Bucknell Manor: A neighborhood surrounds this accessible portion of Fairfax County land that features a basketball court, a baseball field, and a tot lot.
Jones Point: Two gigantic bridges create shade below where there are basketball courts, paved trails, Potomac River land locked fishing spots, and connectivity into Old Town, Alexandria via the Mount Vernon trail.
Duke Street skate park: Ramps, rails, ledges, terrain, in a enclosed amateur friendly deep concrete park, in West End. Extreme sports include BMX, skateboarding, scootering, and roller blading.
Westgrove dog park: Benches, social dog activity, hidden from plain view.
Nearby amenities are the Mt. Vernon Recenter (which has a pool, ice skating rink, gym, aerobics classes, party room, etc.), Westgrove dog park, and the Martha Washington Public Library. This trail enjoys backwoods outdoors that weave through the inside of forested woods of what is now surrounded by Bucknell, Belle View, and Marlan Forest. There is an entrance to deeper into the woods at Dartmouth Drive and Swarthmore Drive, as well as through the Recenter, near the parking lots, facing alongside the library and also inside the top of the hill of the Mt. Vernon Recenters property.
The interior of the woods along and near the Mt. Vernon Recenter trail has wildlife, such as deer, foxes, various birds, etc. The trail around the Recenter woods is paved and connects from two points, Fort Hunt Road side walks, and Quander Road side walks, which can be made into a circle by adding Belle View Boulevard into the equation. This run can be transcendental. The nature is showcased by tall, aged trees.
Fairfax County's Alexandria suburbs
Starting at Bucknell Manor the sidewalks are endless. A straight shot to Fort Hunt is possible, though some roads may not be as accommodating along the journey. Cutting through suburban blocks can be a pace that is weathering on the stamina. With a vision of making it through a 1-10 miles it can be eye opening to one's knowledge of proximity of the region. For example, to know where a nearby shortcut is, can be refreshing.
To see a neighborhood after work and realize and value the wealth of Northern Virginia. For example, the well manicured lawns, the timeless architectures, the paved updated roads, the suburban landscape, and so on. Jogging into a different thoroughfare pays in exercise and appreciation to the Real Estate viewed. Fairfax County's Alexandria suburbs are vast, and connect to businesses and amenities, amongst other things.
Richmond Highway
Not for those unwilling to do a long go through into a circuit that can connect to different tracts. The different tracts past history (in your round-trip physical activity) is useful in going around to see where you are in regards to geography. Richmond Highway has renowned marketplaces that sell from large stores, boutiques, grocers, dining establishments, and so on. Passing these by foot shows the jogger an accomplishment in completing a long run.
The stretch of commerce offered from this Highway, with sidewalks, is immense. One time I literally ran from my home to Verizon for a cable, while passing other businesses such as: Thrift Stores, Walmart, Lowe's, Pet Smart, Michaels, TJ Maxx, Shane's, Noodles and Company, McDonald's, Home Depot, National Guard Recruiter, Pop Eyes, Home Goods, Marshalls, Panera, Subway, Target, Walmart again, Pizza Hut, Dunkin' Donuts, Chinese food restuarant, Juliano's, Planet Fitness, McDonalds again, Tobacco store, Giant, Safeway, Starbucks, Starbucks again, Subway again, bodega, bodega again, Costco, Tacos El Costalilla, Old Country Buffet, Autozone, Wells Fargo, Petco, Ford / Lincoln dealership, dealerships again, Cintron lock and safe. . . and many more. Going this way is is nice to go witness Alexandria from a different perspective.
Duke St. along City of Alexandria
It is nice to appreciate the history produced from centuries of traffic through Northern Virginia's City of Alexandria, via Duke St. Duke St. has side walk openings and mostly safe roads for going for a run that can lead to many choices for a route. For example, Duke St. can lead to Eisenhower Valley and back. Running on Duke St. affords the opportunity to experience Old Town's culture.
Duke Street has a side street link towards King St. Metro. Duke Street has a Whole Foods that is nice for healthy food. Running this goes towards West End. The advantage to this land is the residential luxury.
The Potomac River is next to the Mount Vernon Trail
Old Town's waterfront
The Potomac River is tranquil. Along the waterfront there are good views of the Potomac River and distant Maryland. Running next to the water is pleasant, due to the breezes. In Old Town there are several parks, including Founders and Oronoco that have trails that go parallel to the waterfront.
Additionally, the Woodrow Wilson Bridge offers dramatic panoramas of Real Estate in Maryland and Northern Virginia. Furthermore, Old Town's waterfront specializes through delicious foods and drinks at many locations that can be smelled as one transitions through the tract. This passage tells of Potomac River influence upon the touching land; Captains Row and the brides dowrys. Potomac River ease in style is timeless.
Mount Vernon Trail
All the way to George Washington's museum, home, farm, restaurant, etc, leads a treacherous run on the energy level. The Mount Vernon Trail is serene due to the George Washington Parkway. Traffic is placid and parallel to Potomac River water that is good for a boat. Real Estate around here offers easy exits which have roads that lead to inner Alexandria.
The Mount Vernon Trail run is paved. The Mount Vernon Trail is lavish in extent, grooming, consistency to life in health for someone who runs, etc. There are other activities that can be conducted on this location; fishing for bass or catfish or carp or snakeheads, etc, watching birds such as Osprey, bald eagle, hummingbird, nighthawk, etc, picnicing, beach bumming, taking a sailing lesson from the Belle Haven Marina, land sports.
When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it. -Henry FordWhen everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it. -Henry Ford
Jefferson Manor Park is located just off Telegraph Road in the Jefferson Manor community. The park is administrated by Fairfax County and has a large field and a few groves of trees. The amenities of the park include:
a Little League field;
a basketball court;
a playground;
restrooms; and,
a shelter.
A play ground at Jefferson Manor Park
Welcome to Jefferson Manor Park
A pavilion at Jefferson Manor Park
The shelter at Jefferson Manor seats 36 and with a maximum capacity of 50. It has 6 tables and the shelter has 4 grills.
Commander James S. Ward, well known as a scholar and an authority on tactics and gunnery, was the first Union naval officer mortally wounded after the outbreak of the Civil War. Ward was well known because, among other accomplishments, he was instrumental in establishing the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland.
Fort Ward is in the West End of Alexandria
At the outbreak of the Civil War, Union commanders understood that a Confederate blockade of the Potomac was a serious threat to the main supply line for Washington, D.C. As a result, a flotilla of seven Navy vessels under the command of James Ward were dispatched to protect the waterway for shipping. In the earliest days of the war, that flotilla was involved in an action to support the strategic redeployment of a small Federal force at Mathias Point. During this action a Confederate sniper shot Ward, and he died shortly thereafter.
One of these forts was named after Commander Ward, and today Fort Ward is the best preserved of this fort system. During the war, Fort Ward was the fifth largest fort defending the Capitol and thus deterred Confederate forces who never attacked its earthen walls. The Union Army abandoned the Fort in December 1865, and shortly thereafter any salvageable materials were sold at auction.
The land is now owned by the City of Alexandria. During the time of the war, the fort was a dusty (at times muddy) place, stripped of vegetation and armed with cannons. Today, it is a manicured oasis of greenery in the city of Alexandria.
On the grounds of old Fort Ward, Fort Ward Museum and Historic Site serves as a park, educational center and cultural remembrance for those who served here. The museum has exhibits on general Civil War topics as well as interpretive programs specific to Fort Ward and Alexandria during the Union occupation. Fort Ward can be entered at 4301 West Braddock in Alexandria, Virginia.
The Fort is located relatively close to Inova Alexandria Hospital and Episcopal High School. The surrounding area is a mixture of very high end housing, middle class housing and is located not far from Skyline and the condos near I-395. To search the surrounding area check out West End Alexandria.
Jones Point Park transitions into Old Town
As a 52 plus acres of haven for wildlife, Jones Point Park is also the ideal place to take a stroll or have a picnic by the Potomac River, go bird watching and let your dog have fun. It is found near the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, southeast of Alexandria on the Potomac River.
80 Foot trees can be found at Jones Point Park where fall and spring birds nest during the migration season. A walk down the trail to the Potomac offers sights of water birds, bald eagles and waterfowl.
Jones Point Park offers:
Picnic sites with picnic tables
2 Soccer fields
Trails for walking and biking
2 Fishing piers structured over 2 ship ramps
Ship dock north of the bridge by the river
Garden plots for rent
Jones Point Park at the Woodrow Wilson Bridge
Aubrey Nesbitt takes a break from riding his bicycle below the Woodrow Wilson Bridge
Jones Point Park is owned by the National Park Service and managed by the Alexandria Department of Recreation, Parks ad Cultural Activities that preserves the 9000 years of human history.
Important Facts about Jones Point Park:
Remains of the Jones Point Lighthouse from the 19th century and artifacts from the Native Americans and colonist from the early European settlers have been discovered here.
Jones Point Park was an important shipbuilding site where remains of the shipbuilding site had been unearthed for visitors.
Survey stones mark the original boundaries of District of Columbia as overseen by George Washington after 1790.
