Hello all. I am fairly new to the northern Virginia (Springfield)area and have enjoyed going to the local parks to walk/run usually with my dog. I usually go to Burke Lake and Accotink. I am interested in finding similar style trails within 40 minutes or so from Springfield. Looking for unpaved trails (3-7 mi) that are heavily used (for safety sake). I've looked on various maps for parks, but when I go there I often find they are too far away or too isolated or I can't find the trail head. Any suggestions?

I think you will enjoy Fountain Head Park, but the trails are hilly. We used to ride our horses there.

From rte 123 take Henderson Rd to the stop sign at Wolf Run Shoals Rd then veer left on Henderson Rd. Continue a couple of miles and turn left on Yates Ford Rd. to the park.

Another park near you is Sandy Run off of Hampton Rd which is also off rte 123. Unless these are two that you have been to and consider isolated.

katolb, hello. So you decided on Springfield- I recall very well your posts from last winter asking about places to live in the Northern VA area and about where to board your dog here while in process of moving.

As you may recall from your posts, we are also in Springfield and primarily use Burke lake and Accotink too. Also we hike at Great Falls. Also, Huntley Meadows PArk (great nature area w/boardwalks for bird and wildlife viewing). Hidden Pond, in Springfield off of Old Keene Mill, has some trails but not as extensive as the ones you mention. Lake Fairfax and Mason District Parks also have trials (Mason District is a big dog place). I do not walk/hike alone but I think on weekends all of those places are pretty busy. Excpetion might be Great Falls where you could go for a stretch without seeing too many people, but usually there are people around there on weekends also.

My husband does more of this (he is a triathlete and is always in training for some race) so let me ask him and I will get back to you. Some portions of C&O Canal might fit your criteria, but I need to ask him.

Have you gotten a copy of PARKTAKES, the quarterly guide to Fairfax Co. Parks and Recreation? If not, get your hands on one. It lists all the facilities (including trials) at the parks. They have them available at Audrey Moore Rec Center (entrance on Braddock Rd., just inside the Beltway) or South Run Rec Center (entrance on Fairfax Co. Parkway at Reservation Rd.), whichever is closer to you.

Also, did you know that South Run Rec Center has a dog exercise area? My kids play a lot of sports there and I am always seeing people getting out of their cars after work and heading w/the dogs to that area of the park. Mason District has one also. See: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/offleash.htm

For free subscription to Parktakes and to ask questions, call: 703-222-4664

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parks.htm

www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes.htm

Welcome to Springfield! I think you made a good choice. I love it here. The county Parks and Recreation Dept. is one of the best in the nation.

Nice to hear from you emd. I see you are consistent on this site. You did give me good advice. I love Springfield too and my neighborhood is very nice. Very dog friendly too.

I have been to the dog park at Mason District, but I don't like the trails because they confuse me plus its too isolated for me (I walk alone or with the pup). I need the simple idiot proof trails (loop trails) where I can't get turned around. Accotink and Burke are pretty idiot proof. Been to C&O, South Run as well. Fountainhead I found to be a little too isolated, but I didn't actually do the trail I just went out there. Plus it was late afternoon, maybe everyone had left.

Haven't done Hiddon Pond. How long is that one? Haven't done Fair Lakes either. Is it pretty simple? What about Turkey Run and Mason Neck? I saw these on a map.

I know about the South Run dog park, but I'm closer to Mason District than South Run so I usually take the dog to Mason.

I love the outdoorsy feel of the Northern VA area. Its like living in a park, but with lots of traffic. Thats the bad part, the traffic, the housing expense and some of the people are kinda 'uptight'. I love my job and it was good move for me.

katolb, I found a wonderful park for you and your dog. This morning my son had a very early a.m. baseball clinic at Occoquan Regional Park. This is NOT somewhere you'd go on a weekday evening after work (shoot self in head before ever getting on 95 South at that time of day on a weekday) but on a weekend morning the drive down there is fine and takes about 15 min. from the Franconia/Springfield entrance to 395 south. Take 95 South to Lorton exit (about 4 miles down); turn right at end of exit on to Lorton Rd.; drive Lorton rd a few miles til you get to light at Ox rd; turn left at light and the entrance to the park is a left at the next light (good sign there on left).
The entrance drive into the park is about a mile and a half long and it is tree covered and just lovely; next to the rd., about 6 ft away from it is a paved path that would be great walking for you and pup, and you'd be close to the rd. for safety. The trail splits at a large lake (boaters on the lake; I think this lake is somehow an offshoot of Occoquan Resevoir)- you can either cont. on or apparently can head off towards miles of hiking trails that go around the lake. If you go straight on the trail instead of heading off around the lake, you end up at soccer and baseball fields. There were some large open grassy areas where people were running their dogs. Really lovely park, and there is a nice refreshment stand down and restrooms down by the ballfields at the end- the refreshment stand was open at about 11 am this morning.
Next wk we will picnic down there and my husband and I plan to walk (me and run or bike (him, aging triathlete, he did the Reston triathlon today, better him than me) while son is in the clinic.
I think you'd like this park as even on Sunday morning at 8 am there were people going in and out to get to the soccer fields down at end of park. The Potomac Appalachian Trail Club has a trail map for this park on this website. The site gives this park glowing references for hiking- saying you feel like you are in West VA.

Take a look here:

http://www.nvrpa.org/occoquan.html

I am very happy your move worked out well. I don't know the answers to your additional questions. Why don't you call the FFX County Park authority and ask them soem ?s ? Your tax dollars at work, and they are very good people, always helpful when I call.

topping

Try the guidebook: DOGGIN' NORTHERN VIRGINIA: THE 50 BEST PLACES TO HIKE WITH YOUR DOG IN NOVA.