Find the top rated trails in Olney, 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.
The MacArthur Boulevard Bike Path follows the winding road through the communities of Bethesda and Potomac, just north of Washington, DC. Along the way, the path passes shops in Cabin John and Glen...
The Carl Henn Millennium Trail is Rockville's bicycle beltway. The 10-mile trail creates a circle around the city, providing a safe and convenient way to get around town or enjoy a leisurely...
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...
Located just 18 miles south of our nation's capital, the Indian Head Rail Trail offers a unique natural outdoor experience, seemingly far removed from urban development and its associated chaotic...
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...
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 #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...
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 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 Marvin Gaye Trail offers a paved pathway through the Deanwood, Burville, Lincoln Heights, and Hillbrook neighborhoods of Washington, DC. Just shy of 2 miles, it runs from Minnesota Avenue NE, near...
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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 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...
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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,...
The Blake Lane Sidepath runs for 3 miles, linking Oak Marr Park and Recreation Center with neighborhoods, Oakton High School and other parks. Most of the trail is concrete and the width of a standard...
This paved sidepath runs parallel to Centreville Road/State Route 657, providing a safe route for alternative transportation along the busy suburban roadway in western Fairfax County. The trail runs...
Providing an important urban link between the Crystal City area of Arlington and the western edge of historical Alexandria, the Potomac Yard Trail is a huge boon to the area for commuting as well as...
The 18-mile Mount Vernon Trail is one of the Washington, D.C. Metro area's most popular trails. Just across the Potomac River from D.C. in Virginia, the trail links Theodore Roosevelt Island Park with...
Central Maryland's WB&A Trail occupies an abandoned Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway corridorhence its namefor its entire route. The railroad operated electric commuter trains...
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...
The Sligo Creek Trail parallels the eponymous waterway from its confluence with the Northwest Branch in Hyattsville to just north of its origin in Wheaton in Montgomery County. Along the way, a number...
This paved sidepath runs parallel to Centreville Road/State Route 657, providing a safe route for alternative transportation along the busy suburban roadway in western Fairfax County. The trail runs...
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 Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park (a.k.a. C&O Canal Towpath) follows the route of the Potomac River for 184.5 miles between Georgetown in Washington, D.C., and Cumberland, Maryland....
The Anacostia Tributary Trail System includes a number of trails linked together and managed by the National Park Service. The trail include: the Anacostia River Trail, the Northwest Branch Trail, the...
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...
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 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...
Central Maryland's WB&A Trail occupies an abandoned Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway corridorhence its namefor its entire route. The railroad operated electric commuter trains...
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...
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The Cross County Trail is a multi-use trail that generally follows the various stream valleys in Fairfax County, Virginia. Some sections are wheelchair/mobility scooter accessible but not all...
The Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail is one of the best hiking and biking trails in the Mid-Atlantic region. It allows for nearly 20 miles of flat travel, punctuated by a number of access points and an...
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...
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...
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 trail covers a half mile and is surfaced...
The Unfinished Railroad Loop Trail is a short hiking trail within Manassas National Battlefield Park. The rail-trail runs on a corridor planned in the mid-19th century as a complement to the Manassas...
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 Northwest Branch Trail—an integral part of the Anacostia Tributary Trail System—runs between the Maryland towns of Hyattsville and Silver Spring, linking two bustling suburbs of Washington, D.C....
Between 1900 and 1935, the Chesapeake Beach Railway whisked vacationers from Washington, DC, to the grand hotels, beaches and boardwalk of the resort town of Chesapeake Beach, Maryland. Now tourists...
The White’s Mill Trail provides a scenic route through wetlands and residential areas in the rural town of Warrenton. Trail-goers will enjoy the natural beauty of the Cedar Run valley and wildlife...
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 18-mile Mount Vernon Trail is one of the Washington, D.C. Metro area's most popular trails. Just across the Potomac River from D.C. in Virginia, the trail links Theodore Roosevelt Island Park with...
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 Henson Creek Trail is located in the southwestern portion of Prince George's County, Maryland, and connects the growing District of Columbia suburbs of Fort Washington and Oxon Hill with the...
This paved sidepath runs parallel to Centreville Road/State Route 657, providing a safe route for alternative transportation along the busy suburban roadway in western Fairfax County. The trail runs...
Providing an important urban link between the Crystal City area of Arlington and the western edge of historical Alexandria, the Potomac Yard Trail is a huge boon to the area for commuting as well as...
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...
The Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park (a.k.a. C&O Canal Towpath) follows the route of the Potomac River for 184.5 miles between Georgetown in Washington, D.C., and Cumberland, Maryland....
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 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,...
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,...
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...
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...
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 West Ox Road Sidepath is a short paved trail along the west side of West Ox Road. The trail extends from the Oak Hill area of Fairfax County to southeastern Chantilly (near Fair Oaks Mall in...
The Sligo Creek Trail parallels the eponymous waterway from its confluence with the Northwest Branch in Hyattsville to just north of its origin in Wheaton in Montgomery County. Along the way, a number...
The Lake Mercer Loop Trail wraps around Lake Mercer in Fairfax and is slightly over five miles in length. From the Lake Mercer Loop Trail you can hop on to the South Run Trail, or the Burke Lake Loop...
The Cross County Trail is a multi-use trail that generally follows the various stream valleys in Fairfax County, Virginia. Some sections are wheelchair/mobility scooter accessible but not all...
The Marvin Gaye Trail offers a paved pathway through the Deanwood, Burville, Lincoln Heights, and Hillbrook neighborhoods of Washington, DC. Just shy of 2 miles, it runs from Minnesota Avenue NE, near...
Located just 18 miles south of our nation's capital, the Indian Head Rail Trail offers a unique natural outdoor experience, seemingly far removed from urban development and its associated chaotic...
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...
It is a wide sidewalk with plenty of room to pass people. It is smooth and very stroller friendly. The traffic along side it can be very busy and loud. There are a few larger hills.
I would not rate this a hike since it is paved. We choose this because my husband is in a shoulder sling and it had been raining hard the few days previous, so we needed on easy walk. Starting at the Avalon area, near Lost Lake, we completed the 2.2 mike trail each way. Along the trail there are interesting ruins from train bridges, the trail parallels an active train track for a lot of it. There are also the ruins of a flour mill and dam. The most fun for us were the swing bridges. One over the river that you can cross to go to a rest area and another at the end of the trail. They were fun as they move while your crossing. We went on a Sunday and there were a lot of people using the trail and camping, tubing, wading in the water along the trail. Will go again to hike some of the unsaved trails in the beautiful Patapsco Park.
I'm rating this for biking. If you're under the age of 70, and if you ride faster than 5 miles per hour, this trail is not for you. I ride a street (racing) bike, and this trail was a very bad experience for me. The "trail" is extremely bumpy throughout because of tree roots. It winds through the woods, which makes for beautiful scenery, but because of the twisty nature, it also has poor visibility. I turned a curve and almost ran into a woman and her child because they were stopped and completely blocking the trail. There are sections where you can see more than 20 feet, but overall, I would not ride this again. It was rough on my bike and on my rear.
Recently back into riding along with the family and have done 6 different trails over the past month or so. This trail is diverse enough around the loop to push the beginner or intermediate rider. Unlike other reviewers, I have not found the loop to be trashy or congested and the trails along the roadways is not a problem at all. Nice way to knock off 12 miles in a relatively short period.
We have ridden the Heritage and Torrey Brown. The Heritage is slightly uphill (I didn't notice it but my wife did) from York (Brillhart trail head) to New Freedom and then downhill to the end of the line. The PA side of the trail is great. The MD side not so great. There are numerous small towns on the PA side that offer food, drink and a place to rest. One home placed an ice chest on the trail offering free bottles of water! You might want to slow down or take a small flashlight for the Howard tunnel...it's a little rough in there and dark. Brillhart had a toilet facility and there were rest benches all along the route. I loved the old buildings and old train signals. There is a lot of crossing back and forth across the tracks but they are all paved and easy to negotiate. The New Freedom train was operating and we rode faster than the train. Based on the completely deteriorated condition of the ties, I would not ride the train. It looks like an accident waiting to happen. I'm surprised they haven't been shut down for safety reasons. Back to the trail. It is great. We rode it on an overcast Friday morning and the traffic on the trail was very light. Speaking of traffic, other than in one significant town we never had to stop for vehicular traffic. Go and have a great time.
The BWI is a local amenity. It's a super sized fitness trail. Think of it that way and you'll be pleased. If you compare it to a "destination trail," you'll be disappointed.
At 65yrs old, I am rekindling my riding skills. Went in at Glenn Dale Splash Park and rode 5.5 miles up towards Bowie State. Great ride. Maintenance was trimming and mowing and blocked some parts but mostly easy to navigate around. Path is relatively flat with some long inclines and declines. I rode from 10-11 and had good shade in many parts of trail. Enjoyable ride. I'll go back.
Also, you can see cool rocks and things from the bridge. The spiral staircase to get up to the bridge was not built with bicyclists in mind.
Love this trail! It offers a pleasant and easy walk from the Braddock Metro station into a quiet residential neighborhood. We take it up to E. Monroe Avenue, where there's a YMCA, community park, grocery store, and other shops. On this stretch, my young daughter enjoys the playground at E. Glendale Avenue and the exercise stations along the route.
A small 10 mile loop around Rockville on an Urban trail.
This was our first trip to New Freedom, PA and our first ride on the Brown. The scenery is wonderful and the natural canopy was wonderful on this 90 degree day. I'm not sure why the trail guide has you go to a entry point without parking while there is plenty of parking at the train station less than a mile away. Plus you have the opportunity to see or ride the train which is a fun draw to the area. As for my wish list, I wish the surface was wider and more developed. The guide says crushed stone but it is mostly packed dirt with two tracks---one in each direction. Every now and then we had the typical crazies acting like they were in a race. With the uncertain surface and its narrow access, it was dangerous from time to time. There is no food along the trail except for ice cream bars at Monkton station and a few miles down trail from New Freedom where a homeowner has a little stand with snacks and wa Yer. Lastly, there is a tube float place in Monkton and 100s of people were walking 2 miles up the trail with the tubes. They spanned the trail and wouldn't move for cyclist. Scary and dangerous. While we saw deer, turtles, a snake and a crane, our overall enjoyment was somewhat dampened by the floaters and the lack of food on the trail.
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