The Northeast Branch Trail follows the levee along the—you guessed it—Northeast Branch of the Anacostia River from the Lake Artemesia Natural Area to Baltimore Avenue/US 1 (south of Hyattsville). The trail is one part of the
Anacostia Tributary Trail System, which includes a number of linked trails in Prince George's County.
Begin your journey at scenic Lake Artemesia, which has taken on a de facto role as a trail hub since the lake's construction in 1976. At the southern end of the lake, you can connect directly with the
Lake Artemesia Trail,
Indian Creek Trail, and
Paint Branch Trail.
South of the lake, the trail skirts the edge of the College Park Airport before entering a dense wooded forest. The trail continues through the woods past a large property used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration before emerging into Riverdale Park. The popular park contains playgrounds, ball fields, restrooms and a water fountain.
The rest of the route runs through open space behind old residences in the towns of Hyattsville and Riverdale, offering great views of the Anacostia River. At the trail's southern end, connect directly with the
Northwest Branch Trail to continue north to Montgomery County, or take the
Anacostia River Trail to travel to Bladensburg.
Parking for the Northeast Branch Trail can be found at the Ellen E. Linson Swimming Pool and Herbert W. Wells Ice Rink on Paint Branch Parkway south of the College Park Airport. Additional parking can be found in Riverdale Park; the park's entrance is located off River Road just to the west of Kenilworth Avenue/State Route 201.
FYI - Trail marked as closed southbound just south of Decatur on 8/12/12. Appeared to be some sort of construction off in the distance, I didn't go down to check it out. Otherwise great trail.