Be sure to check out the youth garden at the Arboreturm. Photo courtesy of the United States National Arboretum

Best Fall Hikes in DC to See Fall Foliage

1. US National Arboretum

The 446-acre US National Arboretum, just two miles from the Capitol in northeast DC, is a beautiful place to walk and picnic in the fall. There are trails with paved, stroller-friendly sections winding through many of the gardens, which dazzle with color as the leaves change. Perhaps most breathtaking is the contrast of the colorful leaves against the sandstone Corinthian Columns, which once supported the US Capitol portico.

2. Rock Creek Park

With over 32 miles of trails and paths, the nearly 1,800-acre Rock Creek Park is a true oasis in northwest DC. Its trails and paths are shaded by hardwood trees, meaning you'll be treated to vibrant fall foliage wherever you look. There are plenty of asphalt trails that are perfect for strollers. On weekends, parts of the park are closed to automobiles, allowing for hikers to safely enjoy it. 

3. Kingman and Heritage Islands

These natural park lands on the Anacostia River in northeast DC are home to more than 100 species of birds, mammals, and other wildlife. Park at RFK Stadium and cross the wooden pedestrian bridge to access the park, where you'll find heavily wooded trails, bridges spanning the river, and wildlife-rich wetlands. Colorful trees abound in the fall.

4. Theodore Roosevelt Island

This 90-acre park is one of the best places to view fall foliage in DC. The easy two-mile loop trail offers views of the Potomac River, the Georgetown Waterfront, and the DC skyline. It’s accessible to jogging strollers with a combination of boardwalks, paved paths, and packed-dirt trails. The hike culminates in a memorial to Theodore Roosevelt that includes a statue and quotations.

 
You'll find plenty of trails at Mason Neck State Park. Photo courtesy of the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation

Best Fall Hikes in Northern Virginia to See Fall Foliage

5. Mason Neck State Park — Lorton

Mason Neck State Park offers more than six miles of unpaved hiking trails and three miles of paved, stroller-accessible multi-use trails that provide a glimpse of nature by the bay. Colors abound in the fall, and you may even spot a bald eagle or a heron. There’s also a playground, picnic areas, and canoe, kayak, and bike rentals, so you can make a day of it! There is a per-vehicle entrance fee from April through October.

6. Shenandoah National Park 

People come from all over to see and photograph the fall foliage in Shenandoah National Park, and for good reason—it truly is spectacular! The beautiful colors begin along Skyline Drive, the main road into the park. Once inside, there are a variety of kid-friendly hiking trails that offer even more leaf-peeping opportunities. Check them out here.

7. Burke Lake Park — Fairfax Station

A 4.7-mile wooded trail loops around Burke Lake, which spans 218 acres within Burke Lake Park. It's a beautiful hike any time of year, but it's especially gorgeous in the fall, when you can see the reflection of the colorful leaves in the water. Parts of the trail are paved and great for strollers, while other parts are more woodsy. There are lots of benches and picnic tables along the trail, where you can take a break and enjoy the view. There are also playgrounds, a miniature train, and a carousel. There is no entrance fee for Fairfax County residents, but non-residents must pay a per-car fee on weekends from April through October.

 Great Falls Park is stunning in any season. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

8. Great Falls Park — McLean, VA (and Potomac, MD)

This 800-acre national park, stretching from McLean, Virginia to Potomac, Maryland, offers some of the most incredible views in the DC area. There is nothing quite like seeing Great Falls, a series of rapids and waterfalls for which the park is named, surrounding by trees bursting with vibrant fall colors. You can take in these views from various overlooks along the park's hiking trails. There is an per-vehicle entrance fee if you are driving into the park, and a per-person fee if you're entering by foot or bike. Kids ages 15 and under are free. 

9. Huntley Meadows Park — Alexandria

With its protected wetland habitat, Huntley Meadows Park is one of the best places for wildlife viewing in the DC region. You can see geese, herons, frogs, turtles, snakes, beavers, deer, and more. The flat two-mile nature trail—a combination of packed-earth paths through the woods and a raised boardwalk over the wetland—is stroller accessible, but it can be muddy if you come right after a rainstorm. The trees surrounding the wetland burst into color in the fall, making the views even more beautiful. 

10. Potomac Overlook Regional Park — Arlington

The 70 acres of wooded trails at Potomac Overlook Regional Park will take you across streams, past an old Indian village site, and face to face with brilliantly colored trees in the fall. There is also lots of wildlife to see and a nature center for little ones to explore. 

The Maryland woods are full of colorful foliage in the fall. Photo courtesy of visitmaryland.org

Best Fall Hikes in Maryland to See Fall Foliage

11. Sugarloaf Mountain — Dickerson

Sugarloaf Mountain, a Registered Natural Landmark, reaches an elevation of 1,282 feet and a vertical height of 800 feet. There are four circuit hikes ranging in distance from 1.5 to seven miles, each of which offers amazing views of the fall foliage. After your hike, you can drive up to the Sugarloaf Mountain lookout point for more breathtaking views.

12. Patapsco Valley State Park — Ellicott City

Maryland's largest and oldest state park extends along 32 miles of the Patapsco River. Its diverse ecosystems include hardwood forests, riverbanks, and meadows that look stunning when the leaves change color. The sugar maples with their fiery red leaves are especially stunning. Hike the kid-friendly, relatively flat Cascade Falls Loop Trail to see waterfalls surrounded by a kaleidoscope of color. 

13. Black Hill Regional Park — Boyds

This 2,000-acre park includes over 20 miles of natural-surface and hard-surface trails that are surrounded by plenty of color in the fall. You can also enjoy gorgeous views over Little Seneca Lake. The park has playgrounds and a half-acre dog park, so it's a great place for the entire family to spend the day.

14. Cunningham Falls State Park — Thurmont

This state park, located in the picturesque Catoctin Mountains, features hiking trails ranging from half a mile to 7.5 miles long, and from easy, flat hikes to steep and rocky climbs. Several of the trails lead to a 78-foot waterfall. All of them offer plenty of colorful leaf-peeping opportunities. From the day after Labor Day through the Friday before Memorial Day weekend, there is a small per-vehicle entrance fee.