Potomac Overlook Regional Park is a regional park located in Arlington, Virginia. This 70-acre natural area features a diverse landscape, characterized by deciduous forests with oak, beech, and tulip poplar woodlands. The park provides access to the Potomac River and includes Donaldson Run, a significant tributary, contributing to varied terrain suitable for outdoor activities. Several sports like hiking, road cycling, touring cycling, jogging, and more are available within Potomac Overlook Regional Park.
121
Routes
4.4
(224)
Average rating
3456
People visited

5.0
(1)
50
hikers
4.26km
01:11
80m
80m
Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

4
hikers
9.92km
02:34
50m
60m
Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

2
hikers
25.8km
06:43
180m
200m
Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

2.52km
00:41
20m
50m
Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
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4.4
(9)
90
riders
65.7km
03:51
350m
350m
Moderate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

4.7
(29)
242
riders
26.2km
01:35
120m
120m
Easy bike ride. Great for any fitness level. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

4.9
(32)
206
riders
44.6km
02:37
220m
220m
Moderate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

4.6
(12)
98
riders
Moderate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
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2.0
(2)
78
riders
83.4km
03:36
380m
380m
Moderate road ride. Good fitness required. Some segments of this route may be unpaved and difficult to ride.

4.6
(25)
506
riders
50.2km
02:18
330m
330m
Moderate road ride. Good fitness required. Some segments of this route may be unpaved and difficult to ride.

67
riders
86.5km
03:53
800m
800m
Moderate road ride. Good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.

5.0
(1)
53
riders
8.03km
00:22
0m
0m
Easy road ride. Great for any fitness level. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.
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5.0
(4)
104
riders
Moderate gravel ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

57
riders
36.9km
02:15
100m
100m
Moderate gravel ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

39
riders
37.1km
02:07
170m
170m
Moderate gravel ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

5.0
(1)
16
riders
89.8km
04:33
550m
550m
Hard gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
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93
runners
28.8km
03:09
110m
110m
Hard run. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

117
runners
Moderate run. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

100
runners
15.0km
01:35
100m
100m
Hard run. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

43
runners
9.22km
01:02
100m
100m
Moderate run. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
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22
riders
Moderate mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Suitable for all skill levels.

10
riders
77.6km
05:49
470m
470m
Hard mountain bike ride. Very good fitness required. Suitable for all skill levels.

10
riders
Easy mountain bike ride. Great for any fitness level. Suitable for all skill levels.

6
riders
40.8km
02:18
230m
230m
Moderate mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Suitable for all skill levels.
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Potomac Overlook Regional Park offers a variety of outdoor activities including hiking, jogging, road cycling, and touring cycling. The park features nearly 2 miles (3.2 km) of woodland trails and a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) paved bike trail. It also provides access to the broader Potomac National Heritage Scenic Trail.
The park's woodland hiking trails are generally considered novice level, making them suitable for various skill levels. These trails feature natural surfaces of dirt and roots, with some elevation changes near the river. Find more information on easy hikes in Potomac Overlook Regional Park.
Potomac Overlook Regional Park is suitable for families, offering novice-level hiking trails and educational opportunities. The James I. Mayer Center for Environmental Education features exhibits and live animal displays, including birds of prey. Explore family-friendly hikes in Potomac Overlook Regional Park.
The park contains a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) paved bike trail with views of the Potomac River. It also serves as an access point to the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail for road and touring cycling. For more details, refer to Road Cycling Routes in Potomac Overlook Regional Park and Cycling in Potomac Overlook Regional Park.
The park features a rich deciduous forest with oak, beech, and tulip poplar woodlands. It provides access to the Potomac River and includes Donaldson Run, a significant tributary. Native plant gardens and an organic vegetable garden also showcase local flora.
The 'Potomac Overlook' itself offers limited river views due to mature trees, especially during leaf-on seasons. Glimpses of the river may be possible during winter months when foliage is sparse. The park provides access to the river, but panoramic overlooks are not a primary feature.
The James I. Mayer Center for Environmental Education is located within the park. It features exhibits on local flora and fauna, along with live animal displays. The center cares for injured, non-releasable birds of prey, such as red-tailed hawks, barred owls, and great-horned owls.
Potomac Overlook Regional Park has attracted more than 65,000 visitors on komoot. The available routes have an average rating of 4.54 out of 5 stars, indicating a positive user experience. Users have shared their experiences across various sports like hiking and cycling.
Yes, komoot offers several guides for hiking in the park. These include Hiking in Potomac Overlook Regional Park, Easy hikes in Potomac Overlook Regional Park, and Family-friendly hikes in Potomac Overlook Regional Park. There are also guides for City hikes and hikes from bus stations.
The official website for Potomac Overlook Regional Park is novaparks.com/parks/potomac-overlook-regional-park. For direct inquiries, the park's phone number is 703-528-5406.
The hiking trails in Potomac Overlook Regional Park are unpaved, single-track paths. They feature a natural surface of dirt and roots, winding through a dense forest canopy. The terrain includes 'ups and downs' near the Potomac River, providing varied elevation.

