Reston's Best Parks: Washington and Old Dominion Trail

It's summertime, which means it's time for outdoor fun. But where are the best places to go in Reston for your summer fun needs? We're highlighting the best Reston has to offer when it comes to public parks.

If you're into exploring the outdoors and the surrounding communities, check out the "skinniest park in Virginia," which runs right through Reston. The Washington & Old Dominion (W&OD) Railroad Regional Park is a paved trail that runs 45 miles from Purcellville in Loudoun County all the way out to Shirlington in Arlington County.

So if you're in the mood to explore, grab your walking stick -- or your roller skates -- and head over to the 7-11 store on Old Reston Avenue, which sits right next to the trail. Or, you can go to the large commuter parking lot down Sunset Hills Road.

Besides having some great scenery along the way, this trail has tremendous historical significance for the area.

"Decades ago, the Washington and Old Dominion Trail was a vital route for a far different group of travelers," according to NOVA Parks. "Then known as the Alexandria, Loudoun and Hampshire Railroad, this route was once considered vital following its inception in 1847, with a primary goal of spreading commerce from the Alexandria seaport inland to the growing communities to the west. And while its life as a commercial route never quite evolved the way the railroad’s developers envisioned, the route saw more than its fair share of history."

The route was also the site of multiple skirmishes during the Civil War.

The railroad shut down in 1968, and NOVA Parks took over in 1974. In 1988, NOVA Parks celebrated the opening of the final nine miles of the trail into Purcellville.

Image via NOVA Parks