C&O to W&OD via Bus. Rt 15
 

I'm looking to do a ride the end of June which would include biking the C&O from DC to Whites Ferry, crossing over and biking Bus. Rt. 15 to the W&OD trail. My question is, how bike friendly is the 3 1/3 mile stretch of rt. 15 from Whites Ferry Rd into Leesburg? Estimating I would be on that section around 9:30 - 10:00 am on a Saturday morning.
Thanks in advance.

Tony

Route 15 is not great for riding, but there is a shoulder in ok shape from White's Ferry Road into Leesburg. Often has high traffic, but that time on a Saturday morning might not be too bad.

Tony, did you end up doing this ride? I'm thinking about doing your ride in reverse--starting on the W&OD trail, riding on Rt15 to Whites Ferry, and then back down the C&O. What was the ride along 15 like?

Thanks,
Paul

Paul, I did not. I ended up doing a century ride along the W&OD

I just saw someone on bikeforums mention recently that they do the W&OD, whites ferry, C&O combo regularly. Might want to search and then message that person. I don't seem to have any search skills myself.

Thanks for the heads up. I found the thread and replied to the rider (u235). It wasn't a straight forward search--had to read one thread to figure out who the rider was and then do another search to find his post about what you mentioned.

Was just arm-chair exploring this. From what I can see the first mile has a nice shoulder across a rumble strip to remind drivers they don't belong there. The next 3/4 mile from the split looks bad, but it looks like it would be possible to walk along the narrow grass strip between road and guard rail, and I'm not above doing such things for further than that when uncomfortable. After that it seems like you can take a left into a school driveway and connect with an off-road bike path the rest of the way into town.

But then someone mentioned that hotel vans out of Leesburg will do pickups at the ferry. Since just getting to DC would consume most of my morning it would have to be a two day ride for me anyway, so I'm more likely to do that.

I’ve been looking at this connection also. What about turning right onto Tutt Lane (before the split, so you’d only be on 15 very briefly, less than a mile). That takes you to an “equestrian center”/museum called “Morven Park”. Their website says the grounds are open to the public. From there you can get to Fairview/Catoctin, which looks pretty quiet and also has a side bike path, which takes you right down to the WOD.

N.B. I haven’t confirmed the viability of this route, but that’s the way I was planning to try.

Yeah, going around the back of the horse place seems an option (too bad they can't move the fence back 15 feet and put in a path along the edge of the meadow, even behind the screening trees).

The more I look at it though, rather than try to push through the no shoulder stretch of bus 15 beside the guard rail, it looks like crossing over just before the split to the northbound side of car 15 would yield a shoulder to walk against traffic for just under a mile, and then there's a side street that intersects the path at the school.

But really if I do it I'll be spending the night in Leesburg so picking a hotel with a shuttle willing to pick up at the ferry beats navigating that in the evening.

Trying to actually cover it myself would be more in the realm of trying to do a same-day round trip... but since I can't get to DC early enough to start that anyway, I might as well pay for the night in Leesburg.

Why the desire to take Rt 15? There are other much quieter ways to get from White’s Ferry to Leesburg, though they are longer and involve gravel roads. To me both are a plus. If you’re already doing C&O, I assume gravel is OK. So is just a matter of not adding extra miles to the trip?

Curious what those would be.

That said, with the way I've been thinking of doing it it, if things go slowly it could be getting towards dusk not long after the ferry, which isn't a great time to go exploring unknown gravel.

What was that like? I rode west (and back) on the W&OD for the first time yesterday from Arlington, VA towards Vienna, VA. There were so many street crossings in that 5-7 mile stretch. I can't imagine doing that ride would be very fun if it continues like that the rest of the way out to Leesburg. Do those crossings become less frequent the further west you go?

They get a little less frequent the farther west you go, but still there. All the crossings are controlled.

That doesn't sound fun, which I guess means the C&O, White's Ferry, W&OD loop plan is out. Maybe C&O both ways.... or skip the "sample bite" idea and do the whole thing one way.

I've ridden the W&OD from Rte28 to Purcerville RT a couple of times. Loved it. Yes there are crossings but I did not find them a problem at all. Normal for rail trails. Let's say, I did not spend much time at crossings. Very light traffic and good sighting distances. Well engineered trail.

Horses for courses.

The crossings on the WO&D aren't a big deal - I wouldn't avoid it because of those.

It can get congested on sunny warm weekends (as does the Capital Crescent trail and the Towpath from DC to Great Falls) and a few times per year there are organized bike rides that use parts of the W&OD.

How experienced are you? The traffic can get pretty bad, I myself am not a fan of getting into traffic but I haven't seen any accidents yet.

I rode from Arlington to Reston and back yesterday. Yes, the crossings got a lot less frequent the further away from DC I got. I wanted to do 30 miles out and back. At mile 15 in Reston, I told myself I'd turn around at the next street crossing but my mile 16 I still hadn't gotten to one so I turned around on the bridge going over Fairfax County Parkway.

That stretch between Vienna and Reston is beautiful.

If you stay with the direction of travel, there is a shoulder on the left side in that intermediate area, That's what I use.
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.1376...7i13312!8i6656

My comment on the W&OD street crossings. A lot are small side streets or entrances to office buildings, industrial areas or residential streets. Most crossings are the trail crossing a road, not a traditional 4 way intersection with cars in all directions. All clearly marked with warnings on the trail and the road. The bigger roads are clearly marked and although you have to slow and or stop at some of them, they have cross walks and buttons so you can wait for the light and right of way. In the central areas near Reston, I've seen police there more than once pulling over drivers that did not stop to yield to the cross walk. There are less crossings on the western end but still there.

I completed the C&O and W&OD today. I started from our apartment in Arlington to the Key Bridge, up the C&O to Whites Ferry ($2), US15 business to Leesburg, then down the W&OD back to the apartment. 74 miles

For the first mile on US15, you're riding on a wide shoulder. Once it splits into the bypass and the business route, the shoulder on the business route shrinks down to 1ft, but 90% of the cars take the bypass. Within 1/2 mile the shoulder all but disappears, but then there's a multiuse path that runs for about 1/2mile before you go back on the street. At this point, though, you're in the historic district of Leesburg, the speed limit has dropped considerably and the W&OD is right there. I think it's safe.

Although it was pretty muggy today, the C&O was fairly cool and shaded. Once I got to the W&OD, though, the tree canopy disappears for the most part and you're in full sun. However, I wouldn't change the direction. The water pumps were working on the C&O but there's not much in the way of food. There's plenty of places to stop on the W&OD for food and snacks. The Rita's water ice in Vienna saved me today.

Very cool. What's it like using the ferry? Do they wait to fill it up or run at regular intervals? Just one boat that goes back and forth?

All the cars load on first followed by the bikes and pedestrians. When it gets across, the cars get off first and then the bikes and pedestrians. I was the only bike in my direction and 4 were waiting to come across. There's a couple guys who walk through the ferry and collect the money.

They were constantly moving. Fill up the ferry with all the waiting cars--even if wasn't full--go across. Larger, rinse, repeat. Maybe during the week when there are less cars, there's a schedule.

Very nice, I'm going to have to give that a try. Thanks!