Bike camping locations other than C&O?

[trailrunner]

Fairfax County has some candidates. I’ve bike camped at Pohick Bay several times, and you’d have good bike-friendly routes from DC down there. Burke Lake is another option with decent routes. Bull Run Campground and Lake Fairfax are two more options.

Prince William Forest Park is another great choice that would be close to your 40 mile criterion. I’ve spent a lot of time down there and I like that park. However, probably wouldn’t have the most bike-friendly route down there, but it’s doable.

[huskerdont]

Yes, Lake Fairfax Park has nice looking camping. If mountain biking or using a gravel bike, it’s doable via access near the Fairfax Ice Rink off the W&OD. (Also accessible from Great Falls, VA–trails from Leigh Mill Road–but you’d have to be comfortable biking the roads out to there.)

[Sunyata]

@huskerdont 211124 wrote:

Yes, Lake Fairfax Park has nice looking camping. If mountain biking or using a gravel bike, it’s doable via access near the Fairfax Ice Rink off the W&OD. (Also accessible from Great Falls, VA–trails from Leigh Mill Road–but you’d have to be comfortable biking the roads out to there.)

Just an FYI… The bathrooms at the main camping area have been closed/locked every time that I have been out there. The port-o-pots by the skate park were absolutely disgusting the last time I checked those (a little over a week ago). The bathrooms by the big pavilion in the main park area have been open during the day, but unsure of whether they are open at night.

I am not sure what the deal is, but if you are tent camping, it might be wise to know the bathroom situation beforehand.

[mstone]

@trailrunner 211123 wrote:

Prince William Forest Park is another great choice that would be close to your 40 mile criterion. I’ve spent a lot of time down there and I like that park. However, probably wouldn’t have the most bike-friendly route down there, but it’s doable.

It’s actually not too bad if you take the fire road off Dumfries, crossing the Occoquan either at Occoquan (foot bridge to Tanyard Hill Rd–they’re not kidding, btw) or for a more epic ride, out around Manassas. Def wouldn’t go anywhere near 123/95/1/Woodbridge. All of these have a much more “suburban commuter” feel than the towpath. Biggest issue right now is that campsites everywhere are pretty full.

[Smitty2k1]

What’s a good bike route down to Pohick Bay/Mason Neck area? Seems like MVT and ECG go most of the way there but some in-between stuff looks wonky.

[trailrunner]

@Smitty2k1 211162 wrote:

What’s a good bike route down to Pohick Bay/Mason Neck area? Seems like MVT and ECG go most of the way there but some in-between stuff looks wonky.

The Mount Vernon trail will get you to Mount Vernon. From here take Mount Vernon Highway to Route 1. Mount Vernon Highway has a side path, but I’d recommend riding on the road and dealing with the traffic for about five miles. When you get to Route 1, cross it, then go left on the nice new bike path on the north side. Follow the path to Old Colchester Road. Turn left on Old Colchester and follow it to Gunston Road, then turn left. These last two roads have a lot of cyclists on the weekends, and I’ve ridden them many many times, including with my camping gear.

Note: The bridge on Old Colchester Road had been closed, but it looks like it was just reopened last week, so your timing is perfect.

https://www.virginiadot.org/projects/northern-virginia/old-colchester-over-pohick-creek.asp

[Smitty2k1]

@trailrunner 211163 wrote:

The Mount Vernon trail will get you to Mount Vernon. From here take Mount Vernon Highway to Route 1. Mount Vernon Highway has a side path, but I’d recommend riding on the road and dealing with the traffic for about five miles. When you get to Route 1, cross it, then go left on the nice new bike path on the north side. Follow the path to Old Colchester Road. Turn left on Old Colchester and follow it to Gunston Road, then turn left. These last two roads have a lot of cyclists on the weekends, and I’ve ridden them many many times, including with my camping gear.

Note: The bridge on Old Colchester Road had been closed, but it looks like it was just reopened last week, so your timing is perfect.

https://www.virginiadot.org/projects/northern-virginia/old-colchester-over-pohick-creek.asp

Thanks. Just booked a spot at Pohick Bay for Friday and really appreciate the navigation tips. Should be a fun afternoon/evening, my buddy has never camped before and I convinced him to spend a week in October riding to Pittsburgh with me, so this is his first night out ever.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

[trailrunner]

Here’s a photo from when I was there in 2014. Have a good time!

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[Zack]

I have heard of folks riding the North Central Trail from the end of the Baltimore Light Rail to Indian Rock Campground near York, PA. They took MARC/Amtrak and Baltimore Light Rail to the trailhead and then returned the next day. I have ridden the North Central as a day trip and I wish it had trailside campsites, it was very remote and quiet in most places.

[Smitty2k1]

@trailrunner 211171 wrote:

Here’s a photo from when I was there in 2014. Have a good time!

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Managed to miss all the rain and things were nice and cool yesterday evening. Campsite was rather loud and they are packed in next to each other real close.

Mostly a nice ride from DC. The Mount Vernon Highway stretch was a tad uncomfortable with Friday PM rush hour traffic, and the stretch acrosst that new bridge had us being tailgated by a few cars that refused to pass.

Bike path along Hwy 1 is much appreciated. The unprotected bike lane that was on the road looked super sketchy. Thanks again for the info and directions.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

[ctankcycles]

Another multi-modal option is to take the Silver Line to Wiehle-Reston and ride to Sky Meadows State Park near Paris, VA. Compared to the ride down to Pohick, the roads along this route will be much quieter.

From the end of the Silver Line ride the W&OD for about 18 miles to Leesburg and then take a mix of paved and gravel roads southwest to Sky Meadows. The camping is primitive with very nice sites, pit toilets and firewood available. The parking lot is about a mile away and the only way to access the sites is a trail that can be ridden on the right bike. Since it’s a hike in there are no loud car campers to contend with. There is no potable water, but the Upperville Country Store is a handy resupply about 10 miles before camp.

Here’s a route to camp: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/18645720.

And a return: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/26734445

[mstone]

@ctankcycles 211430 wrote:

There is no potable water

Did the visitor center close?

[ctankcycles]

@mstone 211432 wrote:

Did the visitor center close?

The Internet tells me it is open so that could be an option, although I’ve always arrived after it closes at 5pm and it’s a bit of an uphill ride to get there from the trail to the campground.

[Author]

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