W&OD Trail

As everyone knows snow is forecast for this weekend. Our park maintenance staff is out pretreating the trail. As of 10:30 am this morning we've gone from mile marker 0 in Shirlington out to mile marker 6 in Falls Church. Stay safe and stay warm! 😀😎

Announcements & Financials

Details of a February 7th public hearing concerning the use of electrically assisted bikes in NOVA Parks parks and Fairfax County...

https://www.novaparks.com/about/press-releases-financials

novaparks.com Public Hearing Scheduled on E-Bike Use on Park Trails A public hearing will be held in Lorton, Va., on Thursday, February 7, 2019, on proposed changes to regulations on the use of Electrically Assisted Bicycles, or e-bikes, in Fairfax County and NOVA Parks.The hearing will cover proposed changes to....

Happy Holidays from the staff of the W&OD Trail!

Enjoy the new and improved view of the Fannie Mae pond near Old Reston Ave in Reston!

You’re invited to our annual fundraising event!
Come support the NOVA Parks Outdoor Kids Fund and Potomac Overlook Regional Park in this formal gathering.
Drinks and hors d’oeuvres will be served. Donations will be accepted. No reservations required.
#HappinessHere #DiscoverWhatsNext
#NOVAKids #NOVAParks

Our thanks to the Reston Runners Club for helping to keep the trail looking beautiful!

You’re invited to our annual fundraising event!

Come support the NOVA Parks Outdoor Kids Fund and Potomac Overlook Regional Park in this formal gathering.

Drinks and hors d’oeuvres will be served. Donations will be accepted. No reservations required.

#HappinessHere #DiscoverWhatsNext
#NOVAKids #NOVAParks

Then and Now: Bluemont Junction (1966) and Bluemont Park (2018). A slight correction from the previous post: This was taken near the Bluemont Junction Caboose / Soccer Field, looking *west* toward Wilson Blvd. Transportation may change, but it appears tennis is forever!

New Bike Trails along Belmont Ridge Road provide access to W&OD

New Bike Trails along Belmont Ridge Road provide access to W&OD
https://bikeloudoun.wordpress.com/2018/12/06/new-bike-trails-along-belmont-ridge-road-provide-access-to-wod/

bikeloudoun.wordpress.com On December 5th, 2018, Pat Turner of Bike Loudoun (seen in red above) participated in the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the widening of Belmont Ridge Road basically between Route 7 and the Dulles Tol…

Earlier today park staff attended a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Belmont Ridge Road parking lot and connector trail to the W&OD Trail. This project is part of the greater project of road improvements to Belmont Ridge Road. Among the assembled guests and dignitaries were Patricia (Pat) Turner, president of the Friends of the W&OD (second from right); Michael Nardolilli, chairman of NOVA Parks (third from right); and Paul Gilbert, executive director for NOVA Parks (fourth from right).

The area is open for trail users but please note that there is still some work being performed here (such as improving drainage on the nearby horse / bridle trail) so do be aware. Lastly the Dons Jon unit originally located by the Luck Stone Quarry overlook has been moved and will shortly be relocated to the new parking lot.

Safe travels to you on the W&OD Trail

#HappinessHere
#InquireWithin

This photo was sent our way by a friend at Rust Manor House, another of our great Nova Parks parks! It's of Bluemont Junction in 1966, now the location of Bluemont Park in Arlington. The tracks in the photo are the spur line which ran from the W&OD main line to Rosslyn. The main line, which ran from Alexandria to Bluemont from 1900 to 1936 and then Purcellville until 1968, is just over the hill, while Wilson Blvd is to the right rear of the photographer, Paul Dolkos, and the Arlington Parks Dept soccer field is today in the right side of the photo.

A snowy and wet, yet beautiful, day on the trail in Vienna...

Where are you going to find your happiness today?

#wodtrail #NOVAParks #HappinessHere #InquireWithin #DiscoverWhatsNext

The good news is that, barring maintenance issues, the following water fountains are frost-free and will operate year-round: Shirlington, Wedderburn, Sunset Hills, Smiths Switch and Loudoun County High School.

There was no shortage of water today, but for this weekend the following water fountains have been added to the previous list of those winterized: Broad St bridge, Lawson Rd and Purcellville.

Here's a great article in the Norther Virginia Transportation Authority's newsletter highlighting our W&OD Falls Church Enhanced Regional Bike Routes.
http://ow.ly/sLnc30mxcLh
#WOD #novaparks #biketrails #happinesshere #inquirewithin #discoverwhat's next

With sub-freezing temperatures possible this weekend, we've begun winterizing water fountains. The Lee Hwy fountain near the fire station, along with the Buckthorn Ln and Vienna train station fountains, are now off for the season...

Take a break from exercising your body and exercise your mind! These mini-libraries were installed by an Eagle Scout near the Old Reston Avenue and Sunrise Valley Drive rest areas. Books will be provided soon and will be family-friendly 😄😉

#HappinessHere
#InquireWithin

Some more striking fall photos, this time out west!

's cover photo

W&OD Trail

A trail user near Hamilton who was not happy that I interrupted his search for a good hibernation spot...

A beautiful fall day on the trail in Vienna!

A Good Samaritan dropped this eastern box turtle off at our Ashburn shop. He had been attempting to navigate Gloucester Parkway...

Inside Loudoun

🚲We rounded up some of the top places to stop along the W&OD Trail in Loudoun, including eats, drinks and views: http://bit.ly/bikewod 💥WIN💥We're giving away a gift card to Bike TrAle Brewing and @Carolina Brothers Pit Barbeque. 👉🏻Share this post, comment below and enter your email using the above link.

Thanks to our contributor Mary Litton.

A beautiful photo taken recently by a member of our Trail Patrol...

It's Flashback Friday, with some images from a 1991 W&OD trail guide!

Thanks to our trail users who help keep us up-to-date on trail conditions!

A resident of the Ayr Hill Garden Club garden on the east side of Maple Avenue in Vienna, as photographed by one of our regular Trail Patrollers...

With the stream now back in its bed, the Meadowlark Connector Trail is open for the weekend...

[10/04/18]   The W&OD Meadowlark Connector Trail is re-opened.

66 Inside the Beltway - About the Project - Meetings

Just a quick note about a public meeting about the W&OD Trail bridge over Lee Highway in Arlington:

http://inside.transform66.org/about_the_project/meetings.asp

inside.transform66.org 66 Inside the Beltway - About the Project - Meetings

's cover photo

Caps fan has chance encounter with Alex Ovechkin on Northern Virginia bike trail

You may have noticed a famous visitor on the trail recently...

https://russianmachineneverbreaks.com/2018/09/04/caps-fan-has-chance-encounter-with-alex-ovechkin-on-northern-virginia-bike-trail/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

russianmachineneverbreaks.com A few weeks ago, Alex Ovechkin began training for next season, aiming for a Capitals repeat. Ovechkin, through the guidance of his personal trainer Pavel, has changed up his workouts to keep his training fresh. …

Today the W&OD Trail turns 44 years old! The photos here are of the first section of the trail in the City of Falls Church as we know it in 2018. This same section was opened to the public on this date in 1974. The interpretive signs are just east of mile marker 6 near Little Falls Street explains the history of the trail. To learn more about the history of the trail check out our friends website www.wodfriends.org.

Happy birthday W&OD Trail!

50 years ago today, the last revenue train made its way along the Washington & Old Dominion Railroad...

Just a reminder that for at least part of the weekend there will be a trail detour between Sterling Blvd and Crestview Drive. The detour takes patrons around the electrical substation to the south and involves sharp turns and deep gravel that may be tough for bikers with thin tires to navigate without dismounting.

Some summery images from Sterling...

There's been a delay to the start of the Dominion Energy work between Sterling Blvd and Crestview Drive, with the work beginning two days later than originally anticipated.

The updated post:

W&OD Trail Alert

Sterling Detour

The Washington and Old Dominion Trail will be detoured for approximately 1,500 feet at a location between Sterling Boulevard and Crestview Drive in Sterling. This detour, which will be in effect August 22 to 25 and August 27 to 30 between 7:00 AM and 5:00 PM, will permit the safe and efficient construction of a new Dominion Energy transmission pole that is associated with a new substation location off Davis Drive. The detour will consist of both paved and compacted gravel surfaces and features sharp turns. Bicyclist are encouraged to dismount and walk their bikes through this area. Please obey all signage and flaggers when in this area.

W&OD Trail Alert

Sterling Detour

The Washington and Old Dominion Trail will be detoured for approximately 1,500 feet at a location between Sterling Boulevard and Crestview Drive in Sterling. This detour, which will be in effect August 20 to 23 and August 27 to 30 between 7:00 AM and 5:00 PM, will permit the safe and efficient construction of a new Dominion Energy transmission pole that is associated with a new substation location off Davis Drive. The detour will consist of both paved and compacted gravel surfaces and features sharp turns. Bicyclist are encouraged to dismount and walk their bikes through this area. Please obey all signage and flaggers when in this area.

A beautiful "dog day of summer" on the trail near Hamilton. Thought by some to signify days so hot, dogs will do nothing but lie about, it actually has to do with the position of Sirius, the Dog Star, in the sky...

Getting set up for our annual FOWOD 10k run in Vienna. A little wet from the recent rain but sunny weather now! Come out and say hello and learn about the trail and FOWOD. We'll be here until 8 PM with the NOVA Parks Roving Naturalist

[07/26/18]   FYI: Keep an eye out this afternoon for a work crew removing a dangerous overhanging "widow-maker" limb just east of the post office on Simpson Circle in Paeonian Springs.

The new water fountain between Lee Hwy and Little Falls St is up and running!

A big thank you to Velofix Northern Virginia and to Northern Virginia Regional Commission for participating in our annual FOWOD picnic today!