05. Seneca Creek Greenway Trail

The Seneca Creek Greenway Trail extends 27 miles northeastward from the C&O Canal across Montgomery County to Damascus Recreational Park. There are plans to extend it to Patuxtent River State Park in Howard County.

My favorite segments of this trail are north and upstream of Route 28 because they provide more views of Great Seneca Creek. (On the first 7 miles of the trail, below Rt. 28, you get only occasional views of Seneca Creek). I especially recommend the segments between Rt. 28 and Black Rock Road, Black Rock Road and Rt. 118 (the half mile above and below Black Rock Road is especially nice), Riffle Ford Road and Clopper Road, and from Rt. 355 to the north end of the trail. 

Trail map for southern section, between Potomac River and I-270. More compact map. 

The first mile of the trail at its southeastern end follows quiet country roads from the C&O Canal, on the west side of the bridge across the mouth of Seneca Creek, to a trailhead off Seneca Road, where it becomes a footpath in the woods, going 1.3 miles north to Berryville Road. 

Directions to the southern end of the footpath: From the Capital Beltway, take Exit 39 (River Road) west toward Potomac. Proceed for approximately 11 miles to the intersection of River Road and MD 112/Seneca Road. Turn left and continue on River Road for one-quarter mile. Take the first right turn onto Seneca Road. Watch for the trailhead sign after one-quarter mile on the right. 

Berryville Road to Berryville Side Trail segment: At Berryville Road, the trail heads south from a trailhead that is not marked: look for the trail on the east side of the narrow bridge where Berryville Road crosses Hookers Branch (a small stream). 

Going north and west (upstream) from this trailhead, the trail follows Berryville Road, across the bridge, for 0.2 mile northwest toward Seneca Creek. The footpath resumes at a trailhead in a narrow parking area alongside Seneca Creek. The footpath from here to the Berryville Side Trail may be hard to follow in places, due to too few and fading trail markings, and overgrown path. The trail forks just beyond the trailhead. Be sure to take the right fork, away from the path that hugs the bank of Seneca Creek. Just past the 2.5-mile marker, you enter a mowed meadow section. At about mile 4, the trail crosses a meadow that may be overgrown. The junction with the Berryville Side Trail is marked just south of mile marker 4.5 

Trail map for the northern section, between I-270 and the Lower Magruder Trail.

Seneca Creek Greenway Trail website.

Trail map for the Magruder Brnach Trail.

Photo taken where the Seneca Creek Greenway Trail meets the lower Magruder Branch Trail. It crosses Great Seneca Creek on stepping stones. This crossing is not passable (without wading) when the creek water is high, as it is here.

The lower Magruder Branch Trail begins at the crossing of Great Seneca Creek at the northern terminus of the Seneca Creek Greenway Trail.