Holmes Run Trailhead

Nice place for shorter shady walks/runs or bikes on paved path. The Northern area has at least 5 cement step creek crossings. Great hill inclines (with and without steps) on the side trails to the East for anyone trying to get their heart rate up, but Bridge area behind Buddy Nature Center is damaged and closed off.

The smell!!! But the water is local and great for a quick fly fishing trip. It’s a delayed harvest between Oct - April. The trail is pretty popular for exercise and dog walking.

What can i say? This is an oasis in the city of Alexandria. I had no idea this was here until recently. What impressed me the most is how clean the water is for being in the middle of Alexandria. Other streams in the area are not nearly as pristine. The one drawback is that the middle of the trail was damaged from flash flooding and so there’s a detour currently. I have not yet tried the trailhead on the Eisenhower end but the Annandale/Columbia Pike end is beautiful! Would definitely recommend for some peace in the city!

Nice woodland break from city life but you may break a leg-- not accessible. Came here on those sunny Saturday afternoon with a two and a half year old. The weather is great. On the pro side the paths are clear and well kept. However The first creek ends up being a little smelly and the only way to cross it are through these stepping stone pillars. I saw several people carrying bikes and even a baby stroller on top of the pillars. It's a little bit unfortunate that the water is not cleaner so that people aren't afraid to walk through. A little further down we did see some people swimming in the actual streams. Not sure if that's prohibited or not. It was very difficult having to pick up my 2-year-old every time we came to a stream crossing. However it was a lovely way to spend an hour. People are very friendly and patient when it comes to crossing.

This is a great little trail. It's easy to miss if you haven't been there before, but the secluded feeling makes the trail all the more peaceful. On our Sunday hike we came across several runners, bikers, and fellow hikers (some with dogs), so it's far from deserted, but certainly not what I would call busy. There are several ups and downs along the trail which make it more of a hike than a stroll. The views vary from tree canopy to rocky riverbed to serene ponds complete with frogs and turtles. It's a beautiful green space that will make you forget you're in the middle of Fairfax county. FYI there are several points where you cross Holmes Run itself. You can either walk through the running water (the crossings have a level concrete floor), or you can use concrete pilings which serve as stepping stones. The bikers didn't seem to have any problems crossing, but it may be difficult with a stroller.