Tidal Basin – Thomas Jefferson Memorial loop from Friendship Heights

Road cycling routes

United States

District Of Columbia

Tidal Basin – Thomas Jefferson Memorial loop from Friendship Heights

Easy

4.7

(6305)

10,050

riders

Tidal Basin – Thomas Jefferson Memorial loop from Friendship Heights

01:56

42.2km

200m

Road cycling

Easy road ride. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: November 9, 2026

Tips

Cycling is not permitted along parts of this route

After 10.5 km for 90 m

After 14.9 km for 141 m

After 16.9 km for 79 m

Waypoints

Start point

Train Station

Get Directions

12.2 km

C&O Canal Mile Marker 0

Highlight • Trail

This point marks the start of the 185-mile C&O Canal Towpath Trail that runs from Washington D.C. to Cumberland, Maryland. Originally built as a way for mules to tow boats along the canal, it is now converted into a multi-use trail for outdoor enthusiasts of all stripes.

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12.7 km

Rock Creek Trail

Highlight (Segment) • Trail

Rock Creek Trail is a popular spot for foot traffic. Starting from the parking lot off Virginia Avenue, the paved path follows Rock Creek, passing landmarks like the William Howard Taft Bridge and Peirce Mill. Along the route hikers can find picnic areas, restrooms, and drinking fountains. Open year-round, the trail welcomes dogs, with some areas allowing off-leash.

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15.0 km

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial

Highlight • Monument

Great monument - also quite monumental with the relief, which was carved into the large stone... But despite everything, not as pompous as some of the other monuments around and also somehow simple - definitely worth seeing. You should take a little time for the inscriptions that can be read around the monument in the wall.

Translated by Google •

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16.5 km

Tidal Basin

Highlight • Lake

Great facility that man / woman should definitely see during a visit...

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17.0 km

Thomas Jefferson Memorial

Highlight • Monument

In addition to the Jefferson Memorial itself, which Franklin D. Roosewelt had built for the founding father of the USA and the author of the Declaration of Independence, the view of the Tidal Basin is worth a trip here. Especially in the morning when the last wafts of fog are still hanging over the water (see photos and highlight Tidal Basin).

Translated by Google •

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20.4 km

Hains Point

Highlight • Viewpoint

Hains Point was named after the US Army Corps of Engineers' Peter Conover Hains. Peter Conover Hains was the engineer who made the Tidal Basin design. At this point the Potomac River, Washington Channel, and Anacostia River all meet.

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28.9 km

Capital Crescent Trail

Highlight (Segment) • Trail

The Capital Crescent Trail follows the north shoreline of the Potomac river downstream into Washington, D.C. Currently the trail is around 7 miles long, but there is an extension planned for the near future.

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