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Access from Virginia side
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Jason B from Seattle on 6/16/2019 3:20:55 PM:
I'm planning to do a retreat outside Charles Town, WV in the very late summer. I noticed references to C&O when I was considering biking from Dulles. I'm wondering if anyone has found a good way to cross the Potomac east of Point of Rocks - by bike. I've generally found east coast biking unsafe because of the highway speeds on most roads, and would love to get on the trail as soon as possible after leaving the airport. Alternately, I see a dotted line on the map, on the Virginia side of the river - is there perhaps a trail that I can pick up and take to Point of Rocks?

Thanks in advance!!
Jason
 
bob kennelly from McLean on 6/16/2019 11:06:42 PM:
From Dulles you can almost immediately get on the WOD trail and take that to White's Ferry near Leesburg VA and take the Ferry across the Potomac right onto the C&O trail
 
Richard from DC on 6/17/2019 10:01:59 AM:
Indeed, you can take the W&OD trail from Dulles to Leesburg and then get down to the ferry. That requires you to go about a mile on a high speed highway, but it has a wide shoulder. The problem is that once you get on the Maryland side, you still will encounter the washout at Brunswick. I don't think that's been repaired. You can see the postings on that. Some riders claim to have taken highways from Leesburg to Harpers Ferry. I haven't bike any of those roads, but my general impression of rural Virginia roads is that they are dangerous for bikers.
 
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