10. Cabin John Trail

This gem of a trail follows Cabin John Creek. The trail  is in a valley with steeply sloping sides in places, creating a varied landscape with rocky slopes, picturesque views, and excellent habitat.

Trail map

The best section for natural beauty is the lower portion between Cabin John Park, on MacArthur Boulevard, and Seven Locks Road, and further north between River Road and Seven Locks Road. Between these two portions are two sections of trail that unfortunately are often within view and earshot of the Beltway and River Road, and include two places where the trail briefly uses the sidewalk along Seven Locks Road--where the trail crosses beneath the Beltway, and where it crosses Cabin John Creek on Seven Locks Road just south of its intersection with River Road. 

A diverse variety of trees, including large tulip trees, red oak and white oak, American beech and sycamore thrive in this park.  One of the more outstanding features is the amazing variety and quantity of spring ephemeral wildflowers including Dutchman’s breeches, dwarf ginseng, yellow trout lily, spring beauty, early saxifrage, Solomon’s seal, early meadow rue and Virginia blue bells.  One could spend considerable time just enjoying the wide variety of ferns, including ostrich, fragile, lady, Christmas, New York, hay-scented, bracken ferns, and ebony spleenwort.  The understory includes wild hydrangea, mountain laurel and redbud.  The area supports at least eight plant species that are rare, threatened, endangered or watchlisted.