Trails

Riverbend Park has over 10 miles of hiking trails. There are also trails for horses and mountain bikes as well. For those seeking longer hikes Riverbend's trails link with regional parkland trails and National Park Service trails. So if your looking for a short family hike or a day adventure hike Riverbend has the trail for you. Pick up a trail map at the Visitor Center or Nature Center. During visitor center operation hours check with staff to help you plan a hike.

Stroller trails: The Duff'N'Stuff trail located at the Nature Center is a quiet ashpalt loop trail ¼ mile long. This trail goes through forest which provides welcome shade on warm days. The sidewalks around the Visitor Center and down to the river are also good for strollers.

Trails one mile or less: Riverbend has several loop trails that are perfect for short hikes that can take an hour or less. Recommended ones include the Paw Paw Passage trail which is accessible from both the Visitor Center and Nature Center. This trail takes you by the river, floodplain ponds, a man-made pond and through an upland forest. The Upland Trail which is acessible from both the Visitor Center and Nature provide a hilly hike through the forest. The meadow also has a trail system which carries you by a small pond and open fields. This is a great bird watching spot.

Trails over a mile: The Potomac Heritage Trail along the river provides beautiful views of the Potomac River. A popular hike is to go down river from the Visitor Center to Great Falls National Park (1 ¾ miles each way.) For those who really want to cover some distance the Potomac Heritage trail links with trails along Difficult Run to Lake Fairfax Park and beyond. Going the other way links you to regional parkland which goes more than 5 miles upriver. Check back for the status of the Potomac Heritage Trail upriver for a future connection with Algonkian Regional Park more than 8 miles upriver!