Project Overview
The North Branch Trail project will construct a new hard-surface hiker-biker trail within Rock Creek Regional Park and North Branch Stream Valley Park Unit 4. The project will add approximately 2.2 miles of trail connections, including connector trails, between Lake Frank, Muncaster Mill Road, the Emory Lane Bikeway, the Intercounty Connector (ICC) Trail, and the Preserve at Rock Creek community.
The project includes a 10-foot-wide paved trail, trailhead parking, stream crossings, bridges and boardwalk sections, stormwater management facilities, ADA-accessible improvements, signage, benches, and related trail amenities. The trail is designed to improve regional trail connectivity, provide safer and more accessible recreation opportunities, and support long-planned connections in the countywide trail network.
The North Branch Trail has been recommended in multiple adopted plans, including the 2005 Olney Master Plan, 2004 Upper Rock Creek Area Master Plan, 2008 Countywide Park Trails Plan, 2000 Rock Creek Regional Park Master Plan, and 2008 Upper Rock Creek Trail Corridor Plan.
The Facility Plan for the project was approved by the Montgomery County Planning Board in June 2013 and amended in November 2017. The amendment addressed community concerns and included revisions such as relocating trailhead parking and modifying connector trail and bridge elements. The project has required extensive coordination with local, state, and federal agencies due to environmental review, floodplain modeling, stormwater management, forest conservation, utility coordination, ADA requirements, and federal-aid grant requirements.
The trail is being delivered with support from federal Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) funding administered through the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration, along with county funding.
Status/Project Update
Montgomery Parks is preparing the North Branch Trail project for construction. Additional funding was approved in 2026 to allow the project to move forward, including additional federal aid and county funding. Parks is coordinating with the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration, and other agency partners on remaining pre-construction requirements, including contract, inspection, testing, and construction management coordination.
Construction is anticipated to begin in summer 2026 for approximately one year, subject to weather, permitting, environmental restrictions, and field conditions. The project team anticipates that sections of the existing trail will need to be closed during construction. Montgomery Parks will provide updates during construction, so trail users and nearby communities will know what to expect.
During construction, Parks will focus on tree protection, erosion and sediment control, stream and wetland protection, and other environmental best practices required for work in this sensitive park setting.
Project Timeline
*Dates and times subject to change.
| Date | Project Stage and Resources |
|---|---|
| June 2013 | Facility Plan approved by the Planning Board |
| November 2017 | Amended Facility Plan approved to address community concerns |
| October 2025 | Authorization from MDOT SHA to bid the construction of the project |
| January 2026 | Planning Board action to request Special Appropriation and CIP amendment for additional project funding |
| February 2026 | County Council Public Hearing/Action to approve additional funding |
| August 2026 – Fall 2027 | Construction Anticipated |