Potomac Heritage Trail

There is a piece of the Potomac Heritage Trail system that runs between Chain Bridge and the Key Bridge.  This trail parallels the better know path along the C&O canal on the Maryland side of the Potomac.  From where I live it's a neat way to get into Georgetown on foot.

The Virginia end of Chain Bridge

Getting on to the Potomac Heritage Trail can be a little dicey at this point.  I wait for an opening in traffic (it's a tough crossing), dash across the road, and jump the guardrail right by that post with the traffic lights.  There is a small web of dirt trails in the bushes there that will take you down toward the water's edge.  [UPDATE:  I found you don't need to cross over the road here at all ... there is a path on the upstream side of the bridge that takes you down the bank and safely under the bridge]  One of the first things you see is the remains of the old Chain Bridge, right below the current bridge.

'Old' Chain Bridge ruins below the current span

As you start down along the trail toward the city, you have to cross several rocky areas where water runs into the Potomac.  I've had different amounts of luck picking my way across with dry feet ... usually I get my shoes wet somewhere.  The trail at first isn't really obvious - you just stay along the river bank, choosing your way through all the rocks.  My Brooks Cascadias were made for this.

Rocky trail at the Chain Bridge end of this run

My sister in Hawaii has hikes that take you to waterfalls - we have them right here in the city too.  This is one of about three that I saw yesterday.

One of DC's waterfalls

At about the halfway point the trail starts to offer more and more runnable bits of trail, and by the time you get to Key Bridge it's a pretty clear trail.  This picture is the 'end' of the trail at the Roosevelt Island parking lot.  From here there is a footbridge over the Washington Parkway that gets you to where you can cross the Key Bridge into Georgetown.

End of the trail near Key Bridge

It seems like a lot of my outings are about going someplace to eat - I've been running to breakfast,  lunch and dinner.  The Georgetown turn-around is a good place to get some food - I like the salads at Sweet Green, right on M Street.

Good spot for lunch on the run

After all those rocks on the Potomac Heritage Trail, it's a much quicker return to Chain Bridge along the C&O canal, though of course it is about the same 4 mile distance each way.  This is a great time of year to do this loop - cool breezes, and no bugs.