Best Route from Seven Corners area to Lincoln Memorial

[Geoff]

That is essentially my commute. The first issue is simply to get past 7 Corners.
1. Get to Sleepy Hollow Road, head towards 7 Corners.
2. Just before you reach 7 Corners turn left as if you were going to the bank and the self-storage business. Go past both, cross the service road (a connector from 50 to Rte 7) and go over the little bridge that crosses over 50.

Next, you need to get over by East Falls Church Metro, where you will pick up the W&OD.
3. Go through the Grand Mart’s parking lot.
4. Left on Hillwood, then right at the light onto N Roosevelt. Go past the 24-Hour Fitness on your right.
5. Cross Rte. 7, go past Oakwood Cemetery.
6. Left on N Sycamore, which will take you to the W&OD.

The hard part is over.
7. W&OD to the Custis trail.
8. Custis to Rosslyn, then on to the Mt. Vernon Trail.
9. After you go under the Memorial Bridge you will make a right to cross the George Washington Memorial Parkway (careful here!). Then you can loop back around to the Memorial Bridge.
10 Go over the Memorial Bridge.
11. Lincoln Memorial, FTW!

[bobco85]

@Geoff 94811 wrote:

That is essentially my commute. The first issue is simply to get past 7 Corners.

Here’s the Google Maps directions for Geoff’s route: https://goo.gl/maps/tF7TO

You know, I’ve never crossed that little bridge over 50 before! I should try it someday.

Geoff’s route looks good, and if you want other options here’s what I would have done from my experience with riding around Lake Barcroft (I’m usually around there a few times each month).

1st route: https://goo.gl/maps/kw2ZX

2nd route: https://goo.gl/maps/MhqH3

Both of my routes use Glen Carlyn (a road I am used to) to get out of the Lake Barcroft area. From there, you can use Manchester to get to the trail systems (1st route) or use Route 50 and its mostly separated sidewalks/service roads/trails including the new trail portions that will let you bypass the entire Ballston-Rosslyn corridor (2nd route).

[dasgeh]

Saw your post on Women & Bikes, so this replies to both…

I don’t like crossing from the MVT to the Memorial Bridge — you have to cross the GW Pkwy AND and exit ramp to the parkway, plus it’s way out of your way. I also don’t like the trail along 50 – it’s in bad shape for significant parts.

Instead, from the W&OD, you can get off at 7th St S and use 8th St S to cross G. Mason, then 7th St S to cross Glebe and Walter Reed (you have to zag to 6th), then head up to 2nd and use the base. It’s a shame you can’t go through the Cemetery – one of the best commutes in DC (it won’t be open that early). Instead, you have to go to the gate on Marshall Drive and use the path along 110 to get to the Memorial Bridge. Here’s a map.

If you’ll be there before the base opens (you can google “Fort Myer Gate times” – make sure both will be open), you can use Arlington’s newest bike path (on the East side of 50 starting at Pershing), by taking Irving to Pershing to the new path, then Meade past the Iwo Jima to the trail by 110 and to the Memorial Bridge. Here is that map.

So are you doing the November Project? Have fun!

[Steve O]

I take a different route through 7 corners

Up Sleepy Hollow
Right on Castle Place
Left on Castle Road. Get in the middle lane with the cars
Cross Rte 7 on the green light
Straight down the hill into the bus bay area
You will see the big pedestrian bridge ahead
Get on it. Cross it. Down the other ramp

Left at the bottom of the ramp
Curve left and then right up through the glass-strewn parking area and by the brick community center
At the top turn right
Immediate left at the light on John Marshall
Straight at the next light (Wilson Blvd.). Street name changes to McKinley.
ZOOOOOM down the hill!!! Wheeeeee!!! (you will pass an elementary school on your left)
Just before the bridge over I-66 you will see a bike crossing sign and a painted crosswalk
Right at that point (dodge the bollard!), down the sidewalk and to the cul-de-sac.
You can access the W&OD from just up ahead on your left.

Right on the W&OD for about 1/2 mile to the Custis intersection.

[Geoff]

@Steve O 94815 wrote:

I take a different route through 7 corners

I’ve used that pedestrian bridge when headed towards Shirlington, but I haven’t tried Steve O’s route once over the bridge.
Also, I haven’t tried Bobco’s routes, which might be useful when the Custis is iced over. I’ll have to look into them all.

I learn something new every day, much as I try to avoid it!

[hoffsquared]

Thanks very much! I’ll be checking these various routes out.

I usually get to W & OD via Nevius to Glenmore to Glen Carlyn @ Columbia Pike then through the Glen Carlyn neighborhood.

[Steve O]

@Steve O 94815 wrote:

I take a different route through 7 corners

Here’s a map.

[Brendan von Buckingham]

I like Pershing between about George Mason and Ft. Myer. Really makes sense now that the section of bike trail is open between Ft. Myer and Iwo.

[Steve]

Anyone go the opposite way, taking Holmes Run trail to Filmore to Beauregard/Walter Reed to the FMRT?

I’m not that familiar with the area, but when I ride to Port City, I usually use FMRT/WalterReed/Holmes Run trail, but obviously going the opposite direction on Holmes Run so I’ve never been further north that Filmore.

[bobco85]

@Brendan von Buckingham 94828 wrote:

I like Pershing between about George Mason and Ft. Myer. Really makes sense now that the section of bike trail is open between Ft. Myer and Iwo.

I agree. Pershing is a nice road with moderate traffic, wide lanes (might as well have sharrows), and drivers that don’t seem to act aggressively in my experience (probably because the aggressive and fast drivers all just take Route 50 just a few blocks south of Pershing). That said, I’ll sometimes take the Arlington Blvd trail just for variety.

[scorchedearth]

@Steve 94829 wrote:

Anyone go the opposite way, taking Holmes Run trail to Filmore to Beauregard/Walter Reed to the FMRT?

I’m not that familiar with the area, but when I ride to Port City, I usually use FMRT/WalterReed/Holmes Run trail, but obviously going the opposite direction on Holmes Run so I’ve never been further north that Filmore.

That is doable. I ride that route pretty regularly and moreso since they closed off the Campus Lane East connection to Dawes.

[Brendan von Buckingham]

@Steve 94829 wrote:

…but when I ride to Port City…

Wait, what? Now you have my attention.

[Author]

Posts