Bike and Hiking Trails in Metro DC

: Image by surrfred via FlickrThere are hundreds of miles of trails in the Washington DC area if you know where to look.

A few weeks ago, I set off with some friends to hike up Sugarloaf Mountain in Montgomery County, Maryland. Although it is only a thirty minute drive from my home in Vienna, VA, it was a wonderfully steep trail for anyone looking to burn some calories. There were also some folks technical rock climbing (using ropes) in a nice climbing area up the southern face of the mountain.

Wine tasting anyone?

Après-hike (if there is such a term) stop in and visit Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard for a wine tasting, tour or to just munch on gourmet cheese platters. We sat outside and it was wonderful.

I recently met up with the founder of TrailVoice.com , Ian Edlind, and was very impressed with the collection of Washington DC region trails listed on his site. If you are looking for some good outdoor ideas, take a few minutes and look through the site because he has a “Parks & Trails” section and a really interesting “Themes” section if you want to do something like clean up the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Overall, TrailVoice.com is an excellent “insider guide” to consult before you set out on the trail.

It’s a good “insider guide” to consult

Of course my local Vienna Home Blog favorite is the W&OD Bike Trail which runs through the center of town close to a couple of bike shops, coffee houses and restaurants. It is a busy trail from Arlington to Leesburg (about 40 miles) that you can run, walk, ride a bike or ride a horse on right through the center of Northern Virginia. It is an aspect that always appeals to my real estate clients.

Living in the Metro DC region will give you an abundance of outdoor activities to experience including hiking the Billy Goat Trail along the C&O Canal.