The baseline everywhere below: leashed dogs, six feet or shorter, and you clean up immediately. That's the rule in Fairfax County parks and the norm on most NoVA trails — with one exception flagged below, the Wildlife Management Area, which asks visitors 17+ for an access permit.
Fairfax County
Burke Lake Park
🐾 Editor's ChoiceThe classic. A 4.5-mile loop around the lake — flat, scenic, and endlessly walkable with a dog. Go early on weekends; the parking lot fills up.
Leashed dogs welcomeLake Accotink Park & Trail
A 4-mile paved trail around a 55-acre lake. Paved means it's good year-round (less mud), and the loop is a satisfying distance without being a commitment.
Leashed dogs welcomeFountainhead Regional Park
Leashed dogs on the shared-use hiking and equestrian trails. This is also the trailhead for the 19.7-mile Bull Run Occoquan Trail if you want a serious day out.
Leashed dogs welcomeScott's Run Nature Preserve
Rugged and beautiful — but best for confident hikers and sure-footed dogs. The terrain is rocky in places. Not a first-hike spot, but a great one once you know your dog can handle it.
Leashed dogs welcomeBull Run Regional Park
1,500 acres with the Bluebell Trail as a highlight. Leashed dogs welcome. Lots of room to spread out even on busy weekends.
Leashed dogs welcomeEllanor C. Lawrence Park Trails
640+ acres with about 4 miles of trails through upland and bottomland forest and meadows, including a loop around Walney Pond. One of Fairfax County's prettiest wild pockets — and there's a designated off-leash area too. Dogs on leash on trails; keep them out of streams and buildings.
Leashed dogs welcomeLake Fairfax Park Trails
The 9.5-mile Lake Fairfax Park Loop mixes wooded singletrack, lakeside stretches, and connections to the Cross County Trail and W&OD. It's the best big-trail workout in Reston with a dog — can be muddy after rain, so wear real shoes. Leashed dogs welcome on trails.
Leashed dogs welcomeArlington
Theodore Roosevelt Island Trails
About 2 miles of boardwalk and gravel trail through swamp, woods, and a memorial plaza on an island in the Potomac. It feels surprisingly wild for somewhere ten minutes from downtown — great for a quick, shady dog walk. Free, sunrise to sunset; leashed dogs welcome (6-ft max).
Leashed dogs welcomePotomac Overlook Regional Park
A 67-acre wooded park with winding trails that connect to the Potomac Heritage Scenic Trail — the easiest real-woods hike inside Arlington. Leashed dogs welcome on trails; there's also a nature center with live animals (free admission, closed Mondays).
Leashed dogs welcomeAlexandria
Mount Vernon Trail (Alexandria)
The 18-mile paved riverside trail runs right through Old Town — start at Jones Point or Oronoco Bay and walk as much as the dog wants. Flat, busy with bikes on weekends, and great for people-watching. NPS rule: pets on a leash no longer than 6 feet, and bag the waste.
Leashed dogs welcomeFort Ward Park
45 acres of historic grounds and trails around the best-preserved Civil War fort in the Defenses of Washington — wide-open lawns plus shaded walking loops. Dogs must be leashed and owners must clean up (not allowed in the museum).
Leashed dogs welcomeWorth the drive: Loudoun & Prince William
Leesylvania State Park
556 acres on the Potomac with 6 trails (the 1.6-mile Lee's Woods Trail is the favorite). Dogs on a 6-ft leash; per-vehicle entry fee.
Leashed dogs welcomePrince William Forest Park
15,000 acres of Piedmont forest, and leashed dogs (6-ft max) are welcome on most hiking trails — but not in the Chopawamsic Backcountry Area or cabin camps. Per-vehicle entry fee; the biggest dog-friendly trail system in the region.
Leashed dogs welcomeJulie J. Metz Neabsco Creek Wetlands Preserve
227 acres of wetlands boardwalk and trail. Leashed dogs welcome; great for an easy nature walk.
Leashed dogs welcomeBeaverdam Reservoir Trails
7.2-mile loop around the reservoir. Pets leashed at all times; the park closes at sunset.
Leashed dogs welcomeRaven Rocks Trail
5.7 miles and genuinely challenging, with a payoff view. Leashed dogs welcome.
Leashed dogs welcomeClaude Moore Park Trails
11 miles of shaded, well-marked trails past ponds, meadows, and 1700s farm buildings. Easy loops for all levels — a reliable, low-stress pick when you just want a pleasant hour in the woods with the dog. Open daily 7am to sunset; dogs on a physical leash, under control.
Leashed dogs welcomeBanshee Reeks Nature Preserve
700 acres of meadows, wetlands, and oak-hickory forest along Goose Creek, with 15–20 miles of natural-surface trails and a famous wildflower and bird show. Quiet even on weekends — Loudoun's best-kept-secret hike. Leashed dogs welcome; open daily with seasonal hours (8am–8pm Apr–Sep, 8am–5pm Oct–Mar) and occasional Friday closures for habitat work.
Leashed dogs welcomeSilver Lake Regional Park Trails
About 4 miles of flat, easy lakeside trails around a 23-acre lake. Free, uncrowded, and low-key — ideal for an easy family-and-dog outing. Open daily 7am–6pm; dogs on leash. Heads-up: lots of geese, so keep the leash short near the water.
Leashed dogs welcomeManassas National Battlefield Park
Dogs on leash on the historic grounds. The Stone Bridge trail loop is a local favorite — open fields, long sightlines, and a different vibe from the wooded county parks. A nice change of pace.
Leashed dogs welcomeLong through-trails
Potomac Heritage Trail
Riverside trail with multiple sections — the Lansdowne stretch near Leesburg runs 10.9 miles. Dogs on leash throughout.
Leashed dogs welcomeW&OD Trail
A 45-mile paved rail-trail through NoVA's towns and suburbs — dead flat, with mile markers, benches, and water fountains. Not a wilderness hike, but the easiest possible miles with a leashed dog, and you can hop on near breweries and cafes. Open daily 5am–9pm; dogs on a short leash, under control at all times.
Leashed dogs welcomeFarther afield
G. Richard Thompson Wildlife Management Area
Rugged Blue Ridge foothill hiking famous for its spring trillium bloom — reputedly the largest stand in Virginia. The 5.4-mile loop is a solid moderate workout, and it's far emptier than the county parks. Best for experienced hikers with trail-savvy dogs; leashed dogs welcome. Note: visitors 17+ need a hunting/fishing license or WMA access permit, and it's popular during hunting season — wear blaze orange late Nov through Jan.
Leashed dogs welcomeSky Meadows State Park
1,860 acres of rolling meadows and woods draped over the Blue Ridge, with about 22 miles of trails — including a stretch of the Appalachian Trail and routes up to sweeping overlooks. DCR rule: dogs on a leash 6 feet or shorter at all times. Per-vehicle parking fee; easy NoVA day trip via US-17.
Leashed dogs welcomeWhere dogs are NOT allowed
Save yourself the wasted trip — dogs are prohibited at:
- Huntley Meadows boardwalk, Restoration & Heron Trails (leashed dogs are fine on the park's other trails)
- Winkler Botanical Preserve (private preserve, no pets)
Trail tips with a dog
- 6-foot leash, non-retractable. It's the rule, and retractable leashes are a hazard on shared trails.
- Bring more water than you think. Especially at Burke Lake and Fountainhead where the loops are long.
- Check for ticks after. Northern Virginia woods mean ticks most of the year.
