MVT to Huntley Meadows

[Anonymous]

You would probably prefer crossing Rt. 1 at Memorial rather than Beacon Hill. But, yes, ok route. Be well lit, especially crossing Rt. 1. Also, there’s a hill.

[Terpfan]

@elbows 93254 wrote:

Will be riding after dark. Google tells me to take Beacon Hill Road to get over Route 1 and then Groveton to Harrison. Can anyone second that for me?

Thanks.

If you want to avoid Beacon Hill, then go left at Ft. Hunt from Belle View and right after the library there is a path. It winds up and down for a bit before hitting Quander. R on Quander, L on Dartmouth, short right at dead end of Dartmouth, immediate left onto Mary Baldwin, at Y veer toward left/uphill and then make first right, stay to the right and continue straight to end up on Memorial St. Cross Rt 1 and go left just after the apartment building and then make your first right (Groveton St). Follow Groveton until it hits Harrison and just go left there. OR, if you’re going to backside of Huntley Meadows stay on Memorial until it hits South Kings and go left, down a big hill, up a big hill and right before Telegraph (where S Kings ends) there is a construction area and park entrance there.

[edit]–just realized you posted this a month ago. Sorry, didn’t see it until now. I take the MVT to near-Harrison everyday and usually the path mentioned above although I deviate a little at the end.

[elbows]

Given that I once again find myself with a desire to ride to Huntley Meadows in the evening with some regularity, I’m wondering about getting home. If I were riding from Huntley Meadows to Arlington after dark around 9 p.m., should I not even try it, ride to Huntingdon and metro through Fairfax, or try riding over to MVT?

[Anonymous]

MVT would be fine if you want to ride.

[Terpfan]

@elbows 115073 wrote:

Given that I once again find myself with a desire to ride to Huntley Meadows in the evening with some regularity, I’m wondering about getting home. If I were riding from Huntley Meadows to Arlington after dark around 9 p.m., should I not even try it, ride to Huntingdon and metro through Fairfax, or try riding over to MVT?

I would ride it, but that’s just me. I’ve ridden home at much later times and I live really close to Huntley Meadows.

If you’re worried about getting lost or whatnot, then just do Harrison up the hill (you can take the sidewalk if you want, I would be surprised if there was anyone on it then), and then right on Groveton Rd (just past the elementary school), and then take Rt 1 up to Beacon Hill Rd (easiest is probably sidewalk to little access road, the light for Beacon Hill would be the second one you encounter and there would be a Walgreens and Rite Aide across the street). Then go right on Beacon Hill (only way you can go really since it ends at the shopping center you’re in) and take it straight all the way to the GWMP where you cross and the MVT is right there (and then obviously left on MVT). Beacon Hill really isn’t a bad road to ride on at all as it’s very wide. The only thing I would say to remember on it is the second down hill (where it meets Ft. Hunt Rd at the bottom) is to remember that around the curve there is a traffic light maybe 100 yards ahead or so–plenty of time to stop, but you’ll build up 30mph+ going down that stretch (it’s really fun if you get the green, but at night time the light switches from a timed cycle to switching colors every time a car from a different direction comes to it).

PS-I have no idea if there is anything to lock your bike up to at Huntley Meadows. I’ve hiked the trails by the lake a few times and never once really paid attention to bike spots. There are sign posts I think, just tossing it out there in case there isn’t a bike rack.

[Author]

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