Trail Guide - Page 8: Previous Page | Trails Index | DC Online Home
This 10-mile trail extends along the Virginia bank of the Potomac River, from the Roosevelt Island
parking lot north to the beltway. You can reach it from the C&O Canal Tow
Path (trail B) by crossing the Key Bridge in Georgetown, or the Chain Bridge just south
of the Maryland state line. On the Virginia side of the Chain Bridge, the trail is beneath the high
freeway overpass carrying the GW Parkway.
From Georgetown, there is a bike trail on the Virginia side of the Key bridge, on the downstream
(east) side, that leads to a pedestrian bridge over the GW Parkway and the Roosevelt Island parking
lot. If you take this bike path in the opposite direction, west along Lee Highway, it becomes the
Custis Bike path, following I-66 and eventually connecting to the Washington & Old Dominion Trail,
which extends almost to the Blue Ridge mountains.
There are very nice hiking trails on
Roosevelt Island. Heading south from the Roosevelt Island parking lot, the
Mount Vernon Trail (trail P) extends down the Potomac
River to
George Washington's Mount Vernon estate. From the Mount Vernon trail, you can cross the
Potomac River to the Rock Creek Trail (trail J) on the
Roosevelt or
Memorial Bridges. There is a sidewalk on the upstream side of the Roosevelt Bridge. Once on the
Washington side of this bridge, you will have to make your way across the Kennedy Center grounds
back toward
the river, crossing Rock Creek Parkway to reach the Rock Creek
Trail (trail
J).
Metro Access: Walk to the right (east
or downstream) side of Key Bridge from the Rosslyn Metro
(about two blocks) and turn right on the bike trail that leads to a pedestrian bridge over the GW
Parkway to the Potomac River bank. Go upstream next to the river. Trail markers begin about a
quarter-mile upstream.
Heading south from the Roosevelt Island parking lot, this trail extends 17.5 miles down the Potomac
River to George Washington's Mount Vernon estate.
You can cross the Potomac River to the Rock Creek Trail (trail
J) on
the Roosevelt or Memorial Bridges. There is a sidewalk on the upstream side of the Roosevelt
Bridge. Once on the Washington side of this bridge, you will have to make your way across the
Kennedy Center
grounds back toward the river, crossing Rock Creek Parkway to reach the Rock
Creek Trail (trail J).
There are very nice hiking trails on
Roosevelt Island. North of the Roosevelt Island parking lot, the Potomac
Heritage Trail (trail O) begins. There is also a pedestrian bridge across the GW
Parkway. The Custis bicycle path on the other side of this bridge goes to Key Bridge, and then
follows I-66, eventually connecting to the Washington & Old Dominion Trail,
which extends almost to the Blue Ridge mountains.
You can reach the C&O Canal Tow Path (trail B) and Capital Crescent Trail (trail A) by crossing the Key Bridge on the
right
(downstream) side. Turn right at the Washington end of the bridge, cross Francis Scott Key Park,
and turn right again on 34th Street. A pedestrian bridge at the end of 34th Street connects to the C&O Canal Tow Path (trail B). To reach the Capital
Crescent Trail (trail A), continue downhill another block to K Street and turn right.
The path begins at the end of K Street.
Metro Access: Walk to the right (east
or downstream) side of Key Bridge from the Rosslyn Metro
(about two blocks) and turn right on the bike trail that leads to a pedestrian bridge over the GW
Parkway. Go upstream along the Potomac River bank. Trail markers begin about a quarter-mile
upstream.
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