07. Muddy Branch Greenway Trail

The Muddy Branch Greenway Trail runs for 9 miles along Muddy Branch, from Rt. 28/Darnestown Road and Dufief Drive in Gaithersburg at its the northern end, to Blockhouse Point, along the Potomac River and the C&O Canal Towpath, at its southern end. The trail traverses varied terrain and ecosystems including rocky upland forest, streambanks and meadows, and passes by rich vernal pools, earthen mill remnants and the Potomac Horse Center. The trail is gently rolling, but hilly and steep in sections, and is blazed with blue markers on trees.

You can access the southern trailhead for the Muddy Branch Greenway Trail where it crosses River Road, at the lower parking lot for the Blockhouse Point trails. From this point, you can go north on the Muddy Branch Greenway Trail, or you can go south to the Potomac River by following the South Old River Road trail through Blockhouse Point back to Muddy Branch. From here, you can either cross Muddy Branch on a wooden bridge, and then go across a field and turn right on the paved road that soon turns left and runs alongside the C&O Canal, or you can turn right on the gravel pipeline road and where it ends, look for a footpath that crosses Muddy Branch on an aqueduct bridge carrying the C&O Canal over Muddy Branch -- and keeping walking past the boat launch on Muddy Branch (providing access to the Potomac River) to the paved road  that runs alongside the C&O Canal. Either way you go, this paved road will take you to the Pennyfield Lock where there is a foot bridge across the C&O Canal, providing access to the C&O Canal Tow Path trail.

Where the Muddy Branch Greenway Trail meets Esworthy Road, you will have to walk on the shoulder of Esworthy Road for about one-quarter mile, going west (away from the city) from the road bridge that crosses Muddy Branch. Look for trailhead -- for the section of the trail that heads south from Esworthy Road and towards Blockhouse Point -- alongside a pipeline clearing. 

Between Esworthy Road and Turkey Foot Road, there is a stretch of trail on a hilltop where the trees are shorter and more widely spaced, there are some pines, and the vegetation is more sparse. Look around and you will see a lot of greenish rock on the ground in this section because this is a small pocket of serpentine barrens.

Where the trail crosses Quince Orchard Road, the trailheads are not marked. There is a gravel road with a gate (where you can park) where the trail goes south. The trail to the north starts directly across from this gravel road, and follows a small stream alongside the Potomac Horse Center.

You can walk a nice loop route for almost the entire length of the trails's northernmost segment, between Quince Orchard Road and Rt. 28/Darnestown Road, by following a well trod, unmarked path that hugs Muddy Branch's east bank. It runs parallel to the Muddy Branch Greenway Trail, which is on higher ground and a bit further back from Muddy Branch. This parallel track starts just south of where the main trail crosses Rich Branch, and it follows Rich Branch back to Muddy Branch and then follows Muddy Branch upstream. You will see the junction where the southern end of this parallel loop trail splits off, at the base of a ridge that separates Rich Branch from the little stream that runs alongside the Potomac Horse Center and goes to the trailhead on Quince Orchard Road. The northern end of this parallel loop trail rejoins the main trail about one-quarter mile south of its northern terminus on Rt. 28/Darnestown Rd. 

At its northern end, the Muddy Branch Greenway Trail skirts several backyards along Dufief Drive just south of the intersection of Dufief Drive and Rt. 28/Darnestown Rd. From this intersection, it goes west and follows Rt. 28 for about 200 feet to an abandoned paved road stub, alongside Muddy Branch. This is about the only convenient place to park near this northern end of the trail (note: there are no signs marking the trailhead for this northern terminus of the trail): you can park on the south side of Rt. 28, in front of the gate blocking the road stub. The trail crosses this road stub and goes underneath Rt. 28 in a pedestrian tunnel, emerging onto the bikepath/sidewalk that runs on the north side of Rt. 28 on the east side of the bridge across Muddy Branch. 

Trail map and guide.