Saturday/Sunday Trail Runs

The DC area is blessed with some wonderful trails for off-road running. Any of the runs listed below are suitable for the first-time trail runner who doesn't mind roots, rocks, hills and some mud. The pace is slower on the trails than on road and with a little practice it is not hard to adapt to uneven terrain. The rewards of trail running make it well worth the effort, so give one of these runs a try.

Rock Creek Park | Greenway Trail

Saturday in Rock Creek Park

Discover another side of Rock Creek Park and join us for informal runs along the dirt trails. The group leaves from the ball fields just past Meadowbrook Stables at 7:30am (8am in the winter starting the first Saturday in October) for a 7-mile loop. We recommend that you can do at least 11-minute-per-mile road pace and don't mind hills. Please let us know if you're new to the trail so we can match you with a partner. From Rt 495, take Connecticut Ave south; turn left at East-West Highway. Turn right at Meadowbook Lane, one light to the east of Beach Drive. Continue down Meadowbrook Lane past the stables to the parking area. For more information, email Jane Godfrey at janeg99@yahoo.com

Sunday on the Greenway Trail

Ed Schultze

Trail Runs are scheduled on the Seneca Creek Greenway Trail, a wonderful trail that runs from Germantown/Damascus to the Potomac River (20+ miles). The run will start at 7:30 AM every Sunday morning at either the Rt 355 or Rt 28 trailheads. We will alternate locations between route 28 and route 355: going to route 28 on even Sundays (the second and fourth Sunday of the month) and route 355 on odd Sundays (first, third and at times, fifth Sunday of each month). Distances covered range from 6-11 miles or more if desired.

First timers- those new to trail running and/or the Greenway trail- are always welcome. Different paces and distances will be accommodated and the coordinator will try to match runners up but will give some preference to first timers so that their beginning experiences can be positive. Runners need to bring at least one water bottle, as water is not available on the trail. Contact Ed Schultze at EdSchultze@comcast.net or 301.258.0281 for more info.

Directions

A. Route 28 trailhead:
Take Route 28 from either Rockville or I-270, go West towards Poolesvile and Darnstown. Continue past Shady Grove Road and Quince Orchard Road through Darnstown. Continue on Route 28 past Rt 118 and Black Rock Road. You will be going down a long hill. Turn right into the 'Park' parking lot before you get to the bottom of the hill. If you get to Whites Ferry Road you went about 1/4 mile too far.

B Route 355 Trailhead:

Go north on I-270; exit at Montgomery Village Avenue. Merge onto Montgomery Village Avenue and get into left lane. Turn left at Rt 355 (Frederick Road) and continue about a mile. You will cross over a bridge at the bottom of the hill after Game Preserve Road, and turn right past the bridge into the parking lot.