Montgomery Explorers - Montgomery Parks

All participants must be registered Montgomery Explorers Club Members to walk.
Register in this FREE program by visiting ActiveMONTGOMERY.
Organized in-person walks will be held on Mondays at locations throughout the county.
Our cheery and qualified volunteers lead walks.
Logistics about these walks will be sent after registration is complete.
Walk details will also be online by the Friday prior to the upcoming walk.

The most up-to-date schedule is below. Advanced registration is not required for the weekly walks, but you must be a registered Montgomery Explorers member. Members will receive complete details about meeting locations, distance and trail features the week prior to the scheduled walk.

A group of Montgomery Explorers hiking on a natural surface trail in Rachel Carson Conservation Park.

Starting Location:  3928 Greencastle Road, Burtonsville, 20866

Look for Explorers sign as you approach park entrance off Greencastle and once at end of initial entrance road, turn left to follow sign for “Restrooms/Picnic Area/Play Lot” and park at far end of lot near the restrooms.

Maximum Miles: 4.2 miles loop

Surface: Paved and natural

Amenities: Flush toilets (Please note that there is construction at the park which should be completed by Friday, 5/15. If there is a delay, a port-a-john will be available)

Our route will make use of both the paved Little Paint Branch Trail (LPBT) and the beautiful natural surface trails in this park that straddles Montgomery and Prince George’s counties. We will be using the route that provides more variety and shade and has the advantage of avoiding the long open stretch of the LPBT that runs by the Fairland Sports Complex that can get quite hot. However, Explorers who want to avoid the natural surface trails can opt to walk entirely out and back on the paved Little Paint Branch Trail, understanding that means full sun for about half of your walk.

Our “official” planned route today is a “modified loop” because we will go out and return on different natural surface trails and also use sections of the LPBT out-and-back. The route totals about 4.2 miles. We will point out interim turnaround points for those wanting a shorter hike/walk. Those opting to just do the LPBT entirely will be on your own but it is very straightforward and well-marked.

From the kiosk in the northwest corner of the parking lot, we begin on the paved Little Paint Branch Trail and bear left to stay on the LPBT as it enters the shaded woods. Fairly quickly, we turn left onto the natural surface spur trail that will lead to the Crows Foot Trail that meanders through the woods for about 1.7 miles, following the blue blazes, crossing the LPBT, and after crossing a small boardwalk, go past the Fairland Bike Park called The Pit (be sure to stop and take a look, it’s a great biking area). Shortly after passing the sign for The Pit, we continue right and after walking over a small bridge crossing, we will bear left to stay on the Viper Trail. After a short distance, we will come to pavement again and will turn right to rejoin the paved LPBT and follow it for 0.3 miles across Greencastle Road and then under the ICC to the route turnaround point at a post on your left on the far side of the ICC underpass.

On return on the LPBT, after about 0.4 miles, we will turn left onto another section of the natural surface Viper Trail – this can be a bit confusing but we will use flags to mark the turn to avoid missing it. We will follow the meandering Viper Trail through the woods. Instead of going left at the sign for “Montgomery County”, we continue around on the Viper Trail Loop until we cross a small boardwalk and turn left at the Pine Loop Trail, which also meanders through the woods eventually feeding into the paved LPBT again. We will turn left back onto the LPBT and make the somewhat steep ascent after crossing the LPBT bridge over the Paint Branch, going 0.6 miles back up to the parking lot.

Address: 7777 Democracy Blvd, Bethesda, MD 20817

Maximum Miles: 3.9 miles

Surface: Natural Surface

Amenities: In the Tennis Center

Meet at the large parking lot available right in front of the Tennis Center – do be on the lookout for the turn into the entrance as it can be easily missed as it is just a driveway from Democracy Blvd – we will have our signs up of course!  

Please use the restroom before you leave. We will be able to use the restroom in an emergency at the Tennis Center. There is also a porta-potty around the 1.5 mile mark next to a ballfield.

The out-and-back walk/hike is approximately 3.91 miles long from the parking lot to Tuckerman Road. The walk is almost entirely on the natural surface Cabin John trail that heads north, with our 2-mile turnaround point where the trail hits Tuckerman Rd.  We will be taking the split that follows along the stream for about 0.5 miles before making a turn up an incline (but not too steep) to rejoin the main Cabin John Trail  on the way out to Tuckerman, and stay mainly on the Cabin John Trail on the return. This will provide some variety in our route.

The 1 mile point for those who want a shorter walk is just past a bench that we will see on the section of the trail near the stream.  For those that want something in between that shorter walk and the full planned 3.9-mile route, we will point out the 1.5 mile turnaround point.  

The screenshot of the walk/hike has us starting on the short Pine Ridge trail just off the parking lot, and returning on the spur from the Cabin John Trail that leads to Locust Grove – for the most part everything is well-marked and the blazes help us clearly navigate the turns in the trail.  A segment of the trail continues north of Tuckerman for those wanting a longer walk; there are also some optional loop trails as we get closer to the Nature Center that you can alternatively choose to add mileage. 