Photo by Sourish Dey

A view of the Cabin John Creek from the trail. The trail runs very close to the creek and offers many views by the water.

Trails are a great place to go on a walk or bike ride. Luckily, we are close to many awesome trails that will take you through many interesting places. WJ students often use these trails to go on hikes with friends or to bike to where they need to go. Nonetheless, there are still other trails which aren’t well known. We’ll run down all the trails that are worth checking out nearby.

1. Bethesda Trolley Trail

This trail is just over 4 miles long and runs between the Twinbrook Metro Station in Rockville to Battery Lane Urban Park in downtown Bethesda. This trail is heavily used by WJ students as it runs through many neighborhoods in the WJ cluster. It follows a former trolley route that used to run between Bethesda and Rockville. As a biker, you will get a ride through the Bethesda suburbs that is still pretty separated from traffic. There are numerous areas where you can stop. It also serves as a great place to get a walkaround. The wide paths, sections of trail through sections of trees and wide bridges make for a very pleasant experience. Despite all these benefits, there are still some drawbacks to this trail. In many sections, it’s running right by the street. Additionally, the southern end of the trail is very narrow making it a tricky ride for bikers. All in all, the trail is a great option if you just want to get out of the house.

2. Capital Crescent Trail

The trail starts in downtown Bethesda just over a mile from the southern end of the trolley trail. This trail goes approximately seven miles south to the waterfront in Georgetown. Along the way, it goes through neighborhoods in Chevy Chase before entering the woods and going through Little Falls Stream Valley Park. The trail then enters DC and goes parallel to the Potomac River for its last few miles, making for some great scenery. The bike ride south is nothing short of incredible. Since there are very few crossings with traffic and the trail is slightly downhill basically the whole way, one gets a very fast ride through the woods. Additionally, if you want a walk just south of Bethesda, the trail is a great option. Its great strength is its separation from car traffic. For the entire length of the trail, there is only one major road crossing at Little Falls Parkway. For all other major roads, the trail either uses a bridge or tunnel.

3.Rock Creek Trail

Rock Creek Trails starts by Lake Needwood in Derwood and then goes all the way to the border with DC by Silver Spring in the South. After that, you enter Rock Creek Park, which is run by the National Park Service (NPS). Continuing south through that park, one goes by the national zoo and eventually ends up at the Lincoln Memorial. For the trail section in Montgomery County, the trail is mostly through the woods. If you want to get out into nature, it is a great option. Once the trail gets into DC, the woods are much larger. It’s truly incredible that such an expansive park exists in DC. You will feel like you are in the middle of the woods, not the nation’s capital. If you bike down Beach Drive, the views of the creek are great and the woods along with the creek keep the temperatures relatively cool, even in the summer. If you are biking, one thing to keep in mind is that the trail has some steep hills which can be very tiring to go up. Also, the trail is very prone to flooding after it has rained.

4. C&O Canal Towpath

The towpath is the longest trail on this list stretching over 184 miles between Georgetown and Cumberland. The trail is also part of US Bicycle Route 50. When using the trail, most WJ students will probably be using the section in Montgomery County. With good views of the Potomac River and C&O Canal, it makes for a great hike. Additionally, the Billy Goat trails which start by the towpath are well known hikes that are very popular. While most are probably familiar with the trail near here, there are many other interesting aspects in other sections. In DC, the trail runs right through Georgetown and makes for a niche path reminist of canal towpaths in European cities. Recently, historic style canal boat tours started along the canal there. Additionally, the sections of the trail in Western Maryland include many historic places like the Paw Paw Tunnel and Harpers Ferry which is just off the trail in West Virginia.

5. Rockville’s Carl Henn Millennium Trail

The millennium trail forms an 11 mile loop around Rockville. It is not the most fancy of trails with many sections being nothing more than a glorified sidewalk. However, it is decently well marked and makes for an easy bike ride for those who live in or near Rockville. It is also a convenient option when looking to go along Wootton Parkway by foot or bike as it runs parallel to it for several miles.

6. Cabin John Trail

This trail runs just west of I-270 along the Cabin John Creek. It is the only dirt trail on this list making it a very attractive option for hiking and mountain biking. You go right by the creek while on the trail making it easy to stop by the water’s edge. The two main things to keep in mind before going on this trail is that it floods very easily given that it’s dirt and that there are often fallen trees along the trail.