont, HI-Bear's Den lodge (540-554-8708) on Blue Ridge Mountain Road (VA 601).

MAPS: W&OD Trail Map>>

W&OO Railroad Regional Park Trail Guide, a detailed book of strip maps and information available for $5.75 postpaid from W&OD Trail, 21293 Smith Switch Road, Ashburn, VA 20147-6016 (703-729-0596); or try a Loudoun County, VA road map.

START: Shirlington Village, eastern terminus of the W&OD Trail at the intersection with Four Mile Run Drive and Shirlington Road in Arlington, Va. Shirlington Village is north of the Shirlington exit of 1-395. The W&OD Trail is also accessible from the Mount Vernon Trail, at the southern tip of National Airport, by way of the Four Mile Run Trail to the intersection of South Glebe Road and West Glebe Road, then reverse cues in Arlington History Ride (Tour 10) from 20.7 miles to 19.6 miles. The starting point is within the Capital Beltway.

METRO STARTS: From Ballston Metro station (Orange Line), take North Fairfax Drive west (to the right from the Metro elevator) to the 1-66 Custis Trail, then go left (west) two miles to the W&OD Trail at Bon Air Park at mile

Resources:

Virginia Department of Conservation Usage Study

Friends of the Washington and Old Dominion Trail