Maryland · Mountain biking

Northwest Branch Trail

0.6 mi
round trip
419 ft
climb
Singletrack
surface
Out and back
route
Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov
best months

Northwest Branch Trail is a short, easy mountain biking route in Maryland, about 0.6 miles from the town of Cresthaven. The trail is an out-and-back, roughly 1.2 miles long, with a total elevation gain of about 10 feet. It's a low-commitment ride, and the climb is gentle, with the high point at about 158 feet and the low at about 144 feet. For comfortable weather, aim for late spring or early fall. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Beltsville show May highs around 74°F and September highs around 79°F, with July peaking near 87°F. The trail sits close to several other spots. Devere Loop Trail and Copperhead Run Trail are both about 0.1 mile away, and the Long Wall climbing area is also about 0.1 mile off. Northwest Branch Anacostia River, a canoeing route, is about 4 miles away.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov

    Best time to visit Northwest Branch Trail

    Best months: April–June and September–November. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      43° / 25°

      10 wet

    2. Feb

      45° / 27°

      9 wet

    3. Mar

      53° / 34°

      10 wet

    4. Apr

      65° / 44°

      11 wet

    5. May

      74° / 54°

      11 wet

    6. Jun

      83° / 63°

      10 wet

    7. Jul

      87° / 68°

      10 wet

    8. Aug

      86° / 66°

      9 wet

    9. Sep

      79° / 59°

      8 wet

    10. Oct

      68° / 47°

      9 wet

    11. Nov

      57° / 37°

      9 wet

    12. Dec

      47° / 30°

      10 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Beltsville, MD, 3.5 mi away at 145 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more rides worth the drive

Northwest Branch TrailPhoto: G. Edward Johnson, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Northwest Branch Trail

~2 min drive

0.12-mile easy singletrack out-and-back with 82 ft gain in Maryland

RIDE

Intermediate Bike Trail

~6 min drive

0.23-mile moderate singletrack out-and-back in Maryland, 46 ft elevation gain.

Northwest Branch TrailPhoto: G. Edward Johnson, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Northwest Branch Trail

~2 min drive

0.18-mile easy singletrack in Maryland with 142 ft elevation gain

Northwest Branch TrailPhoto: G. Edward Johnson, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Northwest Branch Trail

~2 min drive

0.22-mile easy singletrack in Maryland with 48 ft gain.

Northwest Branch TrailPhoto: G. Edward Johnson, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Northwest Branch Trail

~2 min drive

0.12-mile easy singletrack in Maryland with 37 ft of elevation gain.

Northwest Branch TrailPhoto: G. Edward Johnson, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Northwest Branch Trail

~3 min drive

0.98-mile easy singletrack with 483 ft gain in Maryland

Northwest Branch TrailPhoto: G. Edward Johnson, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Northwest Branch Trail

~5 min drive

0.46-mile easy gravel road trail in Maryland with 18 ft elevation gain.

Northwest Branch TrailPhoto: G. Edward Johnson, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Northwest Branch Trail

~5 min drive

0.24-mile out-and-back gravel trail in Maryland with 25 ft of elevation gain.

RIDE

Copperhead Run Trail

Next door

0.83-mile out-and-back singletrack in Maryland with 1,205 ft elevation gain.

RIDE

Northwest Branch Trail

Next door

0.16-mile easy singletrack with 293 ft gain in Maryland.

Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors