It’s still warm out, but you have to train for a race. Or perhaps you’d like a comfortable place to begin an exercise routine, walk your dog, or take your kids for a bike ride. If you’re looking for a flat mile in almost complete shade, we’ve found a great loop for you.
Reston boasts 55 miles of paved trails through forests and along lakes. Modern Reston will be highlighting several of these paths in our series of Trail Tours. First in this series is the Turquoise Trail in South Reston.
Map credit: RunKeeper app
The Turquoise Trail is a 4.74mi trail that connects South Lakes Village Center and Hunters Woods Village Center. Halfway along the trail, just west of Soapstone Dr., is a mile-long loop that has full shade during the warm months. The trail is smoothly paved and essentially flat, which makes it a great location for biking, skating, or pushing a stroller. Young children can also easily ride their bikes along the trail. If you’re training for a race and looking for a path that is comfortable in warm weather, try running laps here.
One lap measures 1.05mi. Because the trail follows a stream, it does have a slight incline — about 15-20 feet elevation over half a mile. By Reston standards, that is flat!
To access this loop, park on Soapstone Drive where it intersects with the Turquoise Trail. Plenty of parking is available along the side of the road. You’ll see this small bridge on the west side of Soapstone Drive where you enter the trail.
Take a short walk to the west until you see a bridge to the right. This bridge marks the beginning of the loop. Walk past the bridge, and continue west on the trail.
The trail follows this rocky stream, offering several scenic views along the way.
Even on a bright, sunny day, this trail’s dense canopy of leaves creates a lot of shade. This is about as sunny as it gets along this path.
Two small swingsets are located along this loop, in case you are traveling with little ones.
If you look closely, you’re likely to see plenty of wildlife in this area of Reston. Sometimes you don’t even have to look closely – this deer was standing right next to the path.
Three laps around this path will have you ready for that upcoming 5K, and you won’t get this kind of shade or scenery while running laps at the South Lakes High School track.
Do you have a favorite Reston trail that you would like Modern Reston to feature? We’d love to hear about some great hidden spots around town.
Related articles:
- The Ultimate Guide to Outdoor Things to Do in the Reston Area
- Trail Tour: The Open Green Spaces of Reston National Golf Course
- Trail Tour: A Hilly Workout with Some of Reston’s Best Scenery
- Trail Tour: Lake Audubon’s Breathtaking Fall Scenery
- Trail Tour: The Splendor of Lake Newport in the Fall
- The RUN Around Reston