WASHINGTON & OLD DOMINION TRAIL:
PURCELLVILLE-ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA
-BIKE IT OR HIKE IT-
Letterbox Planted: April 27, 2003
Last Updated: October 31, 2026
Length: W&OD Trail; 45 miles
Four Mile Run Trail; 6.2 miles
Difficulty: W&OD Trail; Easy. Flat, paved rail trail. Slight grade.
Directions:
To start from S Four Mile Run Drive parking area/Jennie Dean Park in Arlington; From I-395, take exit 6 to Shirlington Rd and head north. After you cross over Four Mile Run turn left on S Four Mile Run Dr. Parking along your left next to Jennie Dean Park. The W&OD Trail [Southeastern End] begins on your right across the street. The Four Mile Run Trail can be accessed from the southern end of Jennie Dean Park at Shirlington Rd.
To start from the Bluemont Park; Northern parking lot in Arlington; From the junction of Wilson Blvd & N Glebe Rd (Route 120) in Arlington follow Wilson Blvd east for just over a miles. Turn left on N Manchester St. Parking lot is on your left. Both the W&OD Trail & Four Mile Run Trail can be accessed from here. This is also the Northern End of the Four Mile Run Trail.
The Washington & Old Dominion Trail takes its name from the railroad that ran this line for over 100 years. It was also referred to as the "Virginia Creeper", the name of a pervasive vine that grew along the route (and because of its reputed slow service). This corridor was abandoned in 1968. The paved W&OD Trail starts from the Shirlington section of Arlington and travels Northwest, to Purcellville in Northern Virginia. For more information visit; FRIENDS of the W&OD TRAIL , WASHINGTON BIKE ASSOC. or BIKE WASHINGTON .
In Arlington, the Four Mile Run Trail , which begins near the mouth of the Potomac River, travels East, to Jennie Dean Park, where it then parallels the W&OD Trail to Bluemont Park alongside Four Mile Run. From the Eastern End of the Four Mile Run Trail you can access the Mount Vernon Trail & Potomac Yard Trail .
From the Jennie Dean Park parking lot in Shirlington section of Arlington; The W&OD Trail begins across S Four Mile Run Dr.
Note; The Four Mile Run Trail can be accessed from the Southwestern End of Jennie Dean Park at S Nelson St.
Starting from the intersection of Shirlington Road & S Four Mile Run Drive [Southeastern End]; This is the start of the W&OD Trail. Here you'll find the 0 Mile Marker (located every ˝ mile). Informational signs and Map Boards located all along the trail. CAPITOL BIKESHARE bikes located here. The paved W&OD Trail travels Northwest and parallels Four Mile Run Drive in an urban setting. A couple of road crossings will take you past the Columbia Pike parking lot, before coming to Columbia Pike at 1.6 miles.
Note; A paved trail on your left leads to the Four Mile Run Trail.
Cross Columbia Pike and pass by a bench & picnic area with informational signs. You are now in a forested setting traveling alongside the Four Mile Run. Along the opposite side of this stream travels the Four Mile Run Trail, which has hills and curves, unlike the straight and flat rail trail. There are many access spurs over to that trail. Pass by Huffman's Falls and an observation deck overlooking Sparrow Pond, before coming to an intersection at 2.2 miles.
Note; Two spur trails lead down to the Four Mile Run Trail. Take the right, West spur, down to the Four Mile Run Trail and head right to a bridge over Four Mile Run. This bridge takes you to the Glencarlyn Park parking lot, where you can find my Letterbox. The Glencarlyn Dog Park is on your left. Travel straight through the parking lot. After passing through the parking lot, continue down the road past a pavilion and picnic area. Where the road veers right, you turn left and cross over a cement bridge. Veer right at the fork in the trail. There will be a small metal culvert under the trail just before a sewer grate off to the left side of the trail. A large log is just below and to the rear of this grate. Behind this sewer grate is a large Oak tree with a cavity in its trunk on its backside. Inside the cavity, under some rocks and leaves is the W&OD Trail Letterbox. This is 0.2 miles from the W&OD Trail. The Nature Center is another 0.2 miles up the trail. For more information and a Map of this park Visit; GLENCARLYN PARK.
Continuing Northwest, you
quickly pass another spur to the
Four Mile Run Trail, where you can access the Glencarlyn Park
playground. Next, cross a bridge over Four Mile Run, passing another spur
to the
Four Mile Run Trail and another Glencarlyn Park parking
lot. Cross two more bridges over Four Mile Run, before traveling underneath Route 50 after 2.7 miles.
Note; A bridge on your left leads to Bluemont Park. On your right is the start of the paved Bluemont Junction Trail .
You then pass by the site of the old Bluemont RR Station & Belmont RR Junction on your right, where you'll find an old red RR caboose. Lots of informational signs and old RR equipment, such as an old RR Signal, + See; RR Signal Below, an old RR Buffer Stop, + See; RR Buffer Stop Below and an old RR Mileage Marker. These old RR Mileage Markers were located every mile along the railroad. Come to an intersection at 3.5 miles.
Note; Left leads to the Bluemont Park; Northern parking lot. Here you can Loop back to the Jennie Dean Park parking lot along the Four Mile Run Trail .
Bare right, down underneath Wilson Blvd. Both the W&OD Trail & Four Mile Run Trail combine along this next section. Pass by an intersection on your left, where the Four Mile Run Trail continues, before crossing a bridge over Four Mile Run and coming to another intersection, just before the trail travels underneath Patrick Henry Drive after 4 miles. This is as far as we traveled.
Note; On your right is the start of the Curtis Trail on your right before traveling
Old Railroad Equipment:
+ RR Signal:
Railroad
Signals direct the engineman on how to proceed. They are categorized into
two levels: Permissive and Absolute. Permissive signals alert train operators
there is an obstruction on the tracks ahead. They are considered
“permissive” because their function is to protect. After the stop, they can
continue forward at a slower speed, commonly referred to as the “restricted
speed.” An absolute signal occurs at any point of the track where there’s an
interruption. They are considered “absolute” because their function is to
control. When a train reaches the absolute signal, it must come to a complete
stop and stay stopped until the signal indicates it’s safe to proceed. There
are different types of Railroad Signals. Semaphores consist of blades,
set to different positions, while Light Signals use different color
lights/number combinations.
+RR Buffer Stop: A RR Buffer Stop, is a device to prevent RR cars from going past the end of a physical section of track.
HH
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LETTERBOX LAST VERIFIED ON
OCTOBER 13, 2026
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BIKE IT OR HIKE IT