George Washington Memorial Parkway · VA
Old Carriage Road
Flat, wide historic roadbed once used to reach the town of Matildaville. An easy walk through the woods, good for birding and a gentle alternative to the rocky River Trail.
Live · updated
Today
Skip the mountain biking plan today.
Today's best: mountain biking
Conditions
Score by activity
Hiking
Skip the hiking plan today.
Trail running
Skip the trail running plan today.
Mountain biking
Skip the mountain biking plan today.
Dog walking
Thunderstorms in today's forecast — dogs panic and trails become dangerous.
Score breakdown
- · 86°F air — Within comfort range, outside ideal
- − Thunderstorms — Get off exposed ridges before they arrive
- ✓ Trail: prime — No meaningful rain in the last 48 hours. Trail surface is dry and tacky — prime traction.
- − NWS alert active — Check the alert before heading out
Trail facts
- Distance
- 1.6 mi
- Elevation gain
- 139 ft
- Surface
- gravel
- Difficulty
- easy
Trailhead
Coordinates
38.9932, -77.2531 — VA.
Park
Part of George Washington Memorial Parkway (official site →).
Peak nymphal tick activity — check yourself within 2 hours of leaving the trail.
Nearby Trails
Frequently Asked
How long is Old Carriage Road?
Old Carriage Road is a 1.6-mile route with 139 feet of elevation gain — easy — gentle grades, generally suitable for families and beginners with normal fitness. The trail facts panel on this page lists distance, surface, and access tags as they appear in OpenStreetMap.
What's the trail surface like at Old Carriage Road?
Old Carriage Road is crushed gravel or compacted aggregate — drains quickly, stays passable in wet weather. Today's mud rating, derived from recent precipitation and the surface type, is shown in the conditions panel above.
Who manages Old Carriage Road, and where do closure alerts come from?
Old Carriage Road is in George Washington Memorial Parkway, which is managed by the National Park Service. Closure and advisory data on this page comes from the live NPS alerts API for this park unit. Always confirm against the park's own page before driving — emergency closures can post faster than scrapers refresh.