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Loop Trails near Washington

The directory currently contains 29 quality-checked routes matching this guide near Washington. Their average mapped distance is 2.8 km and average recorded ascent is 36 m (118 ft); the longest route in the set is 12.5 km.

This subset represents 20% of the 146 quality-checked routes near Washington. Its average distance is 2.8 km, compared with 7.5 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 36 m (118 ft), versus 73 m (240 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.

Every route in this set is classified as a loop and returns to its starting area. A loop can still reuse part of the same path. Within this set, 24 routes (83%) are rated easy, 0 (0%) are rated hard or expert, and 29 (100%) are recorded as loops. Ratings are computed from available distance and elevation data and do not establish current terrain or access.

Data refreshed September 2026

Choose by the details

How do these routes differ?

A closer look at the first 6 routes in this page’s default ordering. These comparisons describe this sample, not the entire destination or a field-tested recommendation.

Shortest mapped distance in this sample

1.6 km

Griffin Meadow Trail

Compare the climbing too; shortest does not necessarily mean easiest.

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

6 m

Lake Elkhorn Loop

6 of 6 have ascent data. Missing measurements are excluded.

Return logistics

6 recorded loops

Check start and finish for every option. An unknown shape does not mean a loop, and a loop does not establish access to its start.

Plan the return journey →

Distances follow stored route lines; ascent and time are estimates. Current access, surface and technical difficulty need separate checks. How to turn a comparison into a shortlist.

Trails

Easy

Maryland · United States

Distance
1.6 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
9 m
Typical duration
21 min
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Maryland · United States

Distance
8.5 km
/ 5.3 mi
Elevation gain
349 m
Typical duration
2 hr 18 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Maryland · United States

Distance
12.5 km
/ 7.7 mi
Elevation gain
242 m
Typical duration
2 hr 58 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Maryland · United States

Distance
3.4 km
/ 2.1 mi
Elevation gain
28 m
Typical duration
46 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Maryland · United States

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

Maryland · United States

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

Maryland · United States

Distance
2.2 km
/ 1.4 mi
Elevation gain
14 m
Typical duration
29 min
  • Lake
Easy

Maryland · United States

Distance
1.5 km
/ 0.9 mi
Elevation gain
14 m
Typical duration
20 min
  • Coastal
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Maryland · United States

Distance
1.4 km
/ 0.9 mi
Elevation gain
8 m
Typical duration
18 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Maryland · United States

Distance
1.2 km
/ 0.7 mi
Elevation gain
10 m
Typical duration
16 min
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.5 km
/ 0.3 mi
Elevation gain
13 m
Typical duration
7 min
Easy

Maryland · United States

Distance
2.7 km
/ 1.7 mi
Elevation gain
6 m
Typical duration
34 min
Easy

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.5 km
/ 0.3 mi
Typical duration
6 min
Easy

Maryland · United States

Distance
1.7 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
26 m
Typical duration
24 min
Moderate

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.6 km
/ 0.3 mi
Elevation gain
52 m
Typical duration
12 min
Easy

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.6 km
/ 0.3 mi
Typical duration
7 min
Moderate

Maryland · United States

Distance
9.4 km
/ 5.8 mi
Elevation gain
75 m
Typical duration
2 hr 4 min
Easy

Maryland · United States

Distance
1.6 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
14 m
Typical duration
21 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Maryland · United States

Distance
1.6 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
6 m
Typical duration
21 min
Easy

Maryland · United States

Distance
1.8 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
6 m
Typical duration
23 min
View south along Chapel Point Road between Causeway Street and Commerce Street in Port Tobacco Village, Charles County, Maryland
Easy

Maryland · United States

Distance
1.1 km
/ 0.7 mi
Elevation gain
6 m
Typical duration
15 min
Easy

Maryland · United States

Distance
1.8 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
15 m
Typical duration
24 min
Easy

Maryland · United States

Distance
1.8 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
6 m
Typical duration
23 min
Easy

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.9 km
/ 0.6 mi
Elevation gain
8 m
Typical duration
13 min
Easy

Maryland · United States

Distance
5.9 km
/ 3.6 mi
Elevation gain
42 m
Typical duration
1 hr 17 min
Moderate

Maryland · United States

Distance
2.6 km
/ 1.6 mi
Elevation gain
42 m
Typical duration
37 min
Easy

Maryland · United States

Distance
1.2 km
/ 0.7 mi
Elevation gain
6 m
Typical duration
16 min
Easy

Maryland · United States

Distance
3.5 km
/ 2.1 mi
Elevation gain
24 m
Typical duration
45 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Maryland · United States

Distance
1.8 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
7 m
Typical duration
23 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
Griffin Meadow TrailMaryland1.6 km9 m21 minEasyApril to October
Northern Peaks TrailMaryland8.5 km349 m2 hr 18 minModerateApril to October
White Loop TrailMaryland12.5 km242 m2 hr 58 minModerateApril to October
Glendening - Orange LoopMaryland3.4 km28 m46 minEasyApril to October
Green LoopMaryland3.4 km13 m44 minEasyApril to October
Lake Elkhorn LoopMaryland3.0 km6 m38 minEasyApril to October
Wilde Lake LoopMaryland2.2 km14 m29 minEasyApril to October
Beach TrailMaryland1.5 km14 m20 minEasyApril to October
Forest TrailMaryland1.4 km8 m18 minEasyApril to October
Meadow LoopMaryland1.2 km10 m16 minEasyApril to October

Griffin Meadow Trail, Glendening - Orange Loop, Northern Peaks Trail currently rank highest in this filtered set according to the directory score. Open an individual route to inspect its mapped line, elevation profile, data source and planning caveats. Check live access, conditions and local rules with an official source before travelling.

Frequently asked questions

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