Glencarlyn Park
Nature preserve
134 acres3.6 mi of trail
Rough Woods TrailRough TrailSteep Needs Work
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Pentagon, The (Boundary Increase) · Photo: Touch Of Light · CC BY-SA 4.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in Arlington
11% of Arlington’s land is conserved, and virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park
Virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park. 36 miles of mapped trail cross Arlington, 1.4 per square mile of land. The biggest trail networks: Glencarlyn Park (3.6 mi), Potomac Overlook Regional Park (2.8 mi), Upton Hill Regional Park (1.1 mi).
Ahead of 87% of U.S. towns · #50 of 253 in Virginia. What drives it
Conserved land
11%
1,902 acres · of 26.0 sq mi of land
Trails
36 mi
1.4 per sq mi of land
Park land
1,490 ac
6.3 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%+
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
112 mi
56 mi lanes · 45 mi paths
Highest peak
459 ft
Minor's Hill
Lakes & rivers
6
3 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Arlington?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Arlington have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Arlington is ahead of 87% of U.S. towns, #50 of 253 in Virginia. The share of residents near a park holds the grade up; park acres per resident pull it down.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Arlington’s overall grade.
Conserved land11% of the land · typical VA town 4% · U.S. 4%A−Trails1.4 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (36 mi) · VA 0.7 · U.S. 0.4APark land6.3 acres of park per 1,000 residents (1,490 acres) · VA 8 · U.S. 13C+Parks close to homeVirtually all residents within a half mile of a park · VA 76% · U.S. 72%A+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 87%
LessMore
Virginia towns of 2,500+ (253)Ahead of 81%
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Arlington ranks #118 on Outdoors.
Park acres per resident are where Arlington trails most U.S. towns: 6.3 per 1,000 against 12.6 typical, since 236,254 people share 1,490 acres.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from B+ to A+. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Glencarlyn Park, with 3.6 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Potomac Overlook Regional Park
Managed by NOVA Parks
67 acres2.8 mi of trail
Heritage LoopDonaldson Run TrailPotomac Overlook TrailBeechwood Branch+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Upton Hill Regional Park
Managed by NOVA Parks
24 acres1.1 mi of trail
Red TrailOrange TrailYellow TrailBlue Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Bluemont Park
Park
55 acres0.9 mi of trail
Rough Woods Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Gulf Branch Nature Center
Nature preserve
21 acres0.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Windy Run Park
Nature preserve
32 acres0.8 mi of trail
Windy Run TrailPotomac Heritage Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Donaldson Run Park
Managed by Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation
30 acres0.8 mi of trail
Donaldson Run TrailBrown Creeper Connector
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Lubber Run Park
Nature preserve
30 acres0.8 mi of trail
Lubber Run Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
All 114 parks & preserves
Glencarlyn Park134 acres · 3.6 mi of trail
DirectionsPotomac Overlook Regional Park67 acres · 2.8 mi of trail · NOVA Parks
DirectionsUpton Hill Regional Park24 acres · 1.1 mi of trail · NOVA Parks
DirectionsBluemont Park55 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
DirectionsGulf Branch Nature Center21 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
DirectionsWindy Run Park32 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
DirectionsDonaldson Run Park30 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation
DirectionsLubber Run Park30 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
DirectionsZachary Taylor Park22 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation
DirectionsArlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial17 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · National Park Service
DirectionsBon Air Park31 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · Arlington Department of Parks and Recreation
DirectionsFort C.F. Smith Park19 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsLacey Woods Park13 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsFort Scott Park11 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsFort Ethan Allen Park15 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation
DirectionsFort Bennet Park and Palisades Trail10 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsBarcroft Park71 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsGravelly Point Park31 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · National Park Service
DirectionsLong Bridge Park28 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Arlington County
DirectionsJennie Dean Park14 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsThrifton Hill Park13 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsAlcova Heights Park13 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Arlington County
DirectionsTuckahoe Park9 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsWalter Reed Community Center and Park7 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Arlington County
DirectionsRocky Run Park3 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation
DirectionsVirginia Highlands Park17 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation
DirectionsQuincy Park13 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation
DirectionsTowers Park5 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsGlebe Road Park5 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation
DirectionsMadison Manor Park4 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsChestnut Hills Park4 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsHayes Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation
DirectionsMaury Park2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsZitkala-Ša Park2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Clarendon Central Park1 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsFour Mile Run Park14 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsHaley Park13 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsDouglas Park6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsUtah Park5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsFillmore Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsFraser Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsFort Barnard Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsStratford Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation
DirectionsGateway Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsMarcey Road Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation
DirectionsFields Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation
DirectionsLyon Village Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Mosaic Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation
DirectionsBig Walnut Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsUtah & 35 Field1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · County
Directions11th Street Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsNelly Custis Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsFort Meyer Heights Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsRoaches Run Waterfowl Sanctuary90 acres
DirectionsArlington Ridge Park28 acres · National Park Service
DirectionsBenjamin Banneker Park12 acres · Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation
DirectionsAllie S. Freed Park12 acres
DirectionsShirlington Park12 acres
DirectionsGunston Park10 acres
DirectionsDoctors Branch Park9 acres
DirectionsMinor Hill Park8 acres
DirectionsBallston Wetland Park8 acres · Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation
DirectionsArlington Hall West Park7 acres · Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation
DirectionsPowhatan Springs Park5 acres · Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation
DirectionsEads Park4 acres
DirectionsArlington Blvd Trail4 acres
DirectionsWestover Park4 acres · Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation
DirectionsCharles A. Stewart Park4 acres · Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation
DirectionsTroy Park4 acres
DirectionsDawson Terrace Park4 acres
DirectionsWoodlawn Park4 acres
DirectionsCherry Valley Park4 acres
DirectionsShort Bridge Park3 acres · Arlington County
DirectionsOak Grove Park3 acres
DirectionsMetropolitan Park3 acres · Arlington County
DirectionsLucky Run Park3 acres
DirectionsHigh View Park3 acres
DirectionsProspect Hill Park3 acres · Arlington DPR
Washington and Old Dominion Railroad Regional Park2 acres · Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority
DirectionsParkhurst Park2 acres
DirectionsGrace Murray Hopper Park2 acres
DirectionsLee Heights Park2 acres
Butler Holmes Park2 acres
DirectionsArlington Forest Park2 acres
Lyon Park2 acres
Penrose Park2 acres
DirectionsMcCoy Park2 acres · Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation
DirectionsWoodstock Park2 acres · Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation
DirectionsSlater Park2 acres · Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation
DirectionsCrystal City Water Park2 acres
DirectionsCrystal City Workout Park2 acres
DirectionsFreedom Park2 acres
DirectionsFort Reynolds Park1 acres
DirectionsBailey's Branch Park1 acres
DirectionsHillside Park1 acres · Alexandria Parks & Rec
DirectionsOakcrest Park1 acres
Monroe Park1 acres
DirectionsCherrydale Park1 acres
Upland field1 acres · arlington county
Oakland Park1 acres · Arlington County Department of Parks & Recreation
DirectionsRosslyn Highlands Park1 acres · Arlington County
DirectionsWelburn Square1 acres
DirectionsDark Star Park1 acres
DirectionsGlebe & Randolph Park1 acres · Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation
Langston-Brown Park1 acres · Arlington County, VA
DirectionsNature Conservancy1 acres
DirectionsHenry Wright Park1 acres
Little Falls Park1 acres
DirectionsNauck Park1 acres
DirectionsHalls Hill High View Park1 acres
DirectionsVillage Center Public Square1 acres
DirectionsDrew Park1 acres
DirectionsHerselle Milliken Park1 acres
DirectionsRhodeside Green Park1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
1,902 conserved acres
11% of Arlington’s land. Who manages Arlington’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
National Park Service1,332 ac
County1,217 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits33 ac
Other or Unknown Federal Land23 ac
Private owners16 ac
Town or city8 ac
Other state land5 ac
Local Park · 1,539 acNational Park · 681 acSpecial Designation Area · 611 acRecreation or Education Easement · 47 acConservation Easement · 20 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 25 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 7 of 191 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| George Washington Memorial Parkway Special Designation Area | National Park Service | 1,293 | Restricted |
| Washington and Old Dominion Trail Local Park | Not recorded | 361 | Open |
| Glencarlyn Park Local Park | County | 87 | Open |
| Gulf Branch Nature Center Local Park | County | 85 | Open |
| Potomac Overlook Regional Park Local Park | County | 80 | Open |
| Barcroft Park Local Park | County | 63 | Open |
| Bluemont Park Local Park | County | 51 | Open |
| Upton Hill Park Local Park | Not recorded | 47 | Open |
| Bluemont Junction Park Local Park | Not recorded | 39 | Open |
| Long Bridge Park Local Park | County | 36 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
273 places to go in Arlington
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Public pools in Arlington
Fairlington Commons Swimming Pool
DirectionsFairlington Meadows Swimming Pool
DirectionsZembiec Pool
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Arlington
Arlington Traditional School Playground
DirectionsAshlawn Elementary School Playground
DirectionsBright Horizons
DirectionsCarlin Hall PlaygroundHours: sunrise-sunset · In Carlin Hall Park
DirectionsCherrydale Park PlaygroundIn Cherrydale Park
DirectionsChildren's Garden
DirectionsChildren's Rain GardenIn Powhatan Springs Park
DirectionsCuriosity Runway
Directions17 more playgrounds
Dominion Hills PlaygroundIn Bon Air Park
DirectionsDrew Park SpraygroundIn Drew Park
DirectionsFairlington Arbor Playground
DirectionsFairlington Commons Playground
DirectionsFairlington Glen Playground
DirectionsFairlington Glen Playground
DirectionsFairlington Mews Playground
DirectionsFairlington Villages Tot Lot
DirectionsMadison Manor PlaygroundIn Madison Manor Park
DirectionsMaywood Mini ParkIn Maywood Mini Park
DirectionsQuincy Park PlaygroundHours: Open 24 hours · In Quincy Park
DirectionsRosslyn Highlands Park Playground
DirectionsSlater Park Playground
DirectionsSpielschiff by Bonifatius StirnbergIn Maury Park
DirectionsSt. Andrew's Episcopal Church Playground
DirectionsUpton Hill PlaygroundIn Upton Hill Regional Park
DirectionsWoodmont Center
Directions209 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Arlington
Banneker Dog ParkHours: sunrise-sunset · In Benjamin Banneker Park
DirectionsBig Dog RunIn Metropolitan Park
DirectionsCanine Cardio
DirectionsFort Barnard Dog Park
DirectionsGlencarlyn Dog ParkIn Glencarlyn Park
DirectionsJames Hunter Park
DirectionsMadison Community Canine AreaHours: sunrise-(sunset+00:30) · In Fort Ethan Allen Park
DirectionsShirlington Dog ParkIn Shirlington Park
Directions4 more dog parks
Small Dog RunIn Metropolitan Park
DirectionsThe Point Bark Park
DirectionsTowers Dog ParkIn Towers Park
DirectionsUtah Dog ParkIn Utah Park
DirectionsPlus 7 dog parks without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in Arlington
3 boat launches without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Arlington
Freedom Park ViewpointIn Freedom Park
DirectionsViewing AreaIn Arlington Ridge Park
DirectionsPlus 13 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Arlington
Minor's Hill459 ft elevation
DirectionsUpton Hill410 ft elevation
DirectionsSpy Hill374 ft elevation
DirectionsMackeys Hill171 ft elevation
DirectionsPicnic areas in Arlington
Troy ParkIn Troy Park
DirectionsPlus 14 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Community gardens in Arlington
Butterfly Sanctuary
DirectionsFort Barnard Community Garden
DirectionsRain GardenMarymount University
DirectionsReevesland Learning Garden
DirectionsSouth 4-Mile Run Community GardenArlington County
DirectionsTrails & water
21 named trails and 6 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 8.6 miUnpaved · 25.0 mi
Potomac Heritage Trail4.1 mi
Donaldson Run Trail0.9 mi
Gulf Branch Trail0.5 mi
Palisades Trail0.5 mi
Windy Run Trail0.4 mi
Red Trail0.3 mi
Rough Woods Trail0.3 mi
Heritage Loop0.3 mi
BlueMount Junction Off-Road Connector0.3 mi
Orange Trail0.2 mi
11 more trails
Yellow Trail
0.2 miPotomac Overlook Trail
0.2 miCustis Walk
0.2 miPimmit Run Trail
0.1 miBrown Creeper Connector
0.1 miBlue Trail
0.1 miTight Trail
0.1 miBeechwood Branch
0.1 miRough Trail
0.1 miJamestown Elementary Cut-Thru
0.1 miLubber Run Trail
0.1 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
112 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
56 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
45 mi
off-road bike paths
12 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
159Tennis
79Basketball
47Baseball
42Pickleball
42Golf
31Soccer
11Beach volleyball
7Football
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →62 places on the National Register, 5 of them National Historic Landmarks
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 80 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
★
Benjamin Banneker: SW 9 Intermediate Boundary StoneNational Historic Landmark · Object · listed 1976
About itArlington House, The Robert E. Lee MemorialBuilding · listed 1966
About itGlebe, TheBuilding · listed 1972
About itBall-Sellers HouseBuilding · listed 1975
About itHume SchoolBuilding · listed 1979
About itColonial VillageBuilding · listed 1980
About itUS Post Office-ArlingtonBuilding · listed 1986
About itNorthwest No. 1 Boundary Marker of the Original District of ColumbiaObject · listed 1991
About it50 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in Arlington: April to June and August
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.7 | 10.7 | 11.8 | 13.2 | 14.3 | 14.9 | 14.6 | 13.7 | 12.4 | 11.1 | 10.0 | 9.5 |
| High (°F) | 43 | 47 | 55 | 67 | 75 | 83 | 88 | 86 | 79 | 68 | 57 | 47 |
| Rain (in) | 3.0 | 2.7 | 3.7 | 3.4 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.6 | 3.7 | 4.3 | 3.9 | 3.1 | 3.7 |
February is the driest month (2.7 in) and July the warmest (highs of 88 °F). 4.6 inches fall in July, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 88 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Arlington →
Next door
Arlington and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arlington | 11% | 1.4 | 6 | 99%+ | A |
| Alexandria | 11% | 1.7 | 7 | 99%+ | A |
| Bailey's Crossroads | 5% | 0.7 | 3 | 99%+ | B+ |
| McLean | 15% | 1.7 | 26 | 96% | A |
| Falls Church | 4% | 1.0 | 4 | 99%+ | B+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Arlington
Where can I hike in Arlington?
The longest trail networks: Glencarlyn Park, 3.6 miles; Potomac Overlook Regional Park, 2.8 miles; Upton Hill Regional Park, 1.1 miles; Bluemont Park, 0.9 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Arlington is conserved land?
11% of its land, against a typical 4% for a Virginia town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Arlington’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Donaldson Run Park (on leash). For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Arlington?
112 miles of bike routes are on the map: 56 of painted or protected lanes, 45 of off-road paths and 12 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Arlington?
28,728 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Arlington or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 1,490 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Arlington have?
Ahead of 87% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #50 of 253 in Virginia. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Arlington neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →