Outdoors

The Great Outdoors in Montgomery County

Get out and enjoy hiking, biking, kayaking, and ropes courses in Montgomery County, Maryland. Home to many parks and trails, it’s perfect for a day outdoors. You can experience nature all around as you take in the beauty of the county.

Explore Hiking Trails

Sugarloaf Mountain in Dickerson, MD is open to the public for hiking, rock climbing, and sightseeing. Sugarloaf offers three well-marked hiking trails: a 2.5-mile, 5-mile or a 7-mile loop. A popular trail is the Blue Northern Peak Trail loop. The Blue Trail Loop is a 5.5-mile loop trail that offers scenic views and is rated as difficult. The trail is primarily used for hiking, rock climbing, and walking and is accessible year-round.

Hike the local favorite Billy Goat Trail. A 4.7-mile hiking trail that follows the path between the C&O Canal and the Potomac River within the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park near Great Falls in Montgomery County. The entire Billy Goat Trail is made up of three separate sections, which start and finish on the C&O Canal.

Enjoy a Bike Ride

The C&O Canal is a US National Historical Park home to 184.5 miles of towpath that runs parallel along the northern banks of the Potomac River with numerous trails ideal for biking and hiking. The park is also popular for running, biking, fishing, boating, and kayaking.

On the southern banks of the Potomac River is the Capital Crescent Trail. It is an 11-mile biker-hiker trail running from west Silver Spring to Georgetown, DC. The trail was formerly used as the Georgetown Branch rail line of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.

Rent a Kayak

Experience Little Seneca Creek Park, the beautiful 505-acre lake as well as the wildlife that make the lake their home. The park, comprised of 6,300 acres, extends along 14 scenic miles of Seneca Creek, as it winds its way to the Potomac River. This area contains many scenic areas, including the 90-acre Clopper Lake, surrounded by forests and fields. Kayak rentals are available May through September.

Enjoy Little Seneca Lake from the “Kingfisher” pontoon boat. A 45 minute pontoon boat tour is a great way for individuals, families and small groups to experience the beautiful, 505-acre lake.

Visitors to Rock Creek Regional Park can enjoy the beautiful 75-acre Lake Needwood in rental kayaks, rowboats, canoes, or pedal boats. Guests can also take a tour of the lake aboard the Needwood Queen during the summer season.

Ropes Courses

Go Ape in Rock Creek Regional Park in Rockville is home to six zip lines, numerous rope ladders, 44 crossings to include the Stirrups and Twister, two Tarzan swings, and America’s first skateboard zip line. More than just a canopy tour, there are six individual sections within the course, each section taking you higher into the forest and finishing with a zip line more exciting than the previous one.

The Adventure Park in Sandy Spring consists of 13 different courses varying in degree of difficulty. Each trail has zip lines, but primarily consists of bridges between tree platforms made of rope, cable, and wood configurations, creating over 190 unique challenges. You will develop skills, endurance, and confidence during your time in the Park.

Agricultural Exploration

Explore the 50-acre award-winning public display garden at Brookside Gardens within Wheaton Regional Park. Featuring two conservatories, the park is open year-round with events such as the Wings of Fancy and Garden of Lights.

Stop by Butler’s Orchard for a family farm experience. Pick-your-own fruits, vegetables, and flowers throughout the year. Known for their strawberries, trolley rides to the fields are available for drop off and pick up.

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