I went in late August, the weather was fairly comfortable. Unfortunately the trails are full of…read morebugs and gnats, completely diminishing the overall experience. I mean I get it's the outdoors and it's nature, but I find this place way more buggy and gnatty then any other place I've gone hiking. There is no scenic view because this is just in a fairly flat forest and no hills, cliffs, or mountains to get a view from. Parking is sufficient and there's adequate signage on where to go and how to get back.

Schaeffer Farms is ideal for novice to expert-level mountain bikers. There's an assortment of…read moreroutes available and the trails are well-maintained with the exception of a couple downed trees that have to be crawled under or climbed over. Like any outdoor trail there will be some bugs, but it's nothing bug repellent can't solve. I'll definitely be back again.

My wife and I have visited this trail several times in the past month and every time it has been…read morevery enjoyable. The trail is paved and kept clean. Every few miles there are porta potties and picnic tables if you need to use the toilet, rest or have a snack. There are some benches along the trail if you need to sit down or just take in the view of nature. We've started at several locations along the trail and from the trail heads. Often striking up conversations with others that are there to exercise or just enjoy the nature. Every one we have encountered has been friendly. The nature is really something else. The wildlife is really cool, we see something new every time such as Cow, deer, snakes, turtles, various birds species, fish, squirrels, beavers and other little things like dragon flies and butterflies. The trail is a nice break and I highly suggest it to anyone that wants a enjoyable place to ride,walk, run.

Great Bike Trail. It's also a walking and jogging trail. I love that it's secluded and there isn't…read moremuch access to the main roads from the trail. I've been coming here for quite a few years and have never had any problems. The paths are very clean and a lot of trees surrounding. Everyone is friendly and when crossing the main roads the cars will slow down and drivers are very vigilant on keeping an eye out. There are many landmarks and a lot of beautiful animals all over. Deer, Rabbits, many different sized dragon flies, turtles, snakes and we saw an Eagle before. The animals keep their distance and if you leave them alone your safe. Yesterday my watch said I rode for 25.30 miles one way and we didn't even reach the end. Love this area

The Boss trail is the coolest mountain bike obstacle trail I've accidentally found ever! It's…read morechallenging but it's short so you can run it 10 times, lots of wooden features and jumps, a few drops. The climbs are challenging. There are also a bunch of other easier trails here and you won't get quite as lost as you could at fountainhead.

Meadowood in Lorton is a U.S. BLM maintained property with a number of equestrian, mountain bike,…read moreand hiker trails. FYI for horse people: The Harley Road trailhead parking lot is designed for horse trailers, with a nice turnaround. No need to back up! The map that comes up on yelp shows the BLM office, check the trail map online for trailhead parking lots. There are maps at the parking lots to take, with mileage for trail segments. I'm reviewing the recently opened 4.6 mile South Branch hiking and mountain bike trail. The trail is accessible from a few parking lots (see the trail map). I parked at the lot on Old Colchester Rd, which only has space for about 6 cars, but I've never had trouble parking. There are no restrooms, water fountains, or garbage cans, so plan to bring water, and pack your trash out. I think they participate in managed hunts (announced) but I would not be surprised to find poachers, so think twice about dressing in deer colored clothes! I've hiked and jogged the trail. There are a few segments where the trail splits and then merges, one more difficult segment for mountain bikes, another for hikers. The trails are clearly marked, and you can easily make a longer hike by combining trails. South Branch is shady, the whole way. The hills are challenging enough to be fun without being miserably painful. If you think of Burke Lake's trail as a 1 on a 1 to 10 degree of difficulty, I'd rate South Branch as a 3 or 4 but I'm not the strongest hiker. There isn't room for 2 to walk side by side in most spots, and keep your ears open. We yielded the trail to bikes, but the bike riders slowed and didn't mow us down. If everyone plays well together it will help - a bike could topple down steep ravines in a couple of spots, they need some room. But bikes need to watch out too. Dogs are allowed, leash laws apply. I don't think a jogging stroller would make it. Very bumpy. The marshy area has a raised walkway and the small creeks have bridges, so you will not get soaked. Mud pits have honeycomb cinderblock retainers which is really nice. I think this trail is a blast. I don't like crowds and I like a challenge. This is a hard run for me, but a good one. I am so happy to find a place like this with no crowds. Love it!! This is the link to the trail map as of June 2012 http://www.blm.gov/es/st/en/fo/lpfo_html/recreation.html

Great place for a stroll or to view some nature! Busy at times. Restrooms are portables, not sure…read moreif they keep these here all year long. Fo the nature lovers; we'll be posting more photographs on our instagram: 3spade7star_photography

Our second year attending the annual lights display…read more Had a wonderful time walking through with my sister and my nephews. Appreciate the shuttle offered from the school which we were able park. Cool interactive lighting display and a fun way to get some steps in. This year there were 4 food truck options on site, loved the options. Looking forward to keeping the tradition going next year! Happy Yelping.

A trail running along the water. Well lit and very calming. I only did a fraction out of it, but…read morewhat I did do had an elevated deck and a small 'observation deck'.

This trail is an absolute gem in Arlington! I have visited in all four seasons in the last seven…read moreyears and it is beautiful all year 'round - especially the foliage in the Fall and luscious greenery in the summer. The trail is quite versatile for runners because you can easily scale how long to run for - I have trained for 8ks through half marathons on this trail. A huge bonus is the idyllic streams and big canopy trees to look at during your runs, rather than just buildings. The trees also provide a welcome shade during the hot summer months. The trail is also quite safe and family friendly. I highly recommend this trail!

A nice neighborhood park. It may lack amenities or fancy extras. Yet this is a pleasant place to…read morespend time. Hiking and biking are great for your health. Is this park and trail going to create a cardiovascular challenge? No. Yet it's good for people of all ages and abilities. Have met kind walkers and other folks here. This is an area to relax in. One has to smile when you think how close the Beltway is. Here your far away from that, as lots of Oak and Maple trees. There aren't any mind blowing views, but this park serves a purpose. It's a safe place to unwind and get out of the fast life the areas known for.

I started running along the trail from the Braddock road entrance and went just over two miles and…read moreit seems trail does not circle. I stopped and turned around once I reached a major street. Approved for biking, trail running, hiking and dogs. I also so a basketball court.

This is where it all begins; Mile 0 of the Washington & Old Dominion (W&OD) Trail. A plaza,…read morecomplete with plaques detailing the history of the W&OD, mark the start of the W&OD. From here, the W&OD travels west through Arlington County as it heads towards Purcellville, VA, some 45 miles away. This is a great place to start a trek on the W&OD trail. There's plenty of parking. If you forgot something to eat or drink for your ride, or need refreshment after your ride, the Village at Shirlington is just a block or so away and offers many restaurants, coffee shops, a Harris Teeter grocery store. Check out other Yelp reviews for other portions of the W&OD. For trail maps, check out Friends of the W&OD (http://www.wodfriends.org).

I've only run on the trail in the Falls Church-Arlington area around Four Mile Run, but I…read moreabsolutely love it. This is a great trail, easy to run, very peaceful, easy to access. Would love to do a long run out toward Dulles sometime. Maybe next time I need a long run and I'm down in NOVA. If you've ever lived anywhere that doesn't have awesome trails like this, then you know this is something special.

Part of Mainside Quantico trails is this gem, stadium trail. A perfect location to park either…read morenearby or downhill by the track to start your fitness journey on Stadium Trail. You can opt to turn around at the clearly marked finish sign or take alternate paths that are clearly marked during your walk, run, ruck, hike, or bike ride. There is a map of the area when you first enter the trail head. Be cautious of spiders, ticks, and whatever else have you depending on the season. Remember this is on base so you need to have access to the base otherwise this trail is off limits to you, sorry!

The Northern Central Railroad Bike Trail is a 20 mile course in Maryland stretching from Ashland…read moreRoad in Hunt Valley to the Mason Dixie Line. We usually go bike riding at the Monkton section. There is a small parking lot, bathrooms, and park office. There are more parking along the shoulder of Monkton Road. One can also rent bikes and inner tubes here for tubing at the Gunpowder River. The trail is 10 feet wide with a stone dust surface.

I've done this race over ten times but this will probably be my last one. The logistics are a…read morenightmare and they seem to be getting worse as the race field keeps getting larger. The Metro used to open at 5am for this race. Now it opens at 7am. The first train got there at 7:50am. So definitely find another way to get there if you are in waves 1-4. The start and finish used to be near bag check. This changed a long time ago but it still sucks and the shuttle lines are longer than ever. The start/finish areas are really confusing due to the sheer volume of people in the area. It's not completely clear where and how far everything is. The race, itself, is great. The course has changed but it's still nice and the atmosphere is awesome. There aren't as many people cheering as Cherry Blossom or Marine Corps Marathon but it's still fun. It's very crowded but that should be expected and other DC races are just as crowded. If you can park at the Pentagon, you're staying nearby, or can run/bike over you're probably fine. For anyone taking the Metro, plan on joining wave 6 or later. Maybe wave 4-5 if you go straight to the start without stopping.

The Army Ten Miler takes my breath away…read more Cue song (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4a6ampIGao). Literally. Yesterday was my second attempt at running the Army Ten Miler. My first attempt was in 2010, I had an asthma attack and found metro at mile 3 to go to urgent care. This year, I was determined to finish, although I had tight lungs and difficulties early on. I don't know what it is about this race or the time of year, it's weird cause I only have issues with asthma only twice in the last decade, so maybe I'm allergic to men in uniforms (in that case I'm jumping off a bridge now cause that makes me sad), or maybe unbeknownst to my knowledge the race course is filled with dust and cat dander (only two triggers I can think of). Overall, I'm glad I at least finished and would have to say it's well run and well organized race. But let's break this down into the official rules, the good and the bad: Rules: -Mobile phones, mp3 players, ipods, and headphones are prohibited. No joke.There are security checks and you are subject to so they may find these items and make you check them in. I saw people stopped for headphones on the course too. I suggest you bring your own pedometer, because although they say they have mile markers for every mile, no one in my wave saw signs for the first three miles, I had to ask someone with a pedometer where I was. I felt so lost without my run keeper app on my iphone. -Bag check in requires that you use the clear plastic bags they provide. You will need to dump out the contents of any purse or bag into the plastic bag. -The race is organized by waves by pace, you can move down a wave to a slower pace but not move up. The Good: It's just awe inspiring to run one of the world's largest ten mile races along side wounded warriors, ROTC, and Santa Claus. The course is as flat as can be. The Army volunteers are amazing. Little do people know that many of them have been there since 1:30 am setting up, and by the time our wave rolled around they were getting a little loopy and hilarious on their megaphones. They joked about getting the water from the Potomac, warned against peeing off course etc. etc. This race is loaded with spectators, with clever signs. The runners were actually thanking them for coming out, and then they were thanking us, it was just a race of shiny, happy people all around. The bands along the way are even good (they never played Journey! YES!) Tons of people who saw me running in a Red Sox cap shouted predictions about them winning the world series. I love you all. My friend found me at the finish line, and didn't cheer for the wrong person this year!!! The Bad: -The last two miles are a let down and utterly boring. I would have killed for some music or entertainment at this point other than a witnessing a road rage incident on the 14th street bridge. There are no spectators, and it's along side a highway. The finish line will not come into sight until you are few feet away. -It's a healthy twenty minute walk from the finish line to the start line, and there are no signs to tell how to get back to where you started. There are shuttles available though. -Because this event is so popular, expect lines for everything, getting on the metro, getting off the metro, getting through security to go into the corrals, bag check, shuttles and food/water at the end.I would recommend adding time to travel to accommodate. -Although the packet picket at the Stadium Armory is pretty efficient and they offer free parking, I would recommend never driving there. The traffic is awful, the lots are often full and the DC parking enforcement is out in full force ticketing (just walking up to the stadium I saw an entire row of cars with pink tickets although the signs indicated it was ok to park at those hours). Metro is the right way to go. I would say this is one of the must do DC races, I might need a lung transplant to do it again but Hooah!!