The McLean stretch of a trail that follows the Potomac River in northern Virginia

This trail parallels the George Washington Memorial Parkway through almost fifteen miles of northern Virginia and never veers more than a hundred yards or so from the bank of the Potomac River. Well known among hikers, the Heritage Trail stretches from the tip of Roosevelt Island to the American Legion Bridge and covers a wide variety of terrain, from smooth dirt trail to rocky boulder fields. It's an interesting trail because it acts as an artery, linking about half a dozen smaller parks through Arlington and Fairfax to create a trail network unrivaled for distance in the area. Not every mile is "runnable," but a creative runner can easily put together a 5, 10, 20-mile workout without going too far from home.

I've hiked parts of the Heritage Trail before but had honestly never considered running it until recently when, in an effort to stretch out my training runs, I started looking for a new long distance option closer to home. The Heritage Trail has always seemed like more of a hiker's trail to me; rugged rock sections, overhanging braches, and long stretches that can only be described as "unrunnable." But on the advice of some local guidebooks, I figured I'd give it another shot.

There are plenty of starting points to choose from, but I caught up with the trail at Turkey Run Park, an outpost on the GW Parkway that is little more than a string of parking lots and picnic shelters. To be honest, I had always thought that Turkey Run was just a glorified U-turn lane for Park Service staff (the NPS regional headquarters is located next to the park) and was surprised to find an actual park back there. Live and learn, I guess. The park itself is well marked in both directions and features restrooms, a water fountain, and plenty of parking near the trails. Lot C is the largest and includes a trail map, so I started there.

Most of the trails in the Run connect with the Heritage Trail sooner or later so it's really hard to go wrong, but I took the well marked Turkey Run Loop trail out of the west corner of Lot C. I enjoyed the mile or so of trail within the park, and it's clear that they're all very well taken care of, but the real fun starts when you're dropped down a series of wicked switchbacks to the water's edge and meet up with the Heritage Trail. From there you can go left upstream about three miles or head right toward the city.

The day I ran was overcast and rainy, so the usual crowds were at a minimum, but the naturally muddy aspects of this trail were out in full force, something to consider when running a trail so close to the river. That said, the trail is fairly well marked and covers some pretty even terrain without too many hills or surprises. For those looking for a hill workout, the Turkey Run trails that lead back up to the parking lot should do the trick. I did an up-and-back run in both directions on the Heritage Trail and, while I enjoyed my run toward the American Legion Bridge, I can't say the same for the downstream section. A hiker's trail if I ever saw one, the eastern leg was overgrown with trees and punctuated by rock scrambles and gnarly root gardens that made running a start-and-stop affair. To the west, the trail was smooth and reasonably uneventful.

As for a review, I'll give the Potomac Heritage Trail two "Muddy Shoes" out of five because, while it does bring together some impressive mileage and nice scenery along the river, the spotty trail conditions and heavily overgrown areas closer to the District will probably keep this one out of my regular rotation. Near Turkey Run I think it's a great resource for beginning trail runners looking for a flat surface and easy access, but the abundance of roots and rocks keep the bulk of this trail from being a quality long-distance option.

Directions: From the city, take the GW Parkway west and you'll see the Turkey Run exit about two miles before I-495. Keep an eye out, though, because you'll need to make a quick right after exiting to avoid getting tossed back on the Parkway heading east. Parking is free, and the lots close at dusk.