ALEXANDRIA VIRGINIA RUNNING TRAIL 2018-04-17T17:57:54-05:00

A GREAT RUNNING TRAIL IN ALEXANDRIA VA.

 BY PAUL D. MALEY

The Mount Vernon Trail is an 18-mile paved multi-use trail that goes from George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate to Theodore Roosevelt Island. It connects with regional trails, including the Rock Creek, Four Mile Run, Potomac Heritage and Woodrow Wilson Bridge Trails.

One section runs south of Reagan Airport (DCA) to the Marina Towers complex. This area is ideal for running and has a lot of cool views.  The surface is asphalt and can be used jointly by joggers, walkers and bikers.  The following are some of the sights that can be seen along the way from just the stretch between mile 11 to mile 13.

mvt11_13

SECTION OF MOUNT VERNON TRAIL IN FRONT OF MARINA TOWERS COMPLEX

TRAIL_SECTION

RESIDENT FAUNA

TURTLE

JULY 4TH FIREWORKS

fire1

GIANT DUCKS THREATENING TO MARCH ON THE CAPITOL

GIANT_DUCKS

KAYAKERS AND SCULLERS

KAYAK

THE TRANQUILITY OF DAINGERFIELD ISLAND

DAINGERFIELD_ISLAND

DUCK PARADES DAILY

DUCK_TAILS

 

SMALL BOATS AT ANCHOR WITH THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT IN THE BACKGROUND

AIRPORT_BOATS

SIGNPOSTS TO GUIDE YOU

WATERFRONT_WALK

MARKINGS

SCENIC BRIDGE OVER MARSH LAND

BRIDGE

TRANQUIL WATER

TRANQUIL_WATER

A CONTINUOUS RUNNING PATH

RUN_PATH

SHADE TREES WITH UNUSUAL SHAPES

SHADE_TREE

CAT TAILS ALONG THE MARSH

CAT_TAILS

FALLEN TREES

TILTED_TREES

GENTLE STREAMS

GENTLE_STREAM

 

MUSHROOMS AND FUNGI

FUNGUS

CYCLING PATH

CYCLE_PATH

PLACES TO SIT

BENCHES

 

 

AND SEE THE DUCKS UP CLOSE

DUCKS_UP_CLOSE

YOU CAN RUN EASILY EVEN WHEN THE GW PARKWAY IS NOT FAR AWAY

RUN_BY_GWP

SPOT THE ROBINS ON THE GROUND

ROBIN

BIRDS IN THE TREES

BIRDS_UP

OR PLANES TAKING OFF FROM REAGAN AIRPORT

PLANE_TAKEOFF

OR A BOAT WAKE IN THE POTOMAC JUST AFTER SUNRISE

BOAT_WAKE

OR THE SUNRISE ITSELF FROM MARINA TOWERS

SUNRISE_MT

THERE ARE SECTIONS WELL SHADED FROM THE SUN

DARKEND_SECTION

PLACES WHERE ANIMALS AND PEOPLE CAN RUN TOGETHER

DOG_RUN

A WIDE VARIETY OF FOLIAGE INCLUDING MIMOSA

MIMOSA

TREES A HUNDRED FEET TALL

TREES_100FT

TREES THAT SPREAD

TREES_THAT_SPREADFLOWERING BUSHES THAT THRIVE ALONG THE RIVER

FLOWERING_BUSHES

PLACES THAT APPEAR LIKE CAPTURED MEADOWS

MEADOW

ILLUMINATION BY THE EARLY MORNING SUN

VISTA

HELICOPTERS FLYING OVER THE POTOMAC

HELO

SAILBOATS DRIFTING BY

SAIL_BOAT

JOGGING ALONG THE RIVER BANK

JOGGER

MORE THAN AN OCCASIONAL SQUIRREL

MR.QUIRREL1

 

MR.SQUIRREL

WATERFOWL

WATERBIRDS

DAY LILLIES

DAYLILIES

PROTECTED SECTIONS OF TRAIL

NO_CAMPING

STICK FIGURES IN DEADWOOD

STICK_FIGURES

STATELY TREES

STATELY_TREE

BOATS THROUGH THE FOLIAGE

BOATS_DOCKED

VIEWS OF DENSE FOREST

THICK_FOLIAGE

UPGRADES

UPHILL