Explore the best rated trails in Annapolis, MD. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Metropolitan Branch Trail and Meadowlark Connector Trail. With more than 109 trails covering 4560 miles you’re bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
Rocky Run Stream Valley Trail is part of the countywide trail system. This trail runs from the Fairfax County Parkway to Ellanor C. Lawrence Park. The distance along the trail from the Parkway to the...
This short rail-with-trail is short but makes some pretty significant connections: it links the King Street and Braddock Road metro stations. It also connects to the Potomac Yard Trail, helping to...
The Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts because of its proximity to populous Baltimore and its relatively flat course, which winds along river valleys through...
This 3.45-mile paved trail follows the Magruder Branch creek, beginning at the Damascus Recreational Park on Kings Valley Road. It’s a relatively flat trail for most of its length, barring the steeper...
Curving around the perimeter of the Army's Forest Glen Annex, the paved portion of the Ireland Trail is 1.5 miles and winds through the woods, making for a pleasant and scenic excursion into nature....
The Northwest Branch Trail travels a sylvan setting through a string of parks in the Maryland suburbs northeast of Washington, D.C. The 15.8-mile greenway connects the commercial-residential centers...
The Vesper Trail, which opened in 2019, serves as a short but important connector between Tysons and northern Vienna. The pathway spans 0.4 miles between the Spring Hill Metro Station (on the Silver...
The Grist Mill Trail at Patapsco Valley State Park course for 2.5 miles through the heavily wooded park between Ilchester Road and Lost Lake. The trail is gentle and wheelchair accessible. It passes...
Cameron Station Linear Park is the quintessential neighborhood trail. Located in Alexandria, a suburb of Washington, D.C., it offers a pleasant paved pathway frequented by joggers, dog walkers,...
The Woodrow Wilson Bridge Trail provides a superb link between Alexandria, VA, and Maryland's National Harbor over the Potomac River. This well-used trail crosses on the up-river side of the bridge...
The Bluemont Junction Trail is a short paved trail that branches off from the popular Washington and Old Dominion Trail (W&OD) in the heart of Arlington. The trail was built on a spur line that once...
The Broadneck Peninsula Trail is 1.2 miles of asphalt walking and biking pathway in east Annapolis. The trail runs parallel to College Parkway, from Green Holly Drive to Old Cape St. Claire Road,...
The Metropolitan Branch Trail (MBT)—a former piece of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O)—serves as a heartbeat of the capital, serving thousands of commuters and recreational trail users as it...
Nearly a mile in length, the Canning House Run Trail extends from the entrance to the Perryville boat ramp south along the west side of Roundhouse Drive to the historic Rodgers Tavern at the...
The Washington and Old Dominion Trail (W&OD), one of suburban Washington, D.C.’s most popular rail-trails, is a fantastic link between the state’s rural and historical past and the nation’s capital....
The Ox Road Sidepath is a paved trail that runs parallel to Ox Road/State Route 123 in Fairfax County. The trail runs from George Mason University's main Fairfax campus to just south of the former...
The #8 Streetcar Path runs just a short distance (0.33 mile) along part of the route of the former streetcar system that once ran between Catonsville and Ellicott City. The streetcar operated from...
The Killens Pond Bike Trail provides non-motorized access from US 13 to Killens Pond State Park. The short trail parallels Killens Pond Road before turning south into the park along its main access...
In Northern Virginia’s suburban community of Springfield, Lake Accotink Park provides a wilderness escape amid the city surroundings. The 500-acre park features picnic areas, miniature golf, an...
The separated multi-use Rosewick Road Sidepath provides a direct link for both recreation and transportation between the southern Maryland communities of St. Charles and La Plata. The path runs...
The Windsor Hills Conservation Trail is a short hiking trail through the Windsor Hills neighborhood of Baltimore. Built partially on a former streetcar line that once connected the area with the...
The Rhode Island Avenue Trolley Trail provides a safe pathway for students, from kindergartners to doctoral candidates, to walk and bike to school in College Park, Riverdale Park and Hyattsville. The...
The Easton Rails to Trails runs from Dutchmans Lane in southern Easton, Maryland, to North Easton Parka large sports complexover 2.5 miles away. The trail opened in 1998 and has been a popular local...
The St. Michaels Nature Trail skirts the western edge of the scenic town of St. Michaels, Maryland, which was built on the site of a 17th century Anglican church that eventually lent the settlement...
Southern Maryland's Three Notch Trail is a work-in-progress under the guidance of St. Mary's County and other stakeholders. When complete, the recreational trail will extend 28 miles along an...
Visitors to the Henson Creek Trail in the sprawling suburbs of southwestern Prince George’s County may be surprised by the extent of woodlands and open space along this corridor that lies just outside...
Winding along its eponymous river, the Anacostia River Trail (also known as the Anacostia Riverwalk) is a gem of a trail in southeast Washington, D.C.—a vital recreation and active-transportation...
Although located within easy reach of the Washington, D.C., metro area, the Indian Head Rail Trail in southern Maryland seems far removed from the hectic pace of urban life. The 13-mile paved...
The Bluemont Junction Trail is a short paved trail that branches off from the popular Washington and Old Dominion Trail (W&OD) in the heart of Arlington. The trail was built on a spur line that once...
CLOSED UNTIL AUGUST 2022 FOR UPGRADING. The Mount Airy Rail-Trail will one day span nearly 4 miles across the town of Mount Airy and through a scenic, wooded area. The first completed section of the...
The Suitland Parkway trail is a short paved multi-use path that runs adjacent to Suitland Parkway in SE D.C. to the border with Maryland. Proposed construction may extend the trail to the Branch...
The 3-mile separated multi-use path along Middletown Road allows for safe recreation and transportation along the western side of Waldorf, Maryland. The trail begins just south of State Route 228 and...
Baltimore’s Stony Run Trail follows an old Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad line through nearly 3 miles of wooded stream valleys and small parks, providing a quiet escape from the hustle and bustle...
Oxon Run is the name of a tributary of the Potomac River in southeast DC, which lends its name to both the trail system and park in which the trail loop is found. The trail on both sides of the...
The West Campus Access Road Trail, the newest rail-trail in Washington, D.C., travels through the sprawling former campus of St. Elizabeths Hospital, now set to become the new home of the Department...
Note: This developing route is not yet fully contiguous – it is just over 50% complete. Please refer to the Trail Map for more information on the existing sections of trail, as well as the online...
Following the Potomac River, the C&O Canal Towpath traverses the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park for 184.5 miles be-tween Georgetown in Washington, D.C., and Cumberland, Maryland. For...
The Kent Island South Trail is one of two popular recreational trails on Maryland’s Kent Island, the largest island in the Chesapeake Bay (the other is the Cross Island Trail). The trail runs parallel...
Burke VRE Trail lies within Pohick Stream Valley Park and provides an important commuting and recreational corridor, connecting a shopping center, residential neighborhoods, and a Virginia Railway...
Black Hill Trail offers a wooded trek with gentle inclines through Black Hill Regional Park in Boyds, Maryland, just outside of Washington, DC. The trail is primarily paved, though a short section in...
Curving around the perimeter of the Army's Forest Glen Annex, the paved portion of the Ireland Trail is 1.5 miles and winds through the woods, making for a pleasant and scenic excursion into nature....
This short rail-with-trail is short but makes some pretty significant connections: it links the King Street and Braddock Road metro stations. It also connects to the Potomac Yard Trail, helping to...
The MA & PA Heritage Trail is not your typical rail-trail. Named for the Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad, which chugged through the Harford County countryside for the first half of the 20th...
Prince George's County's Paint Branch Trail (not to be confused with Montgomery County's Paint Branch Trail farther north) runs for 3.5 miles between Lake Artemesia and Cherry Hill Neighborhood Park...
The Fairfax County Parkway Trail parallels Fairfax County Parkway/State Route 286 on its route across Fairfax County, Virginia. While the paved trail varies in width and condition, most of the trail...
Maryland's Indian Creek Trail is one of the shorter components of the Anacostia Tributary Trail System, but it serves as a vital link between the town of Berwyn Heights, Maryland, and scenic Lake...
Although less than two miles long, the Meadowlark Connector Trail provides a terrific link between the Meadowlark Botanical Gardens and the popular W&OD Trail. The trail meets the W&OD in Vienna;...
The Lone Wolf Trail is a 1-mile trail in Anne Arundel County Maryland. The trail is connected to two already existing trails: The Strawberry Lake Way Bicycle Path, and the WB&A Trail. Although the...
The Klingle Valley Trail spans just shy of a mile in a leafy, residential area of northwest Washington, DC. The trail opened in June 2017 and is accessible to the neighborhoods of Cleveland Park,...
This bike and pedestrian path threads through the park of the same name. The trail exists in 2 sections: the northern segment begins in the Fairland Recreational Park and winds south, eventually...
The Windsor Hills Conservation Trail is a short hiking trail through the Windsor Hills neighborhood of Baltimore. Built partially on a former streetcar line that once connected the area with the...
Rocky Run Stream Valley Trail is part of the countywide trail system. This trail runs from the Fairfax County Parkway to Ellanor C. Lawrence Park. The distance along the trail from the Parkway to the...
The Metropolitan Branch Trail (MBT)—a former piece of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O)—serves as a heartbeat of the capital, serving thousands of commuters and recreational trail users as it...
The Holmes Run Trail offers a scenic pathway through the heart of a busy residential area in Alexandria and adjoining Fairfax County, both suburbs of Washington, D.C. The trail, which is divided into...
Winding along its eponymous river, the Anacostia River Trail (also known as the Anacostia Riverwalk) is a gem of a trail in southeast Washington, D.C.—a vital recreation and active-transportation...
Baltimore’s Stony Run Trail follows an old Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad line through nearly 3 miles of wooded stream valleys and small parks, providing a quiet escape from the hustle and bustle...
You can augment your physical exercise with a mental workout on the paved B&A Trail, a 13-mile rail-trail that connects the Chesapeake Bay cities of Baltimore and Annapolis. Along with extensive...
Rock Creek Trail forms a winding path, at times narrow, through the urban greenway of Rock Creek Regional Park. The trail extends between Needwood Lake northeast of Rockville, MD, and the Washington,...
Lake Frank is a 54-acre reservoir located in the heart of Rock Creek Regional Park in Derwood, east of Rockville. The reservoir, together with Lake Needwood was created for flood control and was named...
The Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts because of its proximity to populous Baltimore and its relatively flat course, which winds along river valleys through...
Peaceful calm relatively long for your first trail but absolutely amazing couldn’t recommend more
I live right off of this trail and despite reassurance from the local government that it will be repaired (it’s been years!!) the path by Van Dorn and also a small bridge by Cameron Station are still closed.
Me and my son ride this trail to get from Capitol heights metro to Minnesota/Nannie Hellen corner.. it has about 4 or 5 crosswalks lol
Mel n I rode our tandem back. Even though we are staying at Green Belt, we drove 30 miles to get there because we knew the parking place and we knew the trail from previous trips. We parked at Bensville Park and rode towards Indian Head. Trail is recently re-paved and as beautiful a ride as before. The Lily-pads were gorgeous. It was definitely worth the drive out. Now if we can get a Braves win!¿¿¿
Awesome trail. Nice scenery with history along the way. Only did point of rock to Brunswick. Stopped at the brewery. Next trip will be to Harpers Ferry.
The Long Branch Trail is a nice sedate, woodsy trail that is short but sweet. Provides nice access to the Long Branch Recreation Center as well as several local parks. Offers a restful retreat from traffic and noise. Would be nice if it was extended further south to connect to the Sligo Creek Trail.
The Georgia Avenue Trail offers a nice option for north and south access from the ICC Trail along Georgia Ave. There's a shopping plaza north of Emory Lane (where the Olney Manor Recreational Park and Swim Center is located) and it takes one at least part of the way to downtown Olney. Hopefully someday it will be extended southward beyond Norbeck Road to connect it to the Matthew Henson Trail. Check out the many hawks and vultures in the air or on the microwave or cell phone towers near the ICC Park and Ride lot. Use caution when crossing ICC off-ramp; there is limited sight distance.
The Ireland Drive Trail offers a nice quiet trail through the woods that can also be used for access from Rock Creek Trail (near Le Velle Drive) to Forest Glen and Silver Spring. The Ament Drive entrance is right by the National Park Seminary and the National Museum of Health and Medicine. The entrance off of the Rock Creek Trail is close to Woodend Nature Sanctuary.
First timer on this trail, great experience. Began at Railroad PA trail head of the Heritage Rail Trail which connects a few miles south. Rode to soutern terminus and returned. about 45 mi. Much of the trail has an excellent tree canopy and prevents the sun from getting too hot. Lots of scenery and history to soak in the entire way. Got a little crowded at times near popular trail heads, but quickly thinned out a mile or so out. A number of inner tubers were walking along to take advantage of the adjacent river.
Something for everyone, well worth the trip .
I rode from the Whole foods lot down to 41st street on the trail on Sunday afternoon. The trail was not very crowded. Later in the year there will be raspberries to pick. There is not much parking for the trail, so I parked at Whole foods. There were two guys roller blading due to to the paved surface. This part of the trail is mostly wooded and felt safe, but very hilly. Do not make my mistake and try to go thru Cylburn Aboretum. The trail runs parallel to Cylburn. I will be back.
Avoid my mistake! Please read the reviews before you try this trail, which depending on what section you are on is a mixed bag of paved, single tracks, rocks, gravels, dirt, and exposed tree roots at . My number 1 complaint would be poorly marked sign. Sometimes the trail is just lost with no signs at all. I had to back track many places to find the signs. Even the signs are tiny with arrows in burgundy, not very visible. Why not bright red, yellow, or orange? Section in Fairfax City going south, starting at Jermantown Road is paved and the most beautiful once you get off the road at Pickett Road into the trail all the way to Springfield. Passing this point is Pohick, which I haven't got a chance to explore yet. Reading the reviews, I would expect as rough as the north section, which I tried over the weekend from W&OD entrance, passing through Reston, Vienna, and finally connects at Jermantown Road in Fairfax. To survive this section you need a hybrid bike at least, if not gravel or mountain bike. You are pretty much in the woods, following Difficult Run. Don't get hurt! Uber would not be able to find you in the woods. There are exposed tree roots, rocks, gravels, down trees, mud, and single track. Sometimes there is no bridge to cross the streams, no stepping stones either, so you would have to carry your bike skipping from rock to rock. I got fooled the previous weekend when I tried from Springfield to Fairfax and would expect the same in the north section. I have yet to explore the last northern section from W&OD to Great Falls and the southern most, from Pohick to the Occoquan. Now reading the reviews, I would expect as rough as the Reston section. Don't let the mileage mislead you. If you are in the rough sections, allow plenty of time as you don't want to get stuck in the woods in the dark. Notwithstanding the rough and poor signage, this trail is overall beautiful, wooded, nature bound with plenty to see. Enjoy!
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