Explore the best rated trails in Maryland, whether you're looking an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Great Allegheny Passage and Capital Crescent Trail. With more than 87 trails covering 4557 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.
Trail Image | Trail Name | States | Length | Surface | Rating |
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The 413 Rail to Trail is located in Somerset County, Maryland. The trail will be 12 miles point-to-point when complete. The trail parallels State Route 413, which lends it its name, and is built in...
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MD | 4.5 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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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...
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DC, MD | 12 mi | Asphalt |
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Long known for its sandy beaches and wild pony herds, beautiful and remote Assateague Island has become more bike friendly thanks to the construction of a paved, multi-use trail that allows users to...
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MD | 4 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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MD | 13.3 mi | Asphalt |
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Maryland's Ben Cardin C&D Canal Recreational Trail links to Delaware's Michael Castle Trail; both run along the north bank of the Chesapeake and Delaware (C&D) Canal and meet at the state line. The...
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MD | 1.8 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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MD | 4.3 mi | Asphalt, Dirt |
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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...
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MD | 0.9 mi | Asphalt |
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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,...
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MD | 1.2 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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MD | 0.8 mi | Asphalt |
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Detour Notice:Â 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...
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DC, MD | 12.7 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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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...
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MD | 1.4 mi | Dirt, Gravel |
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Following the Potomac River, the C&O Canal Towpath traverses the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park for 184.5 miles between Georgetown in Washington, D.C., and Cumberland, Maryland. For...
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DC, MD | 184.5 mi | Brick, Concrete, Crushed Stone, Dirt |
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Explore the best of the Eastern Shore on Queen Anne’s County’s Cross Island Trail, which runs the width of Kent Island from east to west, stretching between two nature parks. With many access points...
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MD | 6.5 mi | Asphalt, Boardwalk |
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The Easton Rails to Trails runs from Dutchmans Lane in southern Easton, Maryland, to North Easton Park—a large sports complex—over 2.5 miles away. The trail opened in 1998 and has been a popular local...
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MD | 2.5 mi | Asphalt |
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Tucked in the meandering, wooded hills of the sprawling yet understated multimillion-dollar estates of Great Falls, just outside Washington, D.C., is the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historic...
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MD | 2.5 mi | Dirt |
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Notice: There are a couple detours along the long GAP route. In Cumberland (Mile 0), there is a trestle bridge in repair, see posted detour. At Mile 32, there is resurfacing underway and the trail is...
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MD, PA | 150 mi | Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel |
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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...
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DC, IA, ID, IL, IN, MD, MT, NE, OH, PA, WA, WV, WY | 3743.9 mi | Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone |
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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...
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MD | 2.5 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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MD | 1.1 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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MD | 1.5 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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MD | 13.4 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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MD | 8 mi | Asphalt |
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Running north to south for 11 miles along the Jones Falls Stream Valley, the Jones Falls Trail is one of the Baltimore region’s premier urban trails. Combining pristine forested stream valleys and...
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MD | 11.1 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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MD | 1.35 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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MD | 1.8 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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MD | 2.2 mi | Asphalt |
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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:...
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MD | 1.2 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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MD | 5.1 mi | Boardwalk, Crushed Stone, Dirt |
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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...
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MD | 8 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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MD | 3.45 mi | Asphalt, Boardwalk |
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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...
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MD | 4.5 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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MD | 0.5 mi | Crushed Stone |
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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...
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MD | 8.3 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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MD | 2.3 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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MD | 3.5 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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MD | 4.5 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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MD | 3.8 mi | Asphalt |
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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,...
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MD | 16 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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MD | 1.3 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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MD | 13.1 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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MD | 19.7 mi | Crushed Stone, Dirt |
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The first thing you may notice about the Trolley 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...
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MD | 1.5 mi | Asphalt, Boardwalk |
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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,...
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MD | 0.8 mi | Asphalt |
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Hugging the picturesque Potomac River and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal (C&O Canal Towpath), the Western Maryland Rail Trail (WMRT) rolls for nearly 28 miles through Maryland’s narrow panhandle wedged...
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MD | 27.5 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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MD | 0.9 mi | Dirt |
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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...
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MD, VA | 3.3 mi | Concrete |
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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...
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MD | 29.9 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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MD | 12.5 mi | Asphalt |
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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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MD | 4 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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MD | 10.7 mi | Asphalt, Concrete |
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The Carpendale Trail straddles the North Branch of the Potomac River between Carpendale in West Virginia and Cumberland in Maryland. The wooden bridge spanning 386 feet across the river is a...
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MD, WV | 0.8 mi | Crushed Stone |
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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...
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MD | 1.4 mi | Boardwalk |
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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...
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MD | 5 mi | Asphalt, Dirt |
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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...
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MD | 2.9 mi | Asphalt |
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This paved path parallels Georgia Avenue along the west side, and provides easy access to the Intercounty Connector Trail (ICC Trail).Â
Starting at the southern endpoint, the trail follows Georgia...
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MD | 1.2 mi | Asphalt |
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The Gwynns Falls Trail is a nearly 19-mile continuous corridor that winds through dozens of west and southwest Baltimore neighborhoods, parks, and historical and cultural landmarks and the urban...
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MD | 18.9 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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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...
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MD, WV | 0.14 mi | Boardwalk |
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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...
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MD | 5.7 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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MD | 2.5 mi | Asphalt, Dirt |
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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....
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MD | 1.5 mi | Asphalt |
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The little-known Kendall Trail extends 2 miles south from the tiny community of Friendsville, Maryland, to the ruins of the former logging town of Kendall. The trail offers expansive views of the...
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MD | 2 mi | Dirt, Gravel |
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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...
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MD | 5.8 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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MD | 1 mi | Asphalt |
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The Marshyhope Creek is a 37-mile tributary of the Nanticoke River running from Delaware to Maryland. One of the towns it passes through is Federalsburg, Maryland, where a 2.5-mile multiuse greenway...
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MD | 2.5 mi | Asphalt, Gravel |
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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...
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DC, MD | 4 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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MD | 15.8 mi | Asphalt, Dirt |
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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...
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MD | 5.2 mi | Asphalt |
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Only a mile long, the Savage Mill Trail rolls through a significant piece of Howard County’s industrial heritage as it crosses the grounds of an old textile mill complex on the Little Patuxent River....
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MD | 1.2 mi | Asphalt, Dirt, Gravel |
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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...
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MD | 10.2 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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MD | 2 mi | Asphalt |
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Nestled amongst the trees of St. Mary's River State Park, trail-goers will find an 8-mile path that loops around St. Mary's Lake, offering beautiful natural scenery and the chance to catch a glimpse...
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MD | 7.5 mi | Dirt |
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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...
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MD | 2.9 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass, Gravel, Woodchips |
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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...
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MD | 13.1 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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MD | 2.1 mi | Asphalt |
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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,...
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MD | 1.5 mi | Asphalt |
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Maryland's Susquehanna State Park is recognized for challenging hiking and biking trails, camping facilities, rock outcroppings, boating, a museum and restored historical sites. But none of these...
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MD | 2.5 mi | Crushed Stone |
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The Ballenger creek Linear Trail is a 4.2 mile greenway in Frederick County Maryland. Constructed by both local developers and the county government, whose goal was to connect the community, the trail...
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MD | 4.2 mi | Asphalt, Concrete |
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Located slightly north of downtown Baltimore, Druid Hill Park is one of the oldest parks in the United States. Today the park is home to the Maryland Zoo (previously known as the Baltimore Zoo), Druid...
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MD | 10 mi | Asphalt, Concrete |
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Running along N. East Street in Frederick, this very short segment of trail is built on a former rail corridor. There are plans to extend the trail along the former Walkerville Southern Railroad...
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MD | 0.8 mi | Asphalt |
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A contiguous parkland with two names, Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park is the largest urban forest east of the Mississippi and offers a wide variety of recreational activities.Â
The Gwynns Falls...
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MD | 27 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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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...
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MD | 6.4 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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MD | 3 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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MD | 0.33 mi | Crushed Stone |
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The Point Lookout Railroad Trail (also called Periwinkle Point Nature Trail) follows a corridor that was cleared in the early 1800s for a planned railroad line connecting Point Lookout, Maryland, to...
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MD | 1 mi | Dirt, Grass |
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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...
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MD | 0.9 mi | Asphalt |
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This trail traces a hilly green swath located in a Pepco electric utility right-of-way that stretches between South Gernmantown Recreational Park and Muddy Branch Stream Valley Park. It's a natural...
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MD | 6 mi | Dirt, Grass |
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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...
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MD | 2.2 mi | Asphalt |
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(a non-profit) and we need your support!
TrailLink is a free service provided by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (a non-profit) and we need your support!