Find the top rated trails in Eldersburg, whether you're looking an easy walking path or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
Following the route of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad's Metropolitan Branch rail line, the Met Branch Trail is a busy urban rail-with-trail that shares a corridor with Metro's Red Line, MARC commuter...
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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...
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,...
The Bethesda Trolley Trail—also known as the North Bethesda Trail—is a 4-mile path linking Bethesda and North Bethesda, primarily by bridging two major highways. The trail occupies the abandoned...
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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,...
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 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...
Downs Park Trail is located in Downs Park on the Chesapeake Bay just north of Gibson Island. The 3.5-mile perimeter trail is paved, popular for walkers and cyclists alike, and an additional 1.5 miles...
When complete, the Jones Falls Trail will extend 10 miles between Baltimore's Inner Harbor and the Mount Washington Light Rail Station. Currently, a paved, off-road section runs from Cylburn...
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 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...
Detour notice: As of Sept. 5, 2017, a 3.5-mile section between Woodmont Avenue in Bethesda and Talbot Avenue in Silver Spring at the northeastern tip of the Capital Crescent Trail (also known as the...
The Lake Artemesia Trail—one component of the larger Anacostia Tributary Trail System—completely encircles its scenic eponymous lake in Prince George's County, Maryland. The trail is also a great...
Although it parallels Eisenhower Avenue, this paved pathway is not without its charms. On its west end, Alexandria's Eisenhower Avenue Trail begins in Hensley Park, which offers plentiful parking and...
Located in the northwest section of Washington, D.C., Rock Creek Park is the oldest and largest urban park in the national park system. Established in 1890, Rock Creek offers more than 1,700 acres of...
If you are looking to augment your physical workout with some intellectual exercise, look no further than the Baltimore & Annapolis Trail. The scenic, paved, 13-mile community trail is brimming with...
The Four Mile Run Trail traverses the Four Mile Run stream valley and has many twists and turns, not to mention steep sections (mercifully short). The trail more or less parallels the popular W&OD...
The John Overstreet Connector is a 1.5-mile trail segment that links the Baltimore & Annapolis Trail and BWI Trail. The short—but vital—trail is named after Overstreet, a retiree from Glen Burnie,...
The Matthew Henson Trail runs along a paved surface (rough in places from tree roots) through a narrow band of forested green space between the Rock Creek Trail just south of Veirs Road and Alderton...
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...
When complete, the Jones Falls Trail will extend 10 miles between Baltimore's Inner Harbor and the Mount Washington Light Rail Station. Currently, a paved, off-road section runs from Cylburn...
Northwest Lancaster County River Trail stretches nearly 13 miles along the east bank of the Susquehanna River between Falmouth (near the Dauphin County line) and Columbia. Along the way, you can...
The Stringfellow Road Sidepath runs for three miles through Chantilly and Centreville in Northern Virginia's Fairfax County. The asphalt and concrete trail connects multiple neighborhoods to various...
The Kent Island South Trail is one of two popular recreational trails (along with the Cross Island Trail) on Maryland's Kent Island, the largest island in the Chesapeake Bay. The trail runs parallel...
The Savage Mill Trail in Savage Park travels along the rolling Patuxent River through the grounds of an old cotton mill. In the early 1800s, Savage was a major manufacturing center, harnessing power...
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...
This rail-with-trail bridge crosses the Potomac River near its confluence with the Shenandoah River, at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. A cantilevered section of the bridge allows pedestrian access...
Annapolis' Poplar Trail runs for nearly 1 mile on a section of the old Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis right-of-way in the heart of Maryland's capital city. Although short, the trail is a vital part...
The Hollow Creek Greenway follows its namesake waterway through scenic woodlands and valleys, offering a quiet oasis in the suburbs. The trail provides an important link between neighborhoods, schools...
The first thing you may notice about the Trolly Line #9 Trail is the boardwalk that curves between the bluffs of massive rock. The granite was hand cut in the 1890s when the electric streetcar rails...
This is a pleasant one mile community trail which begins right at the center of Red Lion, PA. The main trailhead is on Main St. at the restored MA&PA train station, which now is home to the Red Lion...
The Patuxent Branch Trail is part of a 20-mile trail system over and around the rolling hills of Howard County that follows a former Baltimore and Ohio Railroad line along the Patuxent River. The...
Detour notice: As of Sept. 5, 2017, a 3.5-mile section between Woodmont Avenue in Bethesda and Talbot Avenue in Silver Spring at the northeastern tip of the Capital Crescent Trail (also known as the...
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...
Running parallel to Beulah Street from Franconia to Fort Belvoir in southeast Fairfax County, the paved Beulah Street Sidepath provides a link to numerous neighborhoods along its route. A parallel...
The Hanover Trolley Trail is being built along the 16-mile corridor of the York-Hanover Trolley Line that ran between the two cities in the early 1900s. Currently, about a quarter of that distance is...
The Anacostia River Trail begins in Cottage City, Maryland, at the split of the Anacostia River into its northeast and northwest branches. Those traveling south on either the Northeast Branch Trail or...
The Strawberry Lake Way Bicycle Path is a 2.2 mile trail that is located between Laurel and Annapolis in Anne Arundel County Maryland. The trail starts at Piney Orchard Elementary School, and ends at...
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 Four Mile Run Trail traverses the Four Mile Run stream valley and has many twists and turns, not to mention steep sections (mercifully short). The trail more or less parallels the popular W&OD...
The Braddock Road Sidepath parallels Braddock Road and New Braddock Road (State Route 620) between Centreville and Burke, two bedroom communities in Northern Virginia's Fairfax County. The trail...
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,...
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,...
The Folly Lick Branch Trail begins in Herndon, a northern Virginia suburb. The paved pathway begins off Herndon Parkway and winds northeast along the Folly Lick Branch stream through a residential...
A winding line of asphalt meanders between Glenn Dale Park in Lanham to Annapolis Road. The trail is sheltered amongst the riparian woodland of Folly Branch. At the north end of the trail can be...
The Strawberry Lake Way Bicycle Path is a 2.2 mile trail that is located between Laurel and Annapolis in Anne Arundel County Maryland. The trail starts at Piney Orchard Elementary School, and ends at...
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...
Northwest Lancaster County River Trail stretches nearly 13 miles along the east bank of the Susquehanna River between Falmouth (near the Dauphin County line) and Columbia. Along the way, you can...
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 Catonsville Short Line Trail follows a segment of the former Catonsville Short Line Railroad, which ran from Charlestown to Catonsville. As of 2018, the trail runs between Shady Nook Avenue and...
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 Anacostia Riverwalk Trail is an important component of the transportation network in the nation's capital and a priority project under President Obama's America's Great Outdoors initiative. The...
Central Maryland's WB&A Trail occupies the former Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway corridor—hence its name—for its entire route. The railroad operated electric commuter trains...
The Gettysburg Inner Loop is a network of multi-use trails and signed, on-street bicycle routes, paralleled by sidewalks for foot traffic, currently being built around the perimeter of the historic,...
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 Anacostia River Trail begins in Cottage City, Maryland, at the split of the Anacostia River into its northeast and northwest branches. Those traveling south on either the Northeast Branch Trail or...
Sitting on the corner of East Main Street and Alley 5 in Thurmont is a green and white one-story building. Murals decorate its walls, depicting the history of the famous Hagerstown and Frederick...
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...
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...
My husband and I started in Bainbridge and rode to Columbia. I have a walky for my dog to run beside me and and trailer for when she gets tired. There were many turns and a few small uphills. The traffic on the trail was a little crowded around Chickies Rock. We all had a fabulous ride. I even seen a lizard. Who knew Pennsylvania had lizards. The eastern fence lizard. We also seen a few bald eagles. The views of the Susquehanna were nice too.
We walked most of this trail November 3, 2018. It is in need of repair/maintenance. Large stretches are very muddy with a lot of standing water. You have to go off the trail to get around it. It needs gravel and drainage.
This describes the first 7 miles of the trail from the south. I started at Occoquan Regional Park (more on this later), so traveled about 1.5 mi (all steeply uphill) before actually getting to the southern terminus of the CCT. I have to say that the trail is not well marked. Note that as you fly down Workhouse Rd the trail secretly takes a right without much signage. Also, as has been noted in previous reviews, the path through the prison area was very confusing, again due to lack of signage. After the prison, the trail continues with asphalt - thanks to the person who spray painted directional signals on the asphalt where users must make turns. I had fun crossing the creek several times. With the water level I dismounted only once. Otherwise plowed through the water like a kid! Not long after crossing Pohick Rd (approx 1.5 mi) the trail turned from asphalt to dirt/rocks. Encountered a newly fallen (I swear based on the fresh smell of the leaves and branches that it had fallen the night before) tree that required some nifty maneuvering. I continued on this for a bit, then decided to turn around. Will explore more of the trail later.
But, while parking at Occoquan Regional Park required a 1.5 mile uphill at the start, it provides a 1.5 mile downhill at the end. Plus, and this is the real bonus, you can coast right down to the Brickmaker’s Cafe and have a beer or two before you head out. I recommend the Port City Porter.
Last week I rode from Leesburg to Falls Church on the WO&D -- it's a great trail with long flat segments and rolling hills, going through woods and fields all the way to Tysons and Vienna. Be aware that some of the intersections are dangerous, and toward the western, more rural end, many cars don't even bother stopping. But the trail is well-maintained with many opportunities for stopping (but very few of them with bathrooms, unfortunately).
I rode this from the entrance off K Street (under the Whitehurst Bridge) up to Bethesda, where work on the Purple Line interrupts it. It's a charming trail, well-maintained though somewhat narrow and overgrown-feeling in places. It winds along the river, has some bridges and tunnels, and offers some great views of the C&O towpath. The only negatives: the trafficking entrance to the trail, and the dank-smelling river at the beginning.
Update.....trail west of Quarryville to the Pequea Creek just west of Rte 324 is crushed cinder (with good scenery, some open, some in a hollow ditch with several good, safe parking areas). However, the beautiful trestle bridge at Martic Forge was victim of arson in early 2018, so trail does not cross the creek at this time, though repair is hopeful.
Closest parking west of the closed bridge is at Colemanville Church Rd. From there, it's crushed cinder (improved in 2017-18) for 2 miles to a spur (hiking) trail to Shenks Ferry Wildflower Preserve, and another 1 mile improved rail trail to the Conestoga River. There, the Safe Harbor trestle bridge is currently closed but another hopeful for repair. This stretch has designated climbing areas.
West beyond the Safe Harbor bridge is the great, improved, five mile section of the Enola LG that is located in Manor Twp, also with climbing areas, and a nice parking lot at Turkey Hill Point.
For points east of Quarryville- a new parking lot was installed in early -mid 2018 along Rt 372 just east of Q-ville. Not sure of the current surface of trail east of Q-ville, but it was unimproved but manageable with wider tires up to Hollow Rd, then there's a stretch that's not fun, with difficult sand and mud, up to the access at Rte 896.
2018 has been a summer o poor maintenance.
gravel, sand, and stones may it dangerous for all especially for those on bikes.
We made a day trip to Kent Island. Drove down to the southern end of trail first at Romancoke pier but it appeared you have to pay for parking. I think that covers the entrance or usage fee so we turned around to check the other end up by Matapeake park and visited the dog beach. No cost to park up there so we played on the beach before our ride. The trail was well marked and exactly as described by other reviewers. The weather was beautiful and we had a nice day but the trail was a bit lacking in terms of view. However it was relatively flat so that more than made up for it. We only rode a couple of miles before heading back so we could grab lunch then shop before returning home. Overall a very decent trail.
Very nice paved trail from Columbia to Bainbridge. Beyond Bainbridge you need a mountain bike and know how to use it. We struggled for about a mile on a hybrid but it wasn't worth it. Beyond Bainbridge trail turned to dirt and intermittant large gravel. Trail kind of peters out into tall grass.
Ride offers parallel trail at Marietta one through town and one along river, both are nice and suggest both especially for round trippers as the 10 mile ride each way is nice for a round trip. Traffic on trail became heavy on weekend after 10 am. Trail is narrow so for those who like to cruise I do not recommend a weekend.
Towpath is nearly impassable from lack of basic maintenance over the past 20 years. Mud in places is over 8" deep. The tunnel has trees growing out of its face and the boardwalk has holes rotted through in many places. Such a shame that America can't maintain a simple bike path.
Well maintained Matthew Henson Trail winds through the woods with a LOT of wooden bridges, some of which are very long. The trail crosses some pretty significant intersections - use CAUTION when crossing. Trail has smooth, well maintained surface and is good width for cycling. The many bridges, intersections, and winding nature of the path make it slow going. Shaded by trees and runs alongside a creek so nice ride overall.
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