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10 Nature & Parks in Arlington That You Shouldn't Miss
Known for walkable urban villages like Crystal City, Rosslyn and Ballston, Arlington was part of the "10 miles square" surveyed in 1791 to be the United States capital. Just across the Potomac from Washington, Arlington is home to the Pentagon, Arlington National Cemetery, the Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima), Air Force Memorial and Pentagon Memorial. With 11 Metro stops, Arlington is car-optional and offers visitors everything from eclectic theater to Bohemian cafes.
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1. Glencarlyn Park
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 6 reviews
2. Bon Air Park
3. Gulf Branch Nature Center
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 6 reviews
Reviewed By SherlockHolmesRun - Falls Church, United States
I haven't been inside the nature center itself (closed due to the pandemic), but had a truly fantastic time outdoors. I live nearby but had never heard of this place until I saw a photo on instagram. Turns out there's a wonderful little hike with amazing views-- and hardly anyone on the trail! The nature center itself is lovely and picturesque with plenty of places to sit and well-tended garden beds. You'll find a pond teeming with life-- at my visit in late February, I saw and heard more frogs in one place than I'd ever witnessed before and must have spent at least 20 minutes watching them. There's also a historic log cabin, a blacksmith shop, a place for outdoor fire pits, and a caged barred owl that can no longer fly. Oh, and the namesake stream, Gulf Branch, flowing through the grounds. There are a few little walking trail loops that lead into neighboring parks and neighborhoods. These are nice for walking a dog or small child, or for entering the park another way if the small parking lot is full, but this is not the reason to visit. The main trail is actually starts across the street, which may be why it was so empty on a beautiful day. It's about a 2 mile loop, so a very manageable length for a hike, but there's some climbing and rock-hopping involved that will require agility! Cross Military Road on foot from the parking lot and you'll see a butterfly garden. There are two paths on either side of the stream-- take either one, as it's a loop trail, and you can come back the opposite way. This peaceful wooded walk follows the stream as it gets increasingly wider and higher. In the winter, you'll be able to see backyards of neighboring houses, but the rugged trail does feel rather wild. There are several little foot bridges to cross, but you'll also have to cross the stream at times, hopping over rocks to get to the other side as part of the trail vanishes, which is a lot of fun. Pay attention and you may see hawks or other birds of prey roosting in the trees! The end of the trail (or, rather, the middle, since as I said, it's a loop) is where things get exciting. Cross underneath the George Washington Parkway and you'll reach cascading waterfalls and a stunning view of the Potomac River! There are two small overlooks (no railings here, so be very careful, especially if you have kids-- it's quite high up) where you can sit on a rock and watch the peaceful view and birds, or glimpse DC across the river. You can also climb down the waterfall if you're careful-- railings are built into the rocks, but no footholds, and one of the railings is a bit loose-- and enjoy part of the Potomac Heritage Trail along the 'beach.' It almost reminded me of a suburban version of a Shenandoah National Park hike. In the winter, there are no leaves to obstruct the view of the water, though it also means the other side of the river looks a bit grim. I'm excited to come back and see it in the other seasons, when the view is less clear but perhaps a bit more colorful! We only ran into 3 other families on the trail and nobody at the overlooks. Although it wasn't a long hike, we spent almost 3 hours there due to enjoying the scenery and the animals at the nature center. I highly recommend this hidden gem in Arlington!
4. Theodore Roosevelt Island Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 464 reviews
Theodore Roosevelt Island is an 88.5 acre island in the Potomac River. It is maintained as a National Park and has various walking trails
Reviewed By operasuper - Arlington, United States
Wonderful memorial to Theodore Roosevelt in an island in the Potomac River with great walking trails.
5. Custis Trail
6. Gravelly Point Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 271 reviews
Reviewed By F5397HBchristinel - Grand Rapids, United States
We visited here with our two kids and just LOVED it. It was so fun to be able to see so many planes take off and land. We easily spent an hour or so here. My husband knows a lot about planes, so he would talk to the kids about what each plane was doing (wheels going up, wing flaps adjusting, etc...). We will definitely be back!
7. Mount Vernon Trail
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 246 reviews
Reviewed By F5397HBchristinel - Grand Rapids, United States
As an avid runner, this is one of my most favourite trails in the US. I've traveled from NYC to San Francisco and run many rail trails in between, but the Mount Vernon Trail holds a special piece of my heart. It's beauty and ease of use can't be beat. It's a popular trail, so there are usually other runners on it, but not so many that it feels crowded; just enough to make this solo female runner feel safe. It has a varied terrain which is nice, but if you start up at Mount Vernon the trail is mostly downhill, which makes for a fun out and back run. Alternatively, you can start at Mount Vernon and run to King Street which would be great for a long run (it's about 9ish miles). Overall, it's a great trail and perfect for any type of runner or walker and the view along to Potomac is incredible.
8. Long Branch Nature Center
9. Long Bridge Park
10. Columbia Island Marina
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