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Family-Friendly Hikes near Washington

We track 106 routes that match this search near Washington. They average 1.9 km, with the longest running to 6.4 km.

That is 67 percent of the 158 routes we map near Washington. They are shorter than the local average, 1.9 km against 7.5 km, which is what makes this a practical shortlist for a half day. They also climb less than the area average, 21 m (69 ft) against 78 m (256 ft), so they suit a recovery day or a group with mixed fitness.

Family routes here are short, gently graded and interesting enough to keep younger legs moving. Every one is under seven kilometres with limited climbing. Most of these are on the gentler end, which makes the list a good starting point if you are new to the area.

Trails

View east along U.S. Route 40 (Baltimore National Pike) at Edmondson Avenue in Baltimore City, Maryland
Easy

Hunting Ridge Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.6 km
/ 0.4 mi
Typical duration
7 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
View east from the west end of Maryland State Route 768 (Dares Wharf Road) at Maryland State Route 402 (Dares Beach Road) in Dares Beach, Calvert County, Maryland
Easy

Griffin Meadow Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
1.6 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
9 m
Typical duration
21 min
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
Screen shot of toolpaths.
Easy

Stream Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.8 km
/ 0.5 mi
Typical duration
10 min
  • River
  • Waymarked route
Tacoma M1 mandolin angled
Easy

South River Overlook

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.5 km
/ 0.3 mi
Elevation gain
7 m
Typical duration
7 min
  • River
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Washington Spirit vs Orlando Pride, 23 June 2018, Maryland SoccerPlex, Boyds, MD
Easy

Diabase Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
2.4 km
/ 1.5 mi
Elevation gain
50 m
Typical duration
35 min
  • Waymarked route
Clara Barton Parkway as viewed from an overpass at the access to the Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division located at the David Taylor Model Basin . This image is oriented eastward.
Easy

Billy Goat Trail Section C

Maryland · United States

Distance
2.5 km
/ 1.6 mi
Elevation gain
46 m
Typical duration
36 min
  • Waymarked route
Bluegrass pickin'.
Easy

Cabin Branch Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
2.2 km
/ 1.4 mi
Elevation gain
7 m
Typical duration
29 min
  • Waymarked route
Patuxent River State Park in Howard and Montgomery counties, Maryland.
Easy

Cemetery Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
3.2 km
/ 2.0 mi
Elevation gain
33 m
Typical duration
43 min
  • Waymarked route
Brilliant, blue ringed-fungus on a log. They remind me of the Prismatic hot springs in Yellowstone.
Easy

Double Oak Road Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
1.7 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
42 m
Typical duration
25 min
  • Waymarked route
Patuxent River Park Apr 11, 2017, 8-011_edit
Easy

Farm Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.6 km
/ 0.4 mi
Typical duration
7 min
  • Waymarked route
View south along Interstate 270 (Washington National Pike) at Exit 16 (Maryland State Route 27/Father Hurley Boulevard, Damascus) in Germantown, Montgomery County, Maryland
Easy

Field Crest Spur

Maryland · United States

Distance
1.3 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
14 m
Typical duration
17 min
  • Waymarked route
Patuxent River State Park in Howard and Montgomery counties, Maryland.
Easy

Flowing Free Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
2.4 km
/ 1.5 mi
Elevation gain
53 m
Typical duration
34 min
  • Waymarked route
View south along Maryland State Route 980 (Stephanie Roper Highway Service Road) near Maryland State Route 4 (Stephanie Roper Highway) in Drury, Anne Arundel County, Maryland
Easy

Glendening - Blue Loop

Maryland · United States

Distance
4.7 km
/ 2.9 mi
Elevation gain
7 m
Typical duration
59 min
  • Waymarked route
View south along Maryland State Route 980 (Stephanie Roper Highway Service Road) near Maryland State Route 4 (Stephanie Roper Highway) in Drury, Anne Arundel County, Maryland
Easy

Glendening - Green Loop

Maryland · United States

Distance
3.0 km
/ 1.9 mi
Elevation gain
14 m
Typical duration
39 min
  • Waymarked route
View south along Maryland State Route 980 (Stephanie Roper Highway Service Road) near Maryland State Route 4 (Stephanie Roper Highway) in Drury, Anne Arundel County, Maryland
Easy

Glendening - Orange Loop

Maryland · United States

Distance
3.4 km
/ 2.1 mi
Elevation gain
28 m
Typical duration
46 min
  • Waymarked route
Patuxent River Park Apr 11, 2017, 8-49 AM_edit
Easy

Green Loop

Maryland · United States

Distance
3.4 km
/ 2.1 mi
Elevation gain
13 m
Typical duration
44 min
  • Waymarked route
Bluegrass pickin'.
Easy

Hamilton Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
2.8 km
/ 1.7 mi
Elevation gain
29 m
Typical duration
37 min
  • Waymarked route
Black Hill Regional Park
Easy

Hard Rock Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
2.9 km
/ 1.8 mi
Elevation gain
66 m
Typical duration
42 min
  • Waymarked route
MTA Maryland Neoplan AN440lf #0281 on the #38 line.
Easy

Jastrow Levin Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.5 km
/ 0.3 mi
Elevation gain
13 m
Typical duration
7 min
  • Waymarked route
Links being cut.
Easy

Norman Reeves Nature Loop

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.8 km
/ 0.5 mi
Elevation gain
22 m
Typical duration
12 min
  • Waymarked route
Patuxent River Park Apr 11, 2017, 8-011_edit
Easy

Otter Point Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.9 km
/ 0.6 mi
Typical duration
11 min
  • Waymarked route
Patuxent River Park Apr 11, 2017, 8-011_edit
Easy

Pindell Bluff Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
1.7 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
14 m
Typical duration
23 min
  • Waymarked route
Woodend. listed on the National Register of Historic Places
Easy

Purple Blaze

Maryland · United States

Distance
1.2 km
/ 0.8 mi
Typical duration
15 min
  • Waymarked route
Patuxent River Park Apr 11, 2017, 8-011_edit
Easy

Railroad Bed Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.8 km
/ 0.5 mi
Typical duration
10 min
  • Waymarked route
Patuxent River Park Apr 11, 2017, 8-011_edit
Easy

Two Run Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.6 km
/ 0.4 mi
Elevation gain
15 m
Typical duration
9 min
  • Waymarked route
Patuxent River Park Apr 11, 2017, 8-011_edit
Easy

Upper RR Bed Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.9 km
/ 0.6 mi
Elevation gain
11 m
Typical duration
13 min
  • Waymarked route
Links being cut.
Easy

Wetland Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
1.0 km
/ 0.6 mi
Elevation gain
6 m
Typical duration
13 min
  • Waymarked route
Patuxent River Park Apr 11, 2017, 8-011_edit
Easy

Yellow Loop

Maryland · United States

Distance
2.4 km
/ 1.5 mi
Elevation gain
14 m
Typical duration
32 min
  • Waymarked route
Redington Lake at the Patuxent Research Refuge.
Easy

Cash lake Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
2.4 km
/ 1.5 mi
Typical duration
30 min
  • Lake
First layer is slanted inward using a wire centered at origin.
Easy

Lake Elkhorn Loop

Maryland · United States

Distance
3.0 km
/ 1.9 mi
Elevation gain
6 m
Typical duration
38 min
  • Lake
Wilde Lake , Columbia , Maryland
Easy

Wilde Lake Loop

Maryland · United States

Distance
2.2 km
/ 1.4 mi
Elevation gain
14 m
Typical duration
29 min
  • Lake
Tacoma M1 mandolin in case
Easy

Harness Creek Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.5 km
/ 0.3 mi
Typical duration
6 min
  • River
orange mycena ( Mycena leaiana )
Easy

Beach Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
1.5 km
/ 0.9 mi
Elevation gain
14 m
Typical duration
20 min
  • Coastal
  • Waymarked route
orange mycena ( Mycena leaiana )
Easy

Forest Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
1.4 km
/ 0.9 mi
Elevation gain
8 m
Typical duration
18 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
View north along Maryland State Route 109 (Beallsville Road) at Maryland State Route 28 (Darnestown Road) in Beallsville, Montgomery County, Maryland
Easy

Meadow Loop

Maryland · United States

Distance
1.2 km
/ 0.7 mi
Elevation gain
10 m
Typical duration
16 min
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
Patuxent River Park Apr 11, 2017, 8-011_edit
Easy

Blue Loop

Maryland · United States

Distance
5.2 km
/ 3.2 mi
Elevation gain
77 m
Typical duration
1 hr 12 min
  • Waymarked route
Patuxent River Park Apr 11, 2017, 8-49 AM_edit
Easy

Blue Spur

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.5 km
/ 0.3 mi
Typical duration
6 min
  • Waymarked route
Patuxent River Park Apr 11, 2017, 8-011_edit
Easy

Brown Loop

Maryland · United States

Distance
1.0 km
/ 0.6 mi
Elevation gain
20 m
Typical duration
15 min
  • Waymarked route
Former TTC-run PCC
Easy

Northwest Branch Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
4.9 km
/ 3.0 mi
Elevation gain
28 m
Typical duration
1 hr 4 min
  • Waymarked route
Kings Landing Park May 7, 2017, 10-04 AM_sharing
Easy

Osprey Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.5 km
/ 0.3 mi
Elevation gain
12 m
Typical duration
8 min
  • Waymarked route
Kings Landing Park May 7, 2017, 10-04 AM_sharing
Easy

Red Tail Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.6 km
/ 0.4 mi
Elevation gain
7 m
Typical duration
8 min
  • Waymarked route
Kings Landing Park May 7, 2017, 10-04 AM_sharing
Easy

Tanager Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.6 km
/ 0.4 mi
Typical duration
7 min
  • Waymarked route
Glen Hurst located at 4933 MacArthur Boulevard, NW in the Palisades neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Designed by Richard Ough in 1892, the building is an example of Queen Anne architecture. It was added to the National Register of Historic
Easy

Battery Kemble Trail

District of Columbia · United States

Distance
1.7 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
70 m
Typical duration
28 min
Sid Barcelona, Steve Raskin, Jon Horvath, and Rob Myers of Fort Knox Five at Fort Knox Studios
Easy

Glover-Archbold Trail

District of Columbia · United States

Distance
5.0 km
/ 3.1 mi
Elevation gain
24 m
Typical duration
1 hr 5 min
Kahlil Gibran memorial on Massachusetts Avenue, Washington, DC
Easy

Normanstone Trail

District of Columbia · United States

Distance
1.4 km
/ 0.9 mi
Elevation gain
61 m
Typical duration
24 min

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
Pennsylvania Avenue Heritage TrailMaryland0.4 km14 m7 minEasyApril to October
Hunting Ridge TrailMaryland0.6 kmflat7 minEasyApril to October
Griffin Meadow TrailMaryland1.6 km9 m21 minEasyApril to October
Stream TrailMaryland0.8 kmflat10 minEasyApril to October
South River OverlookMaryland0.5 km7 m7 minEasyApril to October
Chesapeake Beach Heritage TrailMaryland1.3 km18 m18 minEasyApril to October
Diabase TrailMaryland2.4 km50 m35 minEasyApril to October
Old Franklintown Loop TrailMaryland1.9 km34 m26 minEasyApril to October
Billy Goat Trail Section CMaryland2.5 km46 m36 minEasyApril to October
Cabin Branch TrailMaryland2.2 km7 m29 minEasyApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with Pennsylvania Avenue Heritage Trail, Hunting Ridge Trail, Griffin Meadow Trail. Those are the routes people come back to. Every route on this page links through to a full guide with the map, elevation profile, seasonal advice and what to bring.

Frequently asked questions

Related guides

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