Arlington & Fairfax Counties:

Theodore Roosevelt Island, George Washington Memorial Parkway: Parking lot is accessible from the northbound only lanes of the George Washington Parkway. Access by foot is also available via the paved path which begins at Lynn St. in Rosslyn and crossed the GWMP by footbridge. The natural surface trail heading northward begins at the west end of the parking lot. The paved Mt. Vernon Trail begins at the east end.

Potomac Overlook Regional Park, Arlington, VA: Park in one of the parking spaces near the turn-around at the end of Marcey Rd. Hike downhill on the paved driveway, pass the Nature Center on the right at 0.2 miles, then bear left after another 0.1 miles on a trail descending to and turning right along Donaldson Run. Total distance to the PHT is 0.7 miles.

Gulf Branch, Arlington, VA: Park on the shoulder of 36th Road (off Military Rd) at the intersection of Nelson St. An access trail on the right follows Gulf Branch, steeply downhill near the river, 0.4 miles to the PHT.

North Glebe Rd. at Rte 123, Arlington, VA: Park in the small lot off the west side of Glebe Rd. under the GWMP bridge. Take the short access trail across the road to the PHT.

Fort Marcy, George Washington Memorial Parkway: Parking lot is accessible only from the northbound lanes of the George Washington Memorial Parkway. The PHT crosses the parking lot on a diagonal.

Turkey Run Park, McLean, VA: Accessible from both northbound and southbound lanes of the George Washington Memorial Parkway. Park in lot C-1, and take either of the yellow-blazed trails at the north end to descend to the PHT.

Live Oak Dr, McLean, VA Limited parking is available at the end of the cul-de-sac. The PHT trailhead is at the lower, right side of the cul-de-sac and descends toward the river.

Scott’s Run Nature Preserve, McLean, VA Park in the large parking lot along Scott’s Run off Georgetown Pike. The trail begins at the north end of the lot as a gravel road and follows Scott’s Run to the Potomac River, crossing the Run twice on concrete columns. At the Potomac River, turn right and follow the trail. Please note that the lower portion of the trail is still being developed.

Great Falls Park, VA:  (a) Park at the lot next to Difficult Run off Georgetown Pike, south of Old Dominion Dr. Take the Cross-County Trail north along the run, pass under the Georgetown Pike bridge, and climb up to the fire road, marked on a post as the PHNST. Follow the fire road down Difficult Run, then turn left and head up the Ridge Trail; follow the Ridge Trail to the junction with the River Trail, turn right and descend, following the turquoise blazes.(b) Enter Great Falls Park on Old Dominion Dr, pass through the entrance station and park in the lots beyond the Visitor Center. The PHNST runs along the old Potowmack Canal; follow the trail upriver, pass through the gravel road below the dam, then follow the trail past the dam upstream and cross into Riverbend Park. Continuing north at this point then trail continues unbroken for another nine miles over the newly-named Ira Gabrielson Trail to Algonkian Regional Park in Loudoun County. Downstream, follow the canal trail past the three overlooks, and then turn left on the turquoise-blazed River Trail.

Riverbend Park, Great Falls, VA: Enter Riverbend Park from Jeffrey Road. Park either north or south of the Visitor Center and take the PHT either upriver, or downriver from the end of the southern parking lot. The trail in Riverbend Park is not blazed. Downstream the trail heads toward Great Falls Park; upstream it passes into the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority’s Lower Seneca properties. Additional parking is available at the Riverbend Nature Center at the end of Jeffrey Road.

Fraser Preserve, Great Falls, VA: To reach the Nature Conservancy’s Fraser Preserve follow Springvale Road north from Georgetown Pike, jog left and immediately right past L’Auberge Chez Francois, then continue to the end of the pavement on Springvale Rd. A gate has been re-installed at the entrance to the gravel road leading into the preserve.  Please note that Fraser Preserve is still open to the public and visitors should park on Springvale Road or Allenwood Lane, making sure to not block the gravel entrance road or gate. The gravel road is now part of the trail system. Take the blue-blazed trail near the kiosk. Follow the blue-blazed trail downhill and turn left for a very short distance on the gravel Potomac Interceptor Sewer Road; cross over the pipeline clearing, and then turn right on a grassy trail just past the large pile of rocks on the right. The grassy trail intersects the turquoise-blazed PHNST after about ¼ mile. This segment of the PHNST has recently been designated as the Ira Gabrielson Trail.

Loudoun County:

Seneca Road, Great Falls, VA: At the end of Seneca Road, park along the broad shoulders of the road, just prior to the locked gate. Pass the gate and descend along the paved road until it turns left 90 degrees. The turquoise-blazed PHNST runs north at this point just off the road until it passes into a passage through the Lowe’s Island Golf Course. Southbound, the PHNST follows the old road toward the Potomac River, and then turns downstream. When the cliffs drop directly to the river, the trail climbs a series of switchbacks to the ridge, then descends back to the river near the old bypass channel constructed by George Washington’s Patowmack Company in the late 18th century. This segment of the PHNST has recently been designated as the Ira Gabrielson Trail.

Algonkian Regional Park, Sterling, VA: Enter the park on Cascades Parkway and park near the boat launch area. The turquoise-blazed PHNST runs upriver as far as the park’s White Trail; southbound, the trail first follows the paved Algonkian Parkway path through the golf course, then turns left along the Interceptor Sewer Road. Heading south it is possible to hike on approx. 12 continuous miles of trail to Difficult Run in Great Falls Park. That portion of the PHNST located on the properties of the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority has recently been dedicated as the Ira Gabrielson Trail.

Potomac Lakes Sportplex, Sterling, VA: The Sportsplex is located at the northern end of Cascades Parkway, just outside the entrance to Algonkian Regional Park. From the northernmost parking lot, find the turquoise-blazed PHNST heading south along the Potomac Interceptor Sewer Road, and northbound into Algonkian Park along the paved Algonkian Parkway trail.

Bles Park, Ashburn, VA: To reach Bles Park from Rte. 7, turn right on George Washington Dr, and then turn right on Riverside Parkway and follow it to the park entrance at its end. The turquoise-blazed PHNST follows Broad Run upstream toward what will in the future become a ford crossing. Northbound, the trail follows an old road, passes a gate, and follows Potomac River Rd. north to the cul-de-sac at the end. Pass through the gate at the end of the cul-de-sac, cross the gravel road and follow the blazed trail upstream.

Potomac River Road, Ashburn, VA: From Rte 7 turn right at traffic-light-controlled intersection with Smith’s Circle Rd. Follow Smith’s Circle Rd, and then turn left downhill on Island Rd. At the T-intersection with Potomac River Rd. turn left and park in one of the small number of spaces at the end of the cul-de-sac, being careful not the block the road through the gate. The turquoise-blazed PHNST north bound passes around the gate, crosses the gravel road and enters an easement through the Howard Hughes Medical Facility, also known as Janelia Farm. Further upstream the trail passes into Elizabeth Mills Riverfront Park at Lansdowne. Southbound, follow Potomac River Rd. about a quarter mile to a gate; pass around the gate and enter Bles Park.

Elizabeth Mills Riverfront Park, Lansdowne, VA: From Rte. 7, head north on Lansdowne Blvd; at the T intersection, turn right on Riverpointe Dr, and then turn right, downhill, on Squirrel Ridge Pl. Follow this street down the hill as it curves alongside the golf course and ends at the Elizabeth Mill parking lot. To reach the trail, follow first the pave golf cart path and then the natural surface trail heading toward the Potomac River. When you reach the river, the turquoise-blazed PHNST runs both upstream and downstream.

Kephart Bridge Landing, Lansdowne, VA: This access to the trail is via a canoe and kayak launching facility on Goose Creek. From Lansdowne Blvd, turn left on Riverpointe Dr. and follow it across Belmont Ridge Road and past two more stop signs to 43942 Riverpointe Dr. The parking lot is accessed through a gated driveway signed “Loudoun County Parks” between two residential houses. The turquoise-blazed PHNST is located along Goose Creek; it heads downstream toward the Potomac, and then downriver toward Elizabeth Mills Riverfront Park; heading upstream the trail crosses the Coton Bridge and heads back down Goose Creek on the opposite side.

Keep Loudoun Beautiful Park, Leesburg, VA: Park at the lot adjacent to the old Rte. 7 highway bridge. From the parking lot a blue-blazed trail passes under the current Rte. 7 bridge and follows Goose Creek to the Coton Bridge, where it connects to the turquoise-blazed PHNST, which heads down both sides of Goose Creek below the bridge.

Red Rock Wilderness Overlook Regional Park, Leesburg, VA: Access the park from the west on Edwards Ferry Road; from the east exit from Rte. 7 on River Creek Pkwy, whose name changes to Edwards Ferry Road at the 90 degree left turn. From the parking lot, the PHNST follows a trail currently white-blazed to a magnificent overlook of the Potomac River, and then loops back to the parking lot.

Edwards Landing Park, Leesburg, VA: From Battlefield Parkway, turn north on Powhatten Ct. and follow it to the parking lot at the picnic pavilion. The turquoise-blazed PHNST leaves the pavilion on an initially wood-chip surfaced trail heading toward the Potomac River. Following the trail upriver leads to Balls Bluff battlefield.

Balls Bluff Regional Park, Leesburg, VA: From Battlefield Parkway, turn north on Balls Bluff Road and follow it to its end at a parking lot. Follow the signage to the Civil War battlefield cemetery, and then head downhill to intersect the turquoise-blazed PHNST. Upstream the trail leads to Veterans Park at Balls Bluff; downstream it leads to Edwards Landing Park.