As we approach the end of what has been an exceptionally hot summer, now would be a good time to take a day trip from Richmond to the Washington area to hike and take in the fall foliage. Recently, Amtrak Virginia launched a series of daily Northeast Regional round trips from the Staples Mill Road and Main Street Amtrak stations to Washington's Union Station.

From Union Station, there are a number of trails that can be reached via Metrorail. Union Station itself marks the beginning of the relatively new Metropolitan Branch Trail, which leads to Silver Spring. Future plans call for extending the MBT to the Silver Spring Metro Station, where it will meet the Capital Crescent Trail. The Capital Crescent Trail also passes very close to the Bethesda Metro station, and leads to the Palisades and Georgetown, where it meets the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park.

The East Falls Church Metro station is close to the start of the Four Mile Run Trail, whose end point is within similarly easy distance of the National Airport station. The East Falls Church station is also very close to the western end of the Custis Trail, whose eastern end is convenient to the Rosslyn station. Moreover, the Custis Trail's trailhead in Rosslyn is directly across the street from that of the Mount Vernon Trail.

In addition, the East Falls Church station lies just shortly north of a stretch of the Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Trail. Should you wish to start out on the W&OD trail farther to the west, the Dunn Loring-Merrifield station is also within easy walking distance of the trail.