Hours on the W&OD Trail vary depending on which portion is used. W&OD Trail hours are from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., from Shirlington in Arlington County, all the way to the western town limit of Herndon in Fairfax County. Beyond that, users must obey dusk mandates.

Often called the skinniest park in Virginia, Washington & Old Dominion (W&OD) Railroad Regional Park is a paved trail between Shirlington and Purcellville, Virginia. Run, cycle or skate the 45-mile route along the former roadbed of the Washington & Old Dominion Railroad, which runs through the urban heartland and into the Virginia countryside. Equestrians can ride the adjacent 32-mile gravel horse trail. The W&OD trail has multiple parking areas, enabling you to jump on and off the trail at various points.