Great Rides Washington D.C. – Bike Rides for Everyone

Cycling in Washington, DC, means urban sightseeing, rail trails, and adventures in nature.

As a gold-level Bicycle Friendly Community, DC already has major cred as a cycling city. There are 150 miles of bustling bike lanes and trails — many of which connect bucket-list sites, meander through serene parks like Rock Creek, and contour along waterways — and it’s ranked second nationally among large cities for residents who bike to work.

In the coming years, the Capital Trail Coalition is building an 800-mile network to connect the entire metro region. Topographically, it’s like a shallow bowl, with river terraces and subtle ridges surrounding the basin of the Mall — which translates to plenty of flats with a few gentle climbs.

Several rail trails, including the paved Capital Crescent Trail and the gravelly Chesapeake and Ohio Canal towpath, make it easy to cruise away from the city limits and connect to smaller rural roads. Want to get way off the blacktop? Try the area around Bluemont, which accesses the Blue Ridge (and miles of gravel).

Though the mountains aren’t high, the mountain biking can be excellent, especially at Gambrill State Park, the Frederick Watershed, and George Washington National Forest. Every September, some 9,000 cyclists roll past monuments and over bridges in the 20-mile DC Bike Ride, the only time the city goes car-free.

Bethesda Loop

Distance: 34.3 mi
Elevation: +/- 1519 ft

Washington, DC

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Rock Creek Hills Ride

Distance: 27.4 mi
Elevation: +/- 2168 ft

Washington, DC

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Great Falls Ride 29

Distance: 28.7 mi
Elevation: +/- 1162 ft

Washington, DC

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Sugarloaf Mountain Loop

Distance: 95.2 mi
Elevation: +/- 4654 ft

Washington, DC

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Great Falls Ride 40

Distance: 38.9 mi
Elevation: +/- 1923 ft

Falls Church, VA

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Trek Georgetown's "Taco Tuesday" Route

Distance: 18 mi
Elevation: +/- 1632 ft

Rosslyn, VA

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Anacostia River Trail Ride

Distance: 29.3 mi
Elevation: +/- 842 ft

Washington, DC

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Great Falls 27-Mile Ride

Distance: 27.2 mi
Elevation: +/- 1356 ft

Fairfax County, VA

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Fountainhead

Distance: 19 mi
10875 Hampton Rd
Fairfax Station, VA 22039

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Lake Accotink Park

Distance: 20 mi
7500 Accotink Park Rd Springfield, VA 22150

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Locust Shade

Distance: 30 mi
4701 Locust Shade Dr
Triangle, VA 22172

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Meadowood Recreation Area

Distance: 6 mi
Lower Potomac Field Station
10406 Gunston Rd
Lorton, VA 22079

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Mount Vernon District Park

Distance: 3 mi
6801 Fort Hunt Rd
Alexandria, VA 22307

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Wakefield

Distance: 11 mi
8100 VA-620, Annandale, VA 22003

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Lake Fairfax

Distance: 5 mi
1800 Michael Faraday Ct, Reston VA

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Laurel Hill Park

Distance: 13 mi
Lorton, VA 22079

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The Plains

Distance: 41 mi
Elevation: +/- 3099 ft

The Plains, VA

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Middleburg Figure 8

Distance: 57 mi
Elevation: +/- 4010 ft

Middleburg, VA

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Great Falls Out and Back

Distance: 26.8 mi
Elevation: +/- 374 ft

Washington, DC

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Sweet Ride at Sweet Rose

Distance: 34.3 mi
Elevation: +/- 2046 ft

Purcellville, VA

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C&O Canal Out And Back

Distance: 22.4 mi
Elevation: +/- 322 ft

Washington, DC

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Bear Creek Lake Ride

Distance: 43.7 mi
Elevation: +/- 2240 ft

Cumberland County, VA

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Gravel and Grapes

Distance: 16.8 mi
Elevation: +/- 1345 ft

Fauquier County, VA

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Dusty Roads in Dover

Distance: 23.9 mi
Elevation: +/- 2020 ft

Loudoun County, VA

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Monuments Tour

Distance: 14.8 mi
Elevation: +/- 433 ft

Washington, DC

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Haines Point Loop

Distance: 3.2 mi
Elevation: +/- 20 ft

Washington, DC

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Arlington Loop

Distance: 15.7 mi
Elevation: +/- 853 ft

Rosslyn, VA

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Bethesda Out and Back

Distance: 14 mi
Elevation: +/- 451 ft

Washington, DC

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Lake Needwood Out and Back

Distance: 11.4 mi
Elevation: +/- 711 ft

Montgomery County, MD

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Mt. Vernon Trail Ride

Distance: 18.3 mi
Elevation: +/- 784 ft

Alexandria, VA

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Ride of Memorials

Distance: 5.8 mi
Elevation: +/- 146 ft

Washington, DC

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Patriot Circle

Distance: 1.8 mi
Elevation: +/- 125 ft

Fairfax County, VA

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