Arlington’s toughest hills list

I will make a note to avoid these areas…thanks. LOL

Climbing S Walter Reed Dr from S 4 Mile Run Dr near Shirlington is 115 feet of elevation gain in 1160 feet of distance. That compares with climbing 203 ft in 1280 feet from Chain Bridge.

Taking Wilson Blvd from N Lynn St to Queen St is a half mile with a good climb at the start, leveling off, then climbing again from Rhodes.

Actually, if you just go wandering around the hills between Military and N Glebe by Marymount, or in the Dominion Hills/Madison Manor neighborhoods you’ll get lots of short, steep hill repeats in.

Go up Lorcom Lane from Spout Run Pkwy.
R – Nellie Custis Dr, turns into Military Rd
R – 30th St
L – Oakland St
R – Pollard St
R – Roberts Lane
L – Piedmont St
L – 36th St
R – Military Rd
R – 36th Rd
L – 38th St
R – Military Rd
L – Old Glebe Rd
L – Glebe Rd
QR – Upland St
R – 40th St
R – 39th St
L – River St*
L – Highwood Dr
L – Woodacre Dr
R – Laburnum St
L – Balsam Dr
L – Hardwood Lane
R – Oakdale Rd, continue straight on Woodley Rd
R – Forest Lane
L – Albemarle St
R – Delaware St
L – 36th St
R – Williamsburg St

*Going up 39th St from River St is a good climb, too.

Or, going back to Military Rd:
L – 35th St
L – Vermont St (becomes Rock Spring Rd)
Cross Glebe Rd if you can still breathe
L – Little Falls Rd
Straight at Yorktown Blvd (1st intersection with Yorktown)
L – Yorktown (2nd intersection with Yorktown) (becomes Little Falls St)
Cross Williamsburg onto Powhatan St
R – Kirby Rd
L – Ivy Hill Dr
R – Barbee St
R – Tucker Ave
R – Birch Rd, continue up Lorraine Ave
Continue on your choice of low-traffic roads with short steep hills…

Coming home from work I ride from the Roosevelt Island parking lot to the top of Upton Street off of Old Dominion near intersection with Lorcom Lane. At first this long uphill killed me–not being much of a bicyclist–but now I’m much stronger and it’s not so bad. Does anyone know what the elevation is for that stretch?

Margaret

@mpoethig 315 wrote:

Coming home from work I ride from the Roosevelt Island parking lot to the top of Upton Street off of Old Dominion near intersection with Lorcom Lane. At first this long uphill killed me–not being much of a bicyclist–but now I’m much stronger and it’s not so bad. Does anyone know what the elevation is for that stretch?

Margaret

What specific route do you take for this?

@Mark Blacknell 342 wrote:

The top of Upton St. is ~405 feet. If you’re climbing Upton from the north (say, Vacation Lane), that’s about a 15% grade, I think. I’m certain that there are at least three other people on this thread with the data to correct me, if I’m wrong

That’s the one that is part of the Kill Bill loop, right? I think you may be correct on that one. Honestly I think I like 41st street coming up from Chain Bridge even more though. I think that is because of the frequency that I ride it and where it is located in my rides. I always seem to end super long rides by crossing Chain Bridge. Nothing makes me feel loved like stomping up 41st street after the ride distance has tipped over into the triple digits.

@Mark Blacknell 445 wrote:

And thus Dirt highlights the fact that he’s experienced a lot of “tough love” in his life.

(And yes, that’s on the Kill Bill Loop. Hit a hill near George Mason Dr. with Pat the other day that he thinks is tougher than 41st, but I didn’t experience my usual ohthankgodthatisover 41st St. feeling at the top, so I’m not sure I agree . . .)

Yeah… I guess that was kind of a cheesy post. I need to get back to where I can handle doing something like Kill Bill again. I’ll give it a trial run in early June. Wanna play?

@Tim Kelley 448 wrote:

I’m intrigued by this “Kill Bill” loop. I found a cue sheet for it, but does anyone have it mapped out somewhere? Any idea of total elevation gain?

I’ll see what I can find.