Explore the best rated trails in South Gate, MD. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Fairfax County Parkway Trail and Ox Road Sidepath. With more than 108 trails covering 4584 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.
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 Town of Brentwood is tucked between Mt Rainier & Hyattsville in Prince George's County, Maryland. This short stretch of paved trail sits on the crest of a levee along the south bank of the...
The Cub Run Stream Valley Trail offers a paved route meandering through Cub Run Stream Valley Park in the Northern Virginia suburb of Centreville. Though it's surrounded by residential neighborhoods,...
Detour Notice: As of September 2017, the Capital Crescent Trail east of downtown Bethesda was closed due to the construction of the Purple Line light-rail system. It is estimated that the reopening of...
The 2.5-mile Herring Run Trail is a neighborhood gem that runs through Herring Run Park, a scenic 375-acre stream-valley oasis in Northeast Baltimore. This loop trail, bordered by Harford Road to the...
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...
The Lake Artemesia Trailone component of the larger Anacostia Tributary Trail Systemcompletely encircles its scenic eponymous lake in Prince George's County, Maryland. The trail is also a great...
This paved path parallels Georgia Avenue along the west side, and provides easy access to the Intercounty Connector Trail (ICC Trail). Starting at the southern endpoint, the trail follows Georgia...
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 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 18-mile Mount Vernon Trail is one of the Washington, D.C., metro area’s most popular trails, passing through park sites, yacht clubs, wet-lands, neighborhoods, towns, and wooded acres. Just across...
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...
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 Wayne Gilchrest Trail offers a scenic off-road route across historical Chestertown on the Eastern Shore, connecting Wilmer Park on the Chester River with Washington College on the north side of...
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...
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...
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...
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 Wayne Gilchrest Trail offers a scenic off-road route across historical Chestertown on the Eastern Shore, connecting Wilmer Park on the Chester River with Washington College on the north side of...
The bustling D.C. metro area seems light-years away from the parklands bordering the Sligo Creek Trail in the Maryland suburbs northeast of the city. The paved stream-valley trail follows the...
Formerly known as the Parklawn North Trail, this path provides a bike-ped connection from the Twinbrook neighborhood to the Rock Creek Trail. The paved trail begins at the end of Rock Creek Mill Road,...
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...
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...
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...
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 developing South Shore Trail will one day stretch 14 miles between Annapolis and Odenton. It's also part of the larger East Coast Greenway, a widespread network connecting trails from Maine to...
The 2.5-mile Herring Run Trail is a neighborhood gem that runs through Herring Run Park, a scenic 375-acre stream-valley oasis in Northeast Baltimore. This loop trail, bordered by Harford Road to 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,...
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...
Whether by wheel or foot, many off-road trips in southern Howard County involve the Patuxent Branch Trail. Opened in 1997, the 4.5-mile regional trail connects to an extensive network of local trails...
The Town of Brentwood is tucked between Mt Rainier & Hyattsville in Prince George's County, Maryland. This short stretch of paved trail sits on the crest of a levee along the south bank of the...
The Northeast Branch Trail, Lake Artemesia Trail, and Paint Branch Trail combine to form an 8.3-mile segment of the Anacostia Tributary Trail System in Prince George’s County. Connecting in the south...
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...
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...
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...
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 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...
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...
The John Overstreet Connector is a 1.5-mile trail segment that links the Baltimore & Annapolis Trail and BWI Trail. The shortbut vitaltrail is named after Overstreet, a retiree from Glen Burnie,...
The 18-mile Mount Vernon Trail is one of the Washington, D.C., metro area’s most popular trails, passing through park sites, yacht clubs, wet-lands, neighborhoods, towns, and wooded acres. Just across...
This short sidepath parallels Herndon Parkway on the eastern edge of Herndon in Northern Virginia. Much of the trail is the width of a standard sidewalk, and it includes crosswalks and curb-cuts at...
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...
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...
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...
Little Falls Trail is a hike-and-bike pathway in Montgomery County, Maryland. Winding through parks and along creeks, the trail runs parallel to the popular Capital Crescent Trail for part of its...
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 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...
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...
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 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 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 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,...
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...
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...
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...
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 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...
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...
Taking the Rock Creek Trail South, once you pass over the Viers Mill Bridge you can make a U-turn at the bottom of the bridge and head back to Viers Mill Road. The Twinbrook Connector starts there, heading Northwest and is protected from Viers Mill traffic by a guardrail. After 2/10 of a mile, you'll turn left into a beautiful forest. In five more minutes, you'll have finished the uphill trail. Continue up to Fishers Lane, make a right and in five minutes you'll be at the Twinbrook Metro Station.
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
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 .
First timer on this trail. Began at mm17 (Brillhart Station), then rode north through quickly urban setting of York which included two closures, both easy to work around. One for paving trail sections toward north end of town (short term) and the other for crossing under a seemingly unsafe train trestle, which is fully traversable but likely closed for liability reasons I suspect. After that, the surroundings change to baseball and soccer fields to the northern terminus at Rudy Park, which has a nice loop to ride and turn back on. I rode back and continued south to the end through primarily woods and small towns with a very rural vibe. First half had a little more climbing, and second half essentially flat. Very enjoyable- 55 mi or so round trip. Better signs needed in area where paving is occurring.
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!
Found ourselves with nothing to do and came upon this ride. Easy to follow trail to you get around the city then signage lacking. Photo is when you come they a horse farm where you could take a break on the bench and watch the horses. Opportunity along the way to sit up high and have view of airport or beginning/end sit and watch the planes come over. We enjoyed it!
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