Running trails in Sterling, VA
Sterling has 1 trail in the directory — 1 paved, 1 with a stated distance, and 1 open 24 hours. Every one posts opening hours, so you can check the gate before an early start. They're ranked here by rating weighted by review volume, across 73 Google reviews. Filter by surface, loop, distance, shade or lighting to get to the run you're actually planning — no made-up difficulty score, just the facts you'd check before driving out.
W&OD Trailhead
4.6 ★★★★★ 73 reviews
45 miPaved
Spot for hiking, biking, and walking, featuring paved and unpaved trails.
No trails match those filters.
How to pick a trail in Sterling
- Match the surface to your legs. Most of what's here is paved (1 of 1). Asphalt and concrete are fast, predictable and runnable year-round but the least forgiving; crushed limestone and dirt take the sting out of high mileage; boardwalk is flat and scenic but slick in the wet. If your shins or knees are complaining, the fix that actually works is varying the surface you run on rather than chasing one "best" one. More paved trails →
- Loop or out-and-back? A loop finishes back at the car with no backtracking; on an out-and-back you simply turn round at half your distance. The longest stated distance in Sterling is W&OD Trailhead at 45 mi. 1 trail is long enough for a 5-mile-plus run without repeating yourself.
- Check the hours before a 6am run. Every trail in Sterling is listed as open 24 hours, so an early start is never the problem. 1 of the 1 listing carries posted opening hours — worth a look before you set an alarm.
- Long run? Check water and restrooms first. 1 has trailhead parking in Sterling. Anything over an hour and those stop being nice-to-haves — and in summer, shade counts double.
More on all of this in the trail-running guides.
Browse Sterling trails by type
Running trails near Sterling
Worth the short drive — the closest towns with trails in the directory.