Washington, DC

If you have updates or suggestions to make the general information on this page better please don't hesitate to contact the local admin: Martin Fernandez fore review and inclusion.

The majority of the trails in the Washington D.C./Northern Virginia region are maintained by volunteers from the Mid Atlantic Off-Road Enthusiasts (MORE). Joining MORE helps ensure that all of these great riding destinations remain open and sustainable for all recreational users. Please consider Joining MORE to help keeping the DC/NOVA region a Mountain Bike Destination.

You would never think of the greater Washington DC and Northern Virginia region as a mountain biking destination, but thanks to a group of dedicated volunteers, the area has become just that. The DC Metro region is full of quality singletrack trails that will satisfy cyclists of all skill levels, from beginners to experienced riders.

The region's topography is diverse. A rider can easily hit the flat piedmont trails that border the Chesapeake Bay Watershed in the morning and ride the rugged and technical mountain trails of the Appalachians in the afternoon. In between riders will find rides that cater to all abilities and tastes, from smooth and buffed trails to rocky technically challenging routes.

Some of the most popular destinations include the system of trails anchored by Schaffer Farms in Montgomery County, MD (home of the MoCo Epic), The vast network of challenging trails at Patapsco Valley State Park (home of the MoCo Epic)Patapsco Epic and the Patapsco 100), the Award winning skills park at Rockburn Branch Regional Park in Howard County, MD, and the always demanding stacked loops at Fountainhead Regional Park in Northern Virginia.

The vast number of destinations in the region offer options for all rider levels, but as you head west from DC and the elevation of the rugged Appalachian mountains increase, so does the difficulty of the trails. Advanced riders often head to the trails at Gambrill State Park (MD), the Frederick Watershed (MD), and the trails of the George Washington National Forest (VA) for more challenging rides.

The best option within city limits are the Fort Circle and Fort Dupont network of trails that travel east of the Anacostia River. Outside the Beltway (495) you can find Wakefield and Accotink Parks in Northern Virginia, and Cabin John Regional Park in Bethesda, MD. Further out, but still close to the city are Fairland Regional Park (MD), Rosaryville State Park (MD), and the Meadowood Special Recreation Area (VA).

All of the mountain biking trails in the DC region are maintained by volunteers from one of several area groups.

The Mid Atlantic Off-Road Enthusiasts (MORE) take care of virtually all trails in the DC/NoVA Area, with several notable exceptions. Mountain Bike Loudoun County (MTB LoCo) has focused it's efforts on trails in and around Loudoun County, including the short system of trails within the Freedom Center. The Quantico Mountain Bike Club (QMBC) is solely responsible for the trails aboard Marine Corps Base Quantico, and the Fredericksburg Area Mountain Bike Enthusiasts (FAMBE) oversee several trails to the south of the DC Region in Virginia, including Lodi Farm (Private Property) and the Fredericksburg Quarry trails.

Members of each of these groups have devoted a considerable amount of time to the maintenance of these trails. In some cases, a considerable financial investment has been made when building the singletrack we all enjoy. For that reason, please exercise good judgement when you decide to ride and don't do so when the trails are susceptible to damage, particularly after heavy rains or during the late winter and early spring months when the freeze/thaw cycle is in effect. Each of the clubs mentioned above also holds several trail workdays to help preserve and maintain these riding destinations in tip-top shape. Please consider joining them and lending a hand when needed. When possible, please update the ride status options here at MTB Project to let other riders know what conditions the trails are in or submit a trail status report through the MORE website so that your knowledge is passed on to other users.

The best way to find your way in most of these trail systems is to check each of the corresponding club's website calendars for scheduled ride and trail work events. MORE, for example, has a full calendar of events and rides for various abilities (including kids!) that are led by dedicated and experienced ride leaders.

Most of the rides in this region are rideable all year round. The Frederick Watershed, Gambrel State Park, Emmitsburg, and trails in the George Washington National Forest tend to do better when conditions are wet in other area trails. MORE has a "trail status" page which is updated by local riders, please check it, or better yet, submit your trail reports to alert other users of trail conditions.

• Bikenetic
• Bicycle Pro Shop
• Aviation Velo
• Spokes Etc.
• A1 Cycling
• The Bike Doctor
• The Bike Lane
• REI
• The Hub & C'Ville Bikes
• Team XXL
• The Cycle Mill
• Twenty 20 Cycling
• The Bicycle Escape
• Race Pace Bicycles
• Bella Bikes
• Patapsco Bike & Sport
• Joe's Bike Shop
• Crofton Family Bike Shop
• Germantown Cycles

• Mountain Biking the Washington D.C./Baltimore Area by Martin Fernandez details over 50 riding destinations in and around the Washington DC and Baltimore Areas
• Best Bike Rides DC by Martin Fernandez details over 30 riding destinations, road and off-road in and around the Washington DCArea