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Print Friendly MapCurving 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. The trail can be used to travel from the Linden Lane area of Silver Spring to the Rock Creek Trail. This is particularly useful since the Georgetown Branch Trail is temporarily closed due to Purple Line construction.
The trailhead off Rock Creek Trail is by Jones Mill Road (just north of Levelle Drive) and there is a small parking lot as well.
The trailhead off Ament Street is opposite the National Park Seminary and next door to the Forest Glen Army Annex. There is public parking for 4 cars behind the town homes on Ament St.
I'd give it 5 stars but so many people let their dogs off-leash here. It's a true nuisance. They are extremely rude when asked politely to leash their dogs. There is a great deal of wildlife around - beaver and muskrats in the creek, tiny spotted fawns in the spring, barred owls, foxes, hawks. People allow their dogs to chase them and to foul the paths and bushes. There seems to be no authority to stop it. Looks for the water snakes basking under the bridge over the creek and the pileated woodpeckers nesting in the dead trees!
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.
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