Navigating Lake Barcroft (to get to Inova)

[elbows]

I’m hoping to ride to Inova Fairfax tonight to visit a friend. Because unfortunately, I think I may be repeating this ride, I’m trying to do a little research.

I would be riding from DC in the evening. I’m planning to bus to Arlington Mill, ride the Pike to Lake Barcroft area, and then get on the Holmes Run Trail to Holmes Run Road to Gallow. Can I get my bike over the Lakeview Causeway or should I go north of the lake (Blair ….Dearborn) or do something else?

(Not worried about getting home – I have that route figured out.)

Topic

[TwoWheelsDC]

Are you intentionally trying to ride through that area, or is there a certain bus line that is most convenient through there? I would think the simplest route is just to take the W&OD to Gallows and ride that down…But to answer your question, you can (or at least used to be able to) ride across the causeway, although I remember it being marked “residents only” or some such. But I really doubt anyone would ask for your ID to prove you live in the neighborhood. I think the path leading to the causeway was kinda sandy, so I seem to remember dismounting and walking, but that’s NBD.

[elbows]

Thanks for the response! Well, I was thinking I would bus part of the way in order to possibly save a little time and because riding Holmes Run Trail is seemingly superior to riding the W&OD for the umpteenth time. I think the time of both approaches is about the same.

[lordofthemark]

I have never tried the dam, the one time I rode around there I went on the streets of Lake Barcroft to get to Holmes Run at Sleepy Hollow (actually I was coming from Annandale)

I kind of like the ride from Dunn Loring to the hospital – the ride on Merrilee, through Mosaic, down across 50 and then through the hospital area is nice mix of adventures and hills, though not very long and certainly not as woodsy as Holmes Run.

[notlost]

The dam is on the other (south) side isn’t it?

I’ve ridden (slowly) over the lake view causeway…I didn’t look real hard for signs saying I couldn’t…and was directed to it by a helpful jogger after I passed by the small entrance the first time around. The surfaced is crushed stone/stone dust & more akin to a sidewalk through a park.

[americancyclo]

about 30 of us rode over it during Kill Bill in July. It was nicer than in the past, and they removed the steps!

[elbows]

Thanks everyone for the thoughts. The one segment that I had trouble with was getting on Holmes Run Trail from Sleepy Hollow Rd. Google told me I could get on at Sleepy Hollow Recreation Association, but the signs there made it clear I could not. I rode around and got on at Sprucedale Drive, but I wondered if there was another way. Also, because this was after sunset, the signs made clear that I was not supposed to be on the trail. No extended use policy there.

[Steve O]

@elbows 124270 wrote:

Thanks everyone for the thoughts. The one segment that I had trouble with was getting on Holmes Run Trail from Sleepy Hollow Rd. Google told me I could get on at Sleepy Hollow Recreation Association, but the signs there made it clear I could not. I rode around and got on at Sprucedale Drive, but I wondered if there was another way. Also, because this was after sunset, the signs made clear that I was not supposed to be on the trail. No extended use policy there.

I was wondering about that. I’ve never seen a connection, so thanks for scouting out the Sprucedale option.

[JimF22003]

@elbows 124270 wrote:

Thanks everyone for the thoughts. The one segment that I had trouble with was getting on Holmes Run Trail from Sleepy Hollow Rd. Google told me I could get on at Sleepy Hollow Recreation Association, but the signs there made it clear I could not. I rode around and got on at Sprucedale Drive, but I wondered if there was another way. Also, because this was after sunset, the signs made clear that I was not supposed to be on the trail. No extended use policy there.

You can definitely go back through the Rec Center on the path behind the pool building. I’ve never seen it blocked.

[napes]

Holmes Run Trail may disappoint you. Last time I rode on it, it was better suited to mountain bikes and careful going. Only portions were paved.

If you are taking a bus to Arlington Mill, you could just hop on another bus, like the local 16A, for a ride all the way to Annandale along Columbia Pike. From there you could easily catch a local 401/402 bus along Gallows. Of course, you could also just take the lane on 35mph Gallows Road. You could also take a scenic detour to bypass some of the Gallows stress. That detour route is what I use heading back into Annandale along Gallows.

Annandale is not overly friendly terrain for bicycle riders as it has the 1950’s street architecture of cul-de-sacs and high speed main roads. Riding on Columbia Pike towards Annandale is not particularly enjoyable past Lincolnia Road. There are sidepaths or access roads available, though, along Columbia Pike from Blair Road to Lincolnia Road.

[Author]

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