Washington DC & the Potomac

Explore all Washington DC rides

All 10 modelled rides from Washington DC: the Tidal Basin, the Mount Vernon Trail, Rock Creek Park and days to Great Falls.

Rides for you

Out and back

Out and back along the Potomac, up Rock Creek or to the Anacostia. All start and finish in Washington DC. Easiest first.

Theodore Roosevelt Island4.4 mi · 40 ft climbingOut and back15–20 min riding
Fishing Shore6.6 mi · 25 ft climbingOut and back25–30 min riding
Old Town Alexandria14.2 mi · 180 ft climbingOut and back50 min–1 h 10 riding
Bethesda17.5 mi · 340 ft climbingOut and back1 h 05–1 h 30 riding
Boundary Bridge, Rock Creek Park20.3 mi · 520 ft climbingOut and back1 h 20–1 h 45 riding

Loops

A round trip that comes home another way. All start and finish in Washington DC. Easiest first.

the Tidal Basin and Hains Point6.8 mi · 5 ft climbingLoops25–30 min riding
the Arlington Loop18.6 mi · 380 ft climbingLoops1 h 10–1 h 35 riding

Big days

Two climbs, or a long loop out of town. All start and finish in Washington DC. Easiest first.

the Anacostia Riverwalk to Kenilworth19.6 mi · 220 ft climbingBig days1 h 10–1 h 35 riding
the Mount Vernon Trail to Mount Vernon34.7 mi · 540 ft climbingBig days2 h 10–2 h 50 riding
Great Falls by the Capital Crescent Trail35.7 mi · 930 ft climbingBig days2 h 20–3 h 10 riding

Each map is drawn to its own scale, north up; the dot is the start. Elevation is drawn to one scale on every card, coloured by slope as on the ride pages. Easiest first means the shortest estimated riding time at a sporty pace, which counts the climbing.

Rides are modelled from OpenStreetMap and terrain data and are not field-checked yet. Times here are estimates at a sporty pace. Catalogue access does not mean a ride fits your ability or available time. Low traffic stress includes quiet/shared streets, not just separated paths. Check current conditions before you go.

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