Hike the Potomac Heritage Trail to Chain Bridge

Arlington, Virginia

5.0/5

based on 2 reviews

Save Add Photo

Add Photo

Save Review Directions Add Photo

Details

Distance

8.4 miles

Elevation Gain

300 ft

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

This is a new adventure! Be the first to share your experience.

Join a supporting community of travelers and adventurers sharing their photos and local insights.

Added by The Outbound Collective

This trail along the Potomac River passes by waterfalls, wildlife, and a few great spots for fishing.

Hike the Potomac Heritage Trail through forest, hill and valley landscapes, as you follow along the river, itself. Starting at Roosevelt Island, you can hike as far as 8.4 miles roundtrip to Chain Bridge, with great views along the way.

Make sure to check the Potomac River water gauge ahead of time, in case the trail may be flooded in some areas.

Download the Outbound mobile app

Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use.

Get the app

Features

Fishing

Hiking

Forest

River

Scenic

Waterfall

Wildlife

Hike the Potomac Heritage Trail to Chain Bridge Reviews

Stephen Catalano

Hike the Potomac Heritage Trail to Chain Bridge

08/14/20

This can be pretty overgrown during the summer season. You'll need to "scramble" over a couple rocky areas but they aren't a problem for most folks. If there has been heavy rain, you might find a few spots to be under water, so be sure to check ahead of time.

5.0

Gisell Gaitan Valdizan

Hike the Potomac Heritage Trail to Chain Bridge

05/29/17

This was a wonderful hike and definitely more difficult than what I expected. I would say it is more of an intermediate level than beginner. The waterfall was beautiful and there were some rocky parts to get through. It is dog friendly, but be mindful the paths are very narrow and it is right next to the water (my dog would have been pulling the entire time trying to get into the water, so I didn't bring him). I wish more pictures could be added to this post to give hikers a more accurate idea. Great hike overall!

5.0

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

Hike Theodore Roosevelt Island

It seems only fitting that the president who gave us our national parks would have one all to his own. Located on the edge of Washington D.C., Theodore Roosevelt Island offers a glimpse of what the city may have looked like before the politicians, before the marble buildings, before the traffic-choked streets, before the city was even a city. Accessing the island is easy. Visitors can walk, b...

Bike the Mt. Vernon Trail

Start your ride at the Teddy Roosevelt Island parking area and head southbound towards Mt. Vernon. You'll be riding next to the Potomac the entire time, with great views of the National Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, and the Memorial Bridge. The ride is as long as you want to make it, but a great ride is to Old Town Alexandria and back (14 miles total)! You can stop for lunch i...

Visit the National Mall in Washington D.C.

Everyone has so many things on their plates these days that take all their time up. It is hard to get away for adventures or to experience new things. The National Mall in Washington D.C. is within an hour from millions of people on the East Coast. This centralized location makes the National Mall a great opportunity for a micro adventure and simple day trip or partial day trip. I chose to take...

Photograph Sunrise at the Lincoln Memorial

Located on the far-west portion of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. stands the Lincoln Memorial. At almost 100 feet tall, this majestic structure overlooks the reflecting pool and offers an iconic view of the Washington Monument. Parking is almost always an issue near the Lincoln Memorial, but if you arrive early enough, you may be able to find a paid parking space nearby. The nearest Met...

Fish the Potomac River in Arlington

Parking along 36th Road in Arlington, VA, head down the path on the Gulf Branch Trail. Walk northeast for roughly a quarter mile, where you will intersect with the Potomac River. Find a spot along the sand, cast out, and watch the catfish bite! Chicken liver seems to work well. Don't forget to have an active fishing license for Virginia.

Hike the Soapstone Valley Trail

This is an out-and-back trail that starts and ends on different roads, but you will have better luck parking on Albemarle Street NW (where I have indicated the trailhead is on the map). This is a long street with plenty of street parking, just pay attention to the signs to see how long you can leave your car there.The trail head is hard to miss - There is a sign on the side of the road that say...

Hike the Potomac Heritage Trail to Chain Bridge

Details

Description

Download the Outbound mobile app

Features

Hike the Potomac Heritage Trail to Chain Bridge Reviews

Leave No Trace

Nearby

Hike Theodore Roosevelt Island

Bike the Mt. Vernon Trail

Visit the National Mall in Washington D.C.

Photograph Sunrise at the Lincoln Memorial

Fish the Potomac River in Arlington

Hike the Soapstone Valley Trail

Discover

Community

Company

Follow Us

Mobile Apps