Fifty years have passed since the “First Ride” on the Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Park Trail; commonly referred to as the W&OD Trail. NOVA Parks celebrated the anniversary on Sept 7, 50 years to the day after the opening event in 1974. 

In remarks celebrating the event, Falls Church Mayor Letty Hardy touted the city’s recent recognition rating the number one position on the inaugural list of U.S. News “Healthiest Communities in America.” The two-square mile city scored highest against 3,000 communities in a survey of health, economic and education factors. A key factor in the rating was the opportunity for physical fitness activities, such those enhanced by the W&OD’s 45-mile paved trail. 

The trail became one of the first rail-to-trail projects in the country; there are now more than 2,400. Since the first section was paved in the City of Falls Church, the W&OD Trail has connected Northern Virginia residents and visitors to each other and their environment.

The 45-mile trail is now an important carbon-free active transportation network that links many regional hubs, including Arlington, Falls Church, Vienna, Reston, Herndon, Sterling, Leesburg and Purcellville. More than 2 million people per year use the trail for recreation or to commute to work, at the four nearby Metro stations, and the many schools

built near the W&OD Trail.

NOVA Parks is continuously enhancing the trail to maintain its user-friendly destination for a wide variety of uses and users. Upgrades since 1974 include grade separated intersections for vehicles and trail users at different levels, and dual parallel trail lanes — one for pedestrians and one for cyclists. An interpretive photo display will commemorate the W&OD Trail’s “first” rail-to-trail project status.

Called the skinniest park in Virginia, the park is a 45-mile paved trail route between Shirlington and Purcellville, along the former roadbed of the Washington & Old Dominion Railroad. It connects Northern Virginia communities through the urban heartland and into the Virginia countryside for safe run, walk, cycle or skate activity; equestrians can ride the adjacent 32-mile gravel horse trail.

https://www.novaparks.com/parks/washington-and-old-dominion-railroad-regional-park