Lace up your hiking boots. We’ve compiled a curated hiking guide for Northern Virginia with 12 trails and routes to help you plan your next adventure.
Note: Before heading out, we recommend checking park websites for further info, current trail conditions, and safest practices for the area.
Key: Easy = 🥾| Moderate = 🥾🥾 | Hard = 🥾🥾🥾
The Mather Gorge is a beautiful sight while hiking at Great Falls Park.
Photo via NPS
Do go chasing waterfalls
Quantico Cascades Trail, Parking Lot E, Manassas
- Difficulty: 🥾
- Length: 1.4 miles out-and-back
- Wheelchair accessible: No
- Pet-friendly: Yes, with leash
Ok, so you may not see huge cascading waterfalls on this hike at Prince William Forest, but you will end up at a small rapid on the creek where hikers can splash around or enjoy a picnic.
White Oak Canyon Trail, Whiteoak Canyon Parking on Skyline Drive, Luray
- Difficulty: 🥾🥾🥾
- Length: 9.8 miles out-and-back
- Wheelchair accessible: No
- Pet-friendly: Yes, with leash
During the summer, hikers can stop along the trail to swim in small pools and check out the waterfalls. Pro tip: If you’re looking for less of a hike, start at the lower trailhead, where you’ll have to walk less to reach the bigger swimming holes.
The River Trail, 9194 Old Dominion Dr., McLean
- Difficulty: 🥾🥾
- Length: 3 miles out-and-back
- Wheelchair accessible: No
- Pet-friendly: Yes, with leash
Located in Great Falls Park, be prepared to hike near the edge of a cliff and see magnificent views of the Potomac and Mather Gorge. Once you’ve mastered this hike, check out other trails in the park.
Catch views of the beautiful Burke Lake while taking the park’s loop trail.
Photo via Fairfax County Park Authority
Picture-perfect views
Burke Lake Trail, 7315 Ox Rd., Fairfax Station
- Difficulty: 🥾
- Length: 4.8-mile loop
- Wheelchair accessible: Portions; the trail surface is pavement, gravel, and dirt + typically at least 4 ft wide
- Pet-friendly: Yes, with leash
This relatively flat route circles the entirety of Burke Lake and makes a great hike for families thanks to the various benches positioned along the trail for breaks. Once you finish, make it worth the trip by checking out the park’s merry-go-round or boat rentals.
Turkey Run Loop Trail, XR7W+PP, McLean
- Difficulty: 🥾
- Length: 0.75-mile loop
- Wheelchair accessible: No
- Pet-friendly: Yes, with leash
Head to Parking Area C-1 at Turkey Run Park to find this trailhead. If you feel like hiking some more after completing the loop, set out on the one-mile Woods Trail that starts at the same parking lot.
Ira Gabrielson Trail, 3J67+P3, Sterling
- Difficulty: 🥾🥾
- Length: 12 miles point-to-point
- Wheelchair accessible: No
- Pet-friendly: Yes, with leash
A segment of the Potomac Heritage Trail, this hike at Algonkian Regional Park will take you through Lowe’s Island, along the Seneca Breaks (one of the Potomac’s five famous falls), past remnants of old rock formations, through Nichols Run, and beyond — making for a hike full of unique views.
Hikers at Dyke Marsh have spotted wildlife like egret, osprey, and gulls.
Photo via NPS
Wildlife walks
Haul Road Trail/Dyke Marsh Trail, Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve, Alexandria
- Difficulty: 🥾
- Length: 1.9 miles out-and-back
- Wheelchair accessible: No
- Pet-friendly: Yes, with leash
This is a popular trail for birders and is the perfect spot to spy a unique variety of wildlife. If you’d like to hike with a group, join the Friends of Dyke Marsh’s Sunday Bird Walks at 8 a.m.
Potomac Heritage Trail, 8700 Potomic Hills St., Great Falls
- Difficulty: 🥾
- Length: 2.5 miles out-and-back
- Wheelchair accessible: No
- Pet-friendly: Yes, with leash
While the entirety of the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail spans 700+ miles and multiple states, this 2.5-mile section within Riverbend Park is perfect for a weekend hike. Bonus: This trail connects to Great Falls Park.
Cedar Trail, Deer Trail, and Heron Trail Loop, 3701 Lockheed Blvd., Alexandria
- Difficulty: 🥾
- Length: 1.8-mile loop
- Wheelchair accessible: Portions
- Pet-friendly: Portions (dogs not allowed on the boardwalk)
Combine the three trails at Huntley Meadows to create an under two-mile loop — parts of which take place on a boardwalk over the freshwater wetland. Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife ranging from wild turkey to yellow-billed cuckoo.
High Point Trail, JRR2+XM, Lorton
- Difficulty: 🥾
- Length: 2.94 miles point-to-point
- Wheelchair accessible: Yes
- Pet-friendly: Yes, with leash
This multi-use trail at Mason Neck State Park — also part of the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail — is a perfect option for those wanting a quiet and peaceful walk. You’re far less likely to run into groups of hikers here than you might at Great Falls Park.
A portion of Bull Run Occoquan Trail is also open to mountain biking.
Photo via NOVA Parks
Hikes with history
Bull Run Occoquan Trail, 10875 Hampton Rd., Fairfax Station
- Difficulty: 🥾🥾
- Length: 19.7 miles point-to-point
- Wheelchair accessible: No
- Pet-friendly: Yes, with leash
Explore more than 5,000 acres of woodland while trekking through NOVA Parks’ longest natural surface trail. Along the trail, you’ll find historic sights like battle points from the Revolutionary and Civil Wars.
Downtown Heritage Trail, 7th St. and Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, DC
- Difficulty: 🥾
- Length: Three 1-mile loops
- Wheelchair accessible: Yes
- Pet-friendly: Yes
Looking for a way to pass time while you’re in The District? The Downtown DC Neighborhood Heritage Trail — comprising three ~1-mile loops — features 21 markers along the path that dive into the history of where you’re walking. Follow along with the PDF, then explore the other 16 heritage trails.
Get the right gear
Get the most out of your trip with comfortable, handy, and helpful hiking gear:
- For the best footwear, check out Nordstrom Rack’s sneaker edit for hiking.
- If your trail demands a proper hiking boot, we like Columbia’s collection on Amazon.
- Travel light (but still have room for snacks) with lululemon’s Everywhere Belt Bag.
- Get a good bulk deal on Perfect Bars, Clif Bars, or Kind Bars at a warehouse store like Sam’s Club.
- Don’t forget to bring a compact, portable phone charger (you’ll thank us later).
- We like this Teton hiking backpack.
- We like this lightweight water bottle.
Psst — to be ultra-prepared, here are the 10 items you should never enter a national park without, according to the National Park Service.