Can you imagine the White House burning or British war ships anchored in the Potomac with their guns trained on Alexandria, Virginia? It was the summer of 1814 and the Chesapeake Campaign of the War of 1812 was well underway….
Want to learn more? Come celebrate National Trails Day on June 5 at 9am with a two-hour 10-mile bike ride through history. You’ll get to cross the Woodrow Wilson Bridge and meet costumed interpreters at two sites caught up in the Chesapeake Campaign – Carlyle House Historic Park and Oxon Hill Farm. Riders also get a Star-Spangled Banner water bottle.
6411 Oxon Hill Rd, Oxon Hill, MD
For those wanting a longer ride, an additional two-hour 20-mile loop to Fort Washington Park, along a segment of the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail, departs from Oxon Hill Farm at noon and includes an interpretive program at Fort Washington.
The tours are free, but helmets, reservations, and a signed waiver are required. Children under 16 years of age must be accompanied by a participating adult. Routes include some street cycling and steep hills.
For more information contact ruth.reeder@alexandriava.gov
or call 703-746-4399.
