Ashburn: Parks, the W&OD Trail, and Recreation

Green spaces and trails are complemented by opportunities for cycling, ice skating, and golf.

Parks by size and landscape

Ashburn Park covers 16 acres. At 124 acres, Bles Park is considerably larger and is a multi-use site. The passive-use area of Bles Park has natural walking and hiking trails along the Potomac River. This means the comparison considers both the area and the specific trail option along the river. If you would like to include walking or hiking trails in your plans, Bles Park is a good focus.

W&OD Trail: Distinguishing the cycling and equestrian trails

The Washington & Old Dominion (W&OD) Railroad Regional Park is a paved trail between Shirlington and Purcellville, Virginia. Visitors can cycle along its 45-mile route. The route also has an adjacent 32-mile gravel equestrian trail, which is used by riders. For your plans, it is worth distinguishing between the trail types: the W&OD is paved; the equestrian trail has a gravel surface and is a separate trail. The two lengths therefore refer to different routes. Trailside Park is next to the W&OD Trail. If you choose cycling or horseback riding as your focus, the respective route and its length are relevant points of comparison.

Parking at Ashburn Road

For W&OD Trail users, Loudoun County has a parking lot with 40 spaces at the intersection with Ashburn Road, near mile marker 27.5. Ashburn Road and mile marker 27.5 are precise reference points for planning. If you plan to use the parking lot for your outing, you can use these location details to identify the trail access point. The endpoints, Shirlington and Purcellville, describe the regional route; Ashburn Road and mile marker 27.5, by contrast, locate the individual parking lot. This helps keep the full route and the specific reference point in view as two separate details.

Ice skating and seasonal recreation

Ashburn Ice House offers the public ice-skating event “Playground on Ice” for children ages 2 to 9. The age range is a specific planning consideration if children are to take part in the program; check whether a session is available before your visit. This lets you coordinate the skating session with your travel plans. Topgolf Loudoun has hitting bays with cooling fans in summer and heaters in winter. If the seasonal features are important for your visit, check the latest information in advance, as features may change.

Find hotels that fit your travel plans

Which hotels in Ashburn are right for you depends on your travel plans. Consider whether trails along the Potomac, the W&OD Trail, an ice-skating option for children, or Topgolf will be the main focus of your time.

Explore more destinations: Leesburg, Sterling, Lovettsville, Purcellville, Middleburg

Return to the main travel overview: Loudoun.