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Print Friendly MapLake 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 after famed conservationist Bernard Frank, founder of the Wilderness Society. The park offers a tranquil, natural escape for residents of surrounding neighborhoods and beyond.
There are over seven miles of trail in the area, most of them dirt hiking paths. A trail loops around Lake Frank, combining pavement, gravel and dirt sections. The blacktop portion is multiuse (walking, biking) and has two parts. One part is 1.2 miles long and is referred to as the Lakeside Trail. This former roadway-turned-bikeway stretches from a trailhead on Avery Road to a former parking area on the east side of the lake. Note that part of the trail after leaving the Avery Road parking lot is quite steep. The lakeside trail continues around the entire lake, but only the 1.2-mile section from the Avery Road parking lot is paved. The rest of the trail (around the north and west sides of the lake) is unpaved.
The other hard surface trail segment, the Lake Frank Connector Trail, is 0.6 miles from the south end of the lake to the Rock Creek Trail, near Norbeck Road. The Rock Creek Trail stretches down through Montgomery County and into Washington, DC.
There are three access points: (1) Rock Creek Trail near Norbeck Road, (2) From the Avery Road parking lot, and (3) at the end of Trailway Drive. There is parking at the Avery Road parking lot for approximately 30 cars. There may also be limited parking near the end of Trailway Drive.
I walked this trail 10/7/2022, and it was amazing! I went as soon as I got off work to clear my head and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. There are very scenic views of Lake Bernard Frank as well as wildlife and foliage. Trail is well maintained. There were courteous cyclists who warned they were near, as well as kids stopping by the lake to enjoy a packed lunch. I suggest walking this trail to clear your head and get some steps in!
Walked around the lake, it’s shaded and nice even walking at 11:30 am. You can get around 3.1 miles around the lake. Crossed the creek too, I really enjoyed the walk. Will walk here again, check out the pictures!
Nice trail that intersects with the Rock Creek Trail near Norbeck Road. Well marked, smooth, and wide. The section from Rock Creek Trail to the lakeside portion is just over half a mile, and is very nice. Once you get to the lakeside portion to the left there is an elevated section overlooking the south end of the lake that is quite picturesque, which ends at Avery Road parking area. To the right the trail follows former park road (now closed to motor vehicles), and is quite wide. The paved trail ends 2/10's of a mile past where it intersects with Trailway Drive. Low traffic volume surface streets can also be used to connect to the Intercounty Connector Trail (ICC Trail) from Trailway Drive, which is just under three miles away. Suggested route: Trailway Dr. to left on Bauer, right on Emory, left on Sunflower, left on Hornbeam, right on Sycamore, left on Pinetree, right on Emory, to ICC Trail.
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