Reston

Reston

In the 1970's the trip from D.C. to Reston seemed like going out to rural America. It seemed far for people not yet used to going beyond the beltway. The trip was mostly on Leesburg Pike, Rte. 7 and the traffic was light. The planned community was new and as it turned-out, just growing. Now Reston is right at the core of Fairfax and Loudoun County=s high-tech corridor. Toll roads give you an option for getting there but any way you use to get there is busy during rush hours. Once you make the trip, you=ll find that Reston was designed with trails and green space. Golf courses and natural areas are intermixed with townhomes, apartments and houses. Places for dinning with lakes views were built-in too. In the 1990's, in a retro reaction to burgeoning indoor shopping malls, a popular outdoor ATown Center@ with tall buildings on city-like blocks was built with places to shop, gather for an evening movie, and even to ice skate.

Like Columbia, Maryland, another established planned community, Reston has many trails and many good athletes. The runners, triathletes and cyclists all place well in the Washington area=s competitive events. Which came first; did the athletes flock to Reston or did they get better because of the trails? Two major trails and many other nice ones can be easily reached from Reston. About four miles of the 44.6 mile long Washington and Old Dominion Trail (W&OD) pass through the middle of Reston. The paved railroad grade W&OD is very well used during both weekdays and weekends. The unpaved Rails to River Trail (RRT) previously known as the Difficult Run Trail, begins off the W&OD in Reston and ends at the Potomac River in Great Falls Park. Most of the stream valley trails in Reston are unmarked. Occasional signs are painted on the asphalt but they often get rubbed out. Some are poorly marked by small signs with Ar.@.

Getting There

From the Capital Beltway

Take Exit 12, for the Washington Dulles Access and Toll Road, Rte. 267, west. When getting on to the expressway, stay to the (right) outer lanes. The inner lanes are only for access to Washington Dulles International Airport. Exit after 7 miles at Wiehle Ave, Rte. 828. At the stoplight on the exit ramp, turn left, crossing over Rte. 267. At a T-intersection with Sunset Valley Dr. turn right. At the next stoplight less than half a mile later, turn left onto Soapstone Dr. Turn right at the next stoplight after 0.9 miles, onto South Lakes Dr. Turn left into South Lakes Drive Park and park. Start from the parking lot where the paved trail coming from in-between the ball fields, hits the parking lot.

Area Routes

Snakeden (2.95 or 3.2 miles, II)

The hardest part of this easy loop, on paved trails through the woods, is getting familiar with the many turns. Some orienteering skill will help but really what you need to remember is how to follow a stream. Initially, take a trail through the tunnel under South Lakes Dr. After going along a golf course and passing by some town homes, go through the tunnel under Soapstone Dr. Follow the course of the stream downhill, going through some turns, and come to a second tunnel that crosses under South Lakes Dr. again. At the triangular intersection, turn right, now heading upstream along the Snakeden Branch (though there are probably some snakes here, you=re not very likely to see them). Follow the trail, leaving the woods briefly to pass a convenience store, into another tunnel under Soapstone Dr. again. Several paved side trails can be confusing but if you stay in the stream valley, eventually you will come to a T-intersection before the next tunnel. This time turn away from it and the creek climbing up toward the park. The optional extension goes to Colt=s Neck Rd. and requires a short segment on the grassy shoulder of South Lakes Dr. to get back. Getting a little confused on this route the first time around can be expected, especially while coming back upstream. Many people use the trails however and will probably give you assistance if you ask.

The Glade (7.45, 9.05 or 9.1 miles, VII, IX or IX)

The nicest paved trail in Reston is the one going through The Glade, a stream valley park. Unlike the Snakeden Branches which empty into Lake Thoreau and Lake Audubon, The Glade has not been dammed. Long stretches of easy-to-follow trail are characterized by light filtering through the tree canopies in a modest valley. The Glade is cool in the summertime, and protected from winds in Winter. To get there from South Lakes Drive Park, use the trails along the Snakeden Branch to cross under Reston Ave. Pass through a very short section in one of the rare less prosperous Reston neighborhoods then use the sidewalk to return to Reston Pkwy. on Glade Dr. The feature trail can be followed from Reston Pkwy. to the Twin Branches Rd. (a distance of 3.4 miles) with only a few easy road crossings to break it up. Just follows the creek downhill. Just before the trail ends, it passes around a marsh area. Begin the return on the sidewalk of Twin Branches Rd. You=ll pass Lake Audubon. Though there is a visible trail at the shore of this lake, it does not go all the way around. After Twin Lakes Dr. use South Lakes Dr. Much of the way back on South Lakes Dr. does not have a sidewalk so either the side of the road must be used, or you can use the grassy shoulder. Pass between both Lake Audubon and Lake Thoreau on South Lakes Dr.

To extend the loop, cross over at Twin Branches Rd. to continue following the creek. The first drop down a gravel road after crossing the Twin Branches, is a little steep. Though it flattens for a while, some rocky and more hilly sections must be traversed before emerging at the W&OD Trail. If you like a trail that requires a little fancy footwork, you=ll like the hilly part of this trail. The longest options follows a less than half mile long trail along a buried sewer line that gradually climbs, and keeps you in the woods a little longer before coming to the W&OD Trail. The W&OD Trail takes you to Sunrise Valley Dr., where you can follow a paved trail back up to Twin Branches and South Lakes Dr.

Fox Mill (8.7 miles, VIII)

In Fox Mill District park you=ll find some nice unpaved trails in the woods. They are not marked and there are some turns to make however they aren=t too hard to follow. Getting there from South Lakes Drive Park you=ll cross the Snakeden Branch and Glade valleys. Start down the paved trail along South Lakes Dr. under Soapstone Dr. and back under South Lakes Dr. Instead of heading upstream to the right as in the Snakeden route, turn left and downstream. When you reach the Lake Audubon, turn right twice to reverses direction and head uphill to Glade Dr. You=ll pass the Walker Nature Center and cross Soapstone Dr. before turning left to follow the paved trail across Glade Dr. and down into The Glade valley. Stay in that valley long enough only to cross Soapstone Dr. once again and climb out to Lawyers Rd. From there, take quiet suburban streets to a pedestrian entrance into Fox Mill District Park. Turn left upon reaching the basketball courts to follow the sidewalk behind the school to a parking lot. At the end of the lot there is an unpaved and unmarked trail head. It immediately passes a fenced-off graveyard; presumably left from earlier residents. Go downhill along the stream, crossing over it once on a wood bridge. It empties into the larger Little Difficult Run creek. At this point, turn left and up a short steep and rocky hill. The trail immediately gets better at the top, and only continues to improve thereafter. It rolls through a few shallow valleys and streams before emerging on one of the same roads used to reach the park. Return the way you came.

Sunrise/Sunset (7.5, 5.9 or 9.75 miles, VII, V or X)

Reston is chock-full of trails. This route takes advantage of several of them with ways to extend or shorten your trip. First take trails down to Soapstone Dr. Turn left, still on trails, going uphill and passing some houses and more of the Reston National Golf Course. Sunrise Valley Drive is a four lane road with a paved trail right beside it that rolls but mostly descends to the W&OD Trail. Extend the trip by rolling up and down the W&OD Trail to Hunter=s Rd. on an out and back. Shorten the trip by cutting across on the path along Wiehle Avenue to the W&OD Trail and Sunset Hills Road. All options return on the W&OD Trail which parallels Sunset Hills Road. Though the name sounds forbidding, the railroad grade of W&OD through Reston smooths out the hills. A tunnel for the W&OD Trail was put in under Reston Avenue in the late 1990's. Pass under it before looping back past the Reston Town Center and return on the paved trail along Reston Avenue.

Smilax Branch (4.95 miles, IV)

The west side of Reston was developed later than much of the rest. The outdoor Town Center, an outdoor mall and office park, gave those living in Reston and places west, a larger place to gather at night as well as work during the day. The four city-like blocks are people friendly with a fountain, a theater, restaurants, and a small covered outdoor skating rink where you can watch both good and bad skaters. The mall is surrounded by parking lots and has spurred other commercial developments. On this route, use asphalt trail mostly along Reston Avenue to pass by the town center. After the town center, go a little way west on the W&OD Trail. Next, take the trail along the Fairfax County Parkway, Rte. 7100. It joins where the W&OD Trail crosses the Smilex Branch; a stream that feeds into Sugarland Run in Herndon. You won=t see much of Smilex Branch however due to the parkway and the elevated railroad grade of the W&OD Trail. The parkway trail is not very pleasant. It is close to the road, sunny and hot from all the pavement in the summertime. There are some highway intersections on it to cross also. It is flat however. Stay on it only a short way to return on a gentle climb along Sunrise Valley Road. Pass several office parks along the way. Take Reston Avenue back to South Lakes Drive Park.

Lake Fairfax (10.65 or 8.6 miles, X or VIII)

Even before Reston was built, families had been coming to Lake Fairfax Park for decades. One of the things I looked forward to as a kid was riding the kiddie train. The pool was probably the most popular feature however. It=s been remade into an aquatic park. Peddling the sleek paddleboat (sleek in a sort of late 60's/early 70's way) around the lake was fun too. My dad would let me peddle but he liked it best when we parked it under the shade of the overhanging trees. I liked to keep moving. As it turned out the park had plenty more to explore. Today there are campgrounds, picnic areas, ballfields, and a nature and horse trail.

Getting to the park, follow the paved trails along South Lakes Dr., Soapstone Dr., Sunrise Valley Dr., and Wiehle Ave. to get to the W&OD Trail. The hills are rolling but none are steep nor very long. After less than an quarter mile along the W&OD Trail turn left on Michael Faraday Ct. At end of the court, follow the unpaved and mostly unmarked trail straight ahead into Lake Fairfax Park. It crosses an abandoned parking lot, then starts dropping downhill along a stream. This trail is the Rails to River Trail (RRT). It follows Colvin Run, then Difficult Run 8.03 miles all the way to the Potomac River just south of Great Falls. It=s very popular with mountain bikers. At the bottom of the initial downhill, cross a small stream (no bridge) and bear right up the next hill. At the next intersection near the edge of a ball field, bear left leaving the RRT for the Lake Fairfax Nature Trail. The Nature Trail brings you to the campgrounds, where if you want to shorten the route, you can turn left, following the nature trail back to the stream crossing. Going on for the longer route, go out the gravel campground entrance road. It quickly takes you down to the dam and the lake. Cross the dam, then turn right across the grass continuing downhill on the road for the picnic area. Pass the pavilion and at an intersection with a Agravel road@, turn right; before the picnic area road begins to go uphill. This Agravel road@ is the RRT. In this area, the RRT and is identified by a small sign with horseshoe painted on it like an upside down letter U. The gravel soon ends but the trail continues, going up a steep hill, then crossing a field. It goes back down into the woods again, climbs up to skirt along a soccer field, then intersects the nature trail; thus completing the loop portion of the long route. Hills inside the park require an effort. Return from the Nature Trail/RRT intersection as you came out.

Nearby and Connecting Zones

Vienna

Trailside Park, Herndon

Difficult Run

What to do Afterward

Food and Drink

Pizzeria Uno - in the Town Center - 703 742-8667

Rio Grande Café - in the Town Center - 703 904-0703

HomeGrown Markets - Saturdays 8AM-noon, MayBNovember; Lake Anne Plaza - 703-642-5173

Entertainment and Edification

Reston Town Center - off the Reston Parkway near Baron Cameron Ave.

Walker Nature Center - off Glade Drive

Lake Fairfax Park - The Water Mine Family Swimming Hole - 703 471-5415

Frying Pan Park - 703 437-9101

Wolf Trap Barns - indoor music and performance arts - 703 938-3405

Wolf Trap Farm Park - outdoor music and performance arts - 703 255-1820

2.95 Mile Route

R 0.0 when facing the park; from the parking lot

R 0.05 at T; toward tunnel under S Lakes Dr

R 0.1 at T; after tunnel under S Lakes Dr

0.35 cross road; trail moves away from Rd

0.45 pond on L

0.55 trail X on L; S toward road

L 0.7 on trail on L before the Double Eagle Ct exits to S Lakes Dr

R 1.0 trail X after tunnel under Soapstone Dr; go downhill

BR 1.25 at trail X (triangle); school to L

BR 1.35 after tunnel under S Lakes Dr at trail X (triangle)

1.4 trail on L merges (triangle)

1.5 trail bears L; convenience store on R

R 1.55 trail X on R goes under tunnel; now going upstream along Snakeden Br

R 1.6 at T; houses are S

1.75 trail X L & R

BR 1.85 trail splits up different valleys

2.0 trail X on L

2.05 trail X on L

2.2 trail X on L to Glade Rd & Middle Creek Rd

L 2.3 at T; trail X

L 2.4 at split in trail

2.45 trail X on L

R 2.6 at T; L is to another T intersection & tunnel under Colts Neck Rd

L 2.65 at trail X; S is to houses; L over wooden bridge

R 2.75 multiple trail X; go toward park on R

2.8 trail X on R to park

R 2.9 trail X on R to parking

2.95 trail X on R at parking

7.45 Mile Route

R 0.0 from parking lot when facing the field

L 0.05 at T; downhill

L 0.15 at multi trail X (unmarked); go downhill

BR 0.25 trail X; go downhill

0.3 trail X on L along Snakeden Branch

R 0.35 trail X (triangle)

R 0.55 at T to tunnel under Colt=s Neck Dr; shopping is to the L

0.7 tunnel under Reston Pkwy

0.75 trail X on L after tunnel

BL 0.9 at parking after basketball court

L 0.95 Pinecrest Rd

L 1.0 Glade Rd

CR 1.45 at Reston Pkwy to trail head on R

BL 1.6 at parking; Hunter Woods Park (water)

1.8 parking

1.85 trail X on R

2.1 Colt=s Neck Rd at Jackstay Terrace

L 2.35 at trail X; go downhill

L 2.45 at T after crossing Steeplechase Dr

R 2.8 trail X on R toward Soapstone Dr

3.35 trail X on L to Glade Dr

3.45 Soapstone Dr

4.0 trail X L & R to Glade & Lawyers Rd

L 4.3 trail X on L to wooden bridge

L 4.9 at T; go up Twin Branches Rd

4.95 Glade Rd on L; gravel road on R

5.05 Lake Audubon on L

L 5.5 South Lakes Dr; use grassy shoulder

6.25 South Lakes HS on R at xwalk

6.75 Soapstone Dr

BL 7.4 on trail into South Lakes Park

7.45 trail X on L goes in-between fields

*9.1 Mile Route

CR 4.95 Glade Rd on L; gravel road on R goes down steep hill

BL 5.16 at gravel road to wood bridge over creek

5.35 single track at dry dam; TR X L & R; up

5.55 trail X on R after rocky & rough trail

L 5.7 at T before the creek

L 5.8 at T after bridge over creek

<**

5.9 trail X on L

L 6.0 W&OD Trail

6.35 paved trail on L to Cross School Rd

>**

L 6.55 Sunrise Valley Dr (follow paved trail)

6.75 cross Barton Hill Dr; up steep hill

R/L 7.0 trail X on R; L before tunnel to shops

7.1 Twin Branches Rd; go S and use grass along S Lakes Dr (pickup cues at mile 6.25 on 7.45 mile route)

R 0.0 when facing the park; from the parking lot

R 0.05 at T; toward tunnel under S Lakes Dr

R 0.1 at T; after tunnel under S Lakes Dr

0.35 cross road; trail moves away from Rd

0.45 pond on L

0.55 trail X on L; S toward road

L 0.7 on trail on L before the Double Eagle Ct exits to S Lakes Dr

R 1.0 trail X after tunnel under Soapstone Dr

BR 1.25 at trail X (triangle)(downhill); school to L

BL 1.35 after tunnel under S Lakes Dr at X (triangle)

1.4 trail on R merges (triangle)

R 1.65 trail X on R; Lake Audubon is S

R 1.7 at T; after bridge over Snakden Branch; up

R 1.95 at T along Glade Rd

2.0 Walker Nature Center on R

2.15 Soapstone Dr

L 2.25 trail X on L crosses Glade Dr; downhill

L 2.5 at T; trail X; The Glade

CR 2.6 Soapstone Dr; uphill

2.75 Lawyers Rd; continue S on Soapstone

CR 3.0 Foxclove Rd

3.25 trail X L & R (dirt); L is return route

L 3.4 Blue Spruce Rd

L 3.7 Riders La

L 3.85 Wild Cherry Pl

4.05 paved trail head at end of road; Fox Mill Prk

L 4.15 at basketball ct to go behind school on walk

BL 4.3 at parking; at end of lot L again into woods on unmarked dirt trail that passes graveyard

R 4.4 at T before stream; follow trail downhill

L/R 4.55 at T; continue downhill across bridge

L 4.65 at bottom of hill before stream joins Difficult Run; up short steep rocky hill

BR 4.8 at trail X to cross gully

4.85 trail X on R to Soapstone Dr (unmarked)

5.0 trail X on L

5.05 trail X on R

5.3 trail X on R

5.35 trail X on R before gully

R 5.5 Foxclove Rd; unpaved trail continues to R/L

CL 5.75 Soapstone Dr

6.0 Lawyers Rd; take paved trail down the hill

L 6.1 at T; The Glade; cross Soapstone Dr

R 6.2 trail X on R; uphill

CR 6.45 Glade Rd

6.55 Soapstone Dr

6.7 Walker Nature Center on L

L 6.8 trail X on L; downhill

L 7.0 trail X on L; Lake Audubon is S

L 7.05 at T; trail X

R 7.3 trail X (triangle)

7.35 trail merges; go to tunnel under S Lakes Dr

BL 7.5 trail X (triangle w/sewer in middle)

L 7.7 into tunnel under Soapstone Dr

CR 8.0 Double Eagle Ct to follow paved trail

8.15 trail X on R

8.25 pond on R

BR 8.35 at road X to follow trail

L 8.65 trail X on L to tunnel under S Lakes Dr

L 8.7 trail X on L

8.7 parking at S Lakes Drive Park; trail on R

7.5 Mile Route

R 0.0 facing the park; from the parking lot

R 0.05 at T; toward tunnel under S Lakes Dr

R 0.1 at T; after tunnel under S Lakes Dr

0.35 cross road; trail moves away from Rd

0.45 pond on L

0.55 trail X on L; S toward road

L 0.7 on trail on L before the Double Eagle Ct exits to S Lakes Dr

L 1.0 trail X before tunnel under Soapstone Dr; go uphill

1.3 Glencourse La/Wingfoot Ct

L 1.6 sidewalk on Soapstone Dr

XS 1.75 at xwalk for golf course

CR 1.85 Sunrise Valley Dr

2.25 Wiehle Ave on L

3.1 Barton Hill Rd on R

<**

L 3.3 W&OD Trail

>**

3.6 end underpass of Dulles Toll Rd

3.8 after xing Sunset Hills Dr (water)

4.1 Michael Faraday Ct on R

4.35 Wiehle Ave

4.95 Salliemae Dr underpass

5.2 Old Reston Ave; portable outhouse

5.4 underpass Reston Ave

R 5.75 trail X on R; toward Town Center

6.0 trail X on L to Town Center

R 6.05 trail at Reston Ave

6.2 Sunset Hills Dr

6.4 begin overpass Rte 267; Toll Road

6.85 Sunrise Valley Dr

CL 7.15 South Lakes Dr

7.3 Colts Neck Rd; use grassy shoulder

R 7.5 into South Lakes Drive Park

Smilax Branch

Distance: 4.95 miles

Rating: IV; paved sunny trails; long easy grades

L 0.0 from the park onto the shoulder of S Lakes Dr

0.2 Colts Neck Rd; trail X on L

CR 0.35 Reston Pkwy; asphalt trail

0.65 Sunrise Valley Dr; trail X on L (return route)

1.05 begin overpass of Rte 267; toll road

1.25 Sunset Hills Dr

1.4 overpass W&OD Trail

L 1.45 trail X on L toward town center

1.5 trail X on R to town center

R 1.75 at T; W&OD Trail

1.8 overpass Town Center Pkwy

L 2.35 Fairfax County Pkwy Trail

2.5 begin Sunset Hills Dr overpass

2.8 begin overpass of Rte 267; toll road

L 3.2 Sunrise Valley Dr; asphalt trail

3.35 Glade Dr on R

3.75 Mercator Dr on R (USGS)

R 4.35 Reston Pkwy; asphalt trail

CL 4.6 South Lakes Dr; use shoulder

4.75 Colts Neck Rd; trail X on R

R 4.95 into South Lakes Drive Park

10.65 Mile Route

R 0.0 when facing the park; from the parking lot

R 0.05 at T; toward tunnel under S Lakes Dr

R 0.1 at T; after tunnel under S Lakes Dr

0.35 cross road; trail moves away from the road

L 0.7 on trail on L before the Double Eagle Ct exits to S Lakes Dr

L 1.0 trail X before tunnel under Soapstone Dr; up

L 1.6 sidewalk on Soapstone Dr

XS 1.75 at xwalk for golf course

CR 1.85 Sunrise Valley Dr

L 2.25 Wiehle Ave on L

CR 2.7 Sunset Hills Dr; onto W&OD Trail

CL 2.85 Michael Faraday Ct

S 2.95 Rails to River Trail (RRT) (trail head is dirt and unmarked at the end of the court)

3.0 cross the parking area to the dirt trail

3.35 trail on L to Weihle Ave/Sunset Hills

3.65 trail X on L

BR 3.75 uphill after crossing a small creek; the Nature Trail joins from the L

L 4.2 L to stay on Nature Trail and leave RRT; top of a hill; edge of a field; white & red blazes

R 4.55 gravel road at campground; C-34

4.6 gravel road X on L; water/restrooms

4.9 through the gate closing the road to the lake

R 5.0 after xing the dam, across grass & to road going down to the picnic area

L 5.25 onto gravel rd after xing Colvin Run (creek)

BR 5.3 at split in the road; go toward the pavilion

R 5.4 gravel road is the RRT; up steep hill

R 5.8 cross the field at the hilltop; R at the fence

5.85 trail leaves the field; down toward the creek

6.0 trail merges on R before xing creek

6.35 enter soccer fields; follow horse trail signs

BL 6.45 trail X upon entering woods; Nature Trail

BL 6.9 cross the creek; Nature Trail goes R

7.0 trail X on R

7.3 trail X on R to Weihle Ave

7.65 cross parking lot to continue dirt trail

7.75 dirt trail ends; Michael Faraday Ct

R 7.8 W&OD Trail

CL 8.0 Wiehle Ave; cross Sunset Hills Rd

R 8.4 Sunrise Valley Dr

L 8.85 Soapstone Dr

XS 8.9 at golf cart crosswalk

R 9.05 trail X on R; paved

R 9.65 trail X; go uphill; tunnel on L goes down

CR 9.95 Double Eagle Ct to follow paved trail

BR 10.3 at road X to follow trail

L 10.6 trail X on L to tunnel under S Lakes Dr

L 10.6 trail X on L

10.65 parking at S Lakes Drive Park; trail on R