Find the top rated walking trails in Eldersburg, whether you're looking for an easy short walking trail or a long walking trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a walking trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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...
The Northeast Branch Trail follows the levee along theyou guessed itNortheast Branch of the Anacostia River from the Lake Artemesia Natural Area to Baltimore Avenue/US 1 (south of Hyattsville). The...
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 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...
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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...
Maryland's Intercounty Connector Trail serves as an important commuting route across Montgomery County and Prince George's County. It gets its name from the Intercounty Connector (also known as State...
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 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...
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 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...
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...
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 MA & PA Heritage Trail is found in two segments (about 2 miles apart) through the wooded parks of Maryland's Bel Air and Forest Hill communities. The folksy sounding name actually stands for 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...
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...
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...
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 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...
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Maryland is home to two Paint Branch Trails, this one in Montgomery County and another farther south in Prince George's County. This Paint Branch Trail offers a well-shaded, paved pathway...
Baltimore’s Herring Run Trail runs through scenic Herring Run Park, centered on a tributary of the Back River. The winding trail follows Herring Run through a woodlands environment so peaceful you're...
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 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...
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...
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...
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...
A part of Manheim Township's network of multi-use greenways, the mile-long Kissel Hill Commons Trail extends across the mixed use subdivision for which it is named in the suburbs north of...
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 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...
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 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...
Baltimore’s Herring Run Trail runs through scenic Herring Run Park, centered on a tributary of the Back River. The winding trail follows Herring Run through a woodlands environment so peaceful you're...
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....
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...
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...
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The Long Branch Trail is a neighborhood trail tracing the Long Branch Creek beginning at its confluence with Sligo Creek in Takoma Park, to Piney Branch Road in Long Branch. The trail is an easy ride:...
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...
Maryland is home to two Paint Branch Trails, this one in Montgomery County and another farther south in Prince George's County. This Paint Branch Trail offers a well-shaded, paved pathway...
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 11-mile BWI Trail was primarily designed for area commuters; however, the trail also makes for a great recreation venue. Despite being close to BWI-Thurgood Marshall Airport, much of the trail is...
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...
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...
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 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 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...
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...
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 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...
Caution: On April 12, 2018, a fire severely damaged the Martic Forge Trestle, which runs over Pequea Creek and River Road on the Enola Low Grade Trail. Access to the trail going west from the Route...
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...
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...
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....
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 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 MA & PA Heritage Trail is found in two segments (about 2 miles apart) through the wooded parks of Maryland's Bel Air and Forest Hill communities. The folksy sounding name actually stands for the...
The Burke Lake Loop Trail offers a nearly 5-mile route for a pleasant walk or bike, while enjoying the beautiful scenery around Burke Lake in Fairfax. Since the Burke Lake Loop Trail is within Burke...
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 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...
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...
My wife and I rode the Heritage Trail today, starting at Seven Valleys, and headed south to New Freedom. The trail was very scenic, with views of the creek, farmhouses, all along the shaded trail, which was made of crushed stone. The trail ran parallel to the railroad tracks the entire way on this flat portion of the trail. It was very easy and enjoyable ride, and we plan to make the 1.5 hour drive from our home tomorrow, to take in other parts of the trail. There are a lot of nice bike trails in Eastern Pennsylvania, but I would rank the Heritage Trail in the 3
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.
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.
Enjoyable ride, some level areas and a few gentle rollers. Beginners may find it slightly challenging due to the hills but for the experienced rider it’s a cake walk. NOTE: there is no shade to speak of, take a camel pak and hydrate because it’s hot as hades and there is no escape from the sun.
I must admit, I went up to the Virginia/DC area excited to ride the trails. I thought I was going North on the mt vernon trail. I asked the park workers how I got to the bridge, and they pointed me upwards. The bridge was the subject of the show modern marvels of engineering. I got a little bit of Vertigo looking down over the edge. It was much easier coming back on it the second time. Huge bridge. ..giant steel trusses, it just didnt take me to DC, where I thought I was going. I cycled to the national harbor and got two bottles of water from the CVS, and a fruit smoothie from a local deli.
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