June is Great Outdoors Month: Walking Reston Trails

by Scott Parkin

Photo by The Reston Letter

One of the joys of living in Reston is being able to enjoy its natural surroundings. Before my wife and I decided to move here in 1986, we drove around to get a feel for the community. My wife was struck by how many people we saw out walking and biking, something that was unusual in the part of Alexandria where we then lived.

After visiting the Lake House, where the Welcome Center was located at the time, we were even more intrigued. I remember seeing a scale model of Reston (it’s now on view at the Reston Museum) that displayed the existing walking trails along with the lakes and various village centers. We decided to move shortly thereafter.

As older adults who enjoy walking without having to drive far, we’ve come to appreciate several favorite trails. Among them are the Turquoise Trail in South Reston, which runs from South Lakes Center to Hunters Woods; the Green Trail, which stretches from Reston Town Center to Lake Anne; and the Pink Loop in North Reston.

We often access the Turquoise Trail by parking on Soapstone Drive between Glade and Lawyers roads, entering near the trailhead on the west side of the road. (Be aware that parking on the east side, in the bike lanes, may result in a ticket.) There’s an easy, one-mile paved walk to a bench by a stream. The trail is heavily canopied by tall trees and relatively flat, making it pleasant in any season.

Now that we live across from Reston Town Center and adjacent to the Green Trail, we use it to walk to Lake Anne and back. The trail is mostly shaded, although there is a sunny hill that can be a challenge on the return from Lake Anne. An unpaved side trail runs through the woods behind Lake Anne Elementary, parallel to the Green Trail for about half a mile; you’ll often hear children playing during the school year. You can access this area by parking near The Container Store or at Lake Anne Village.

We used to live near the Pink Loop Trail in North Reston. A convenient way to access it is to use the public parking at the North Hills Pavilion or near the North Hills pool and tennis courts. Much of this trail is level and shaded, running through woods parallel to Woodbrook Lane. Some sections have been prone to flooding in the past, so you may need to detour through the woods at times.

June is Great Outdoors Month. What better time to explore a Reston trail? Trail maps are available at https://www.reston.org/

Scott L. Parkin is president of Reston for a Lifetime (www.RestonforaLifetime.org) , a nonprofit organization with a mission to inform and educate residents about aging in place.