Find Your Connection–Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia
The 9/11 National Memorial Trail route through Maryland, Washington D.C., and northern Virginia comprises two routes: a northwest to southeast route for those traveling from the Flight 93 National Memorial in Pennsylvania toward the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial in Virginia, and a southwest to northeast route for those traveling from the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial toward New York City and the National September 11 Memorial & Museum.
The northwest to southeast route from Cumberland, Maryland, to Washington D.C. consists of a 184.5-mile crushed gravel trail through the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, which is managed by the National Park Service. To learn more about the numerous adventures and places to explore along the canal, visit their website.
When you get to Washington D.C., use the Rock Creek Trail to get to the Arlington Memorial Bridge. The Rock Creek Trail is a hard-surfaced trail that runs parallel to the Potomac River. When you arrive at the Arlington Memorial Bridge, you can use the wide sidewalks to cross the Potomac River and continue along Memorial Avenue till just past Virginia State Route 110 (Richmond Highway) until you get to a crosswalk right before the entrance of the Arlington National Cemetery. Once you are on the other side of the road, continue to head back toward the river and access the Mount Vernon Trail, which is a hard asphalt trail. Follow the Mount Vernon Trail over another bridge that will take you past the Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove and to Boundary Channel Drive, a low-speed road that travels around the Pentagon. Watch carefully for signs to guide you around the Pentagon and to the memorial, which is located on the southwest corner of the building. More information about the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial can be found here.
Once you leave the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial, you will head back across the Arlington Memorial Bridge to take the northeast route, which will take you through the National Mall in Washington D.C. via busy city streets. You will start along Constitution Avenue, turn right onto 14th Street, turn left on Madison Drive, and then turn right on 4th Street. This route will take you through the National Mall and down to the P Street SW separated bikeway and across the new bike-friendly Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge over the Anacostia River. The Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge will take you to the Martin Luther King Bridge side path that will connect you to the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail.
The main Anacostia Riverwalk Trail will turn into the Anacostia Tributary Trail System, leading you to the Berwyn Heights neighborhood. From there, you will utilize a mixture of small trails and roads for a few miles until you get to the Seabrook neighborhood, where you can access the Annapolis Road side path and the Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis Trail. The Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis Trail will end at Laurel Bowie Road (MD Route 197), where you will have to ride a wide shoulder on a busy road for a mile or so until you reach a wide side path on Collington Road. You will follow Collington Road to Mitchellville Road and then make a right and continue on the Mitchellville Road and Excalibur Road side path. Note that the Excalibur Road side path will eventually end at the Walmart shopping center.
Excalibur will briefly turn into a four-lane road with a 30-mph speed limit before it changes to Mill Branch Road, which is a lower-volume road without much of a shoulder and a 40-mph speed limit, so please use caution. At the intersection of Mill Branch Road and Central Avenue (MD Route 214), the route continues on Central Avenue, a two-lane road with a shoulder, but the speed limit is 50 mph so please use caution in this area. The trail then takes Patuxent River Road, which doesn’t have much of a shoulder and has a 30-mph speed limit. Patuxent River Road leads to Rossback Road—a two-lane lower-volume rural road with a 35-mph speed limit and no shoulder. When the trail follows to Rutland Road, the north route has a shoulder in some places that can be used; however, the southern route does not. The trail route then takes you to Defense Highway (MD Route 450), which is a two-lane road with small shoulders that will take you to the outskirts of Annapolis.
The Defense Highway takes you to the South Shore Trail, which is an asphalt trail built on the former Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis Electric Railway (WB&A). The South Shore Trail then changes into a sidewalk path next to the Luminis Health Center, which takes you on Jennifer Road (a four-lane road with limited shoulder access), then to Admiral Drive (a two-way road with sharrows), and finally leading you to Poplar Avenue and the Poplar Trail. When the Poplar Trail ends, you will need to use Glenn Avenue, West Street, and Russell Street to get to the Spa Creek Trail.
When the Spa Creek Trail ends, you will have to use several roads through downtown Annapolis, depending on your direction. For traveling north, you can access Silopanna Road, Boxwood Road, Hill Top Lane, Bay Ridge Avenue, and Chesapeake Avenue. For traveling south, you can access Compromise Street, Market Space, Cornhill Street, and Francis Street. Other roads you may have to travel include State Circle, Maryland Avenue, King George Street, Baltimore Boulevard/Baltimore Annapolis Boulevard, and Boulters Way.
The Baltimore Annapolis Trail will take you to the John Overstreet Connector Trail, which connects to the BWI Trail and utilizes the BWI Trail Extension as well. The BWI trails end at North Camp Meade Road. You must ride on that four-lane road that has defined shoulders until you get to the path at Belle Grove Road. From there, you can use a sidewalk to Brooklyn Park, Maryland, just outside of Baltimore. When leaving Brooklyn Park, use Hanover Street, which takes you to the Middle Branch Trail that starts in Reedbird Park. The Middle Branch Trail is operated by Baltimore City Parks. The Middle Branch Trail stops at Kloman Street, which you will use to take to Clare Street and eventually back to the Middle Branch Trail on Annapolis Road. The Middle Branch Trail turns east at Russell Street, taking you through a beautifully tree-lined trail until you reach Warner Street. At Warner Street, you will take a sharp right to the bike lane and follow it to Stockholm Street. At the end of Stockholm Street, the road changes into South Sharp Street, which will take you into the Gwynns Falls Trail at Solo Gibbs Park. On a fall weekend, if you notice a large crowd, it could mean a home Ravens game, as the trail takes you just a few blocks from M&T Bank Stadium—home of the Baltimore Ravens. After leaving Solo Gibbs Park, you will continue on South Sharp Street, a two-lane residential street that has parking on both sides. Once you get to Lee Street, turn right and head toward the Inner Harbor. Lee Street is also a residential street with parking on both sides. However, once you get to the intersection of Hanover and Lee Street, you will need to ride on the sidewalk until you get to the Jones Falls Trail — Inner Harbor side path because Lee Street is one way in the opposite direction. When you get to Light Street, you will need to wait for the pedestrian signals to cross to the Inner Harbor as Light Street is very busy. The Jones Falls Trail around the Inner Harbor follows sidewalks along Pratt Street and then when the trail turns north up Market Place Street and on East Lombard Street. Please ride carefully because this is a high-volume pedestrian area. Just before the bay water on East Lombard Street, take a left and head north on a brick sidewalk with minimal traffic until you get to East Baltimore Street. From there, use the crossing signs to get to the President Street side path or protected bike lane to continue your journey north. President Street is a busy street but there is a protected bike lane to help riders feel more comfortable when riding in this area. However, the protected bike lane stops shortly after the Jones Falls Expressway begins once you get to Fallsway Street. From there, you can choose to use the wide sidewalk or continue on the two-lane road with parking. At the intersection of Centre Street and Fallsway, an unprotected bike lane starts heading north and then changes to a protected bike lane starting at East Madison Street. From East Madison Street, the protected bike lane travels all the way to Guilford Avenue and then stops. Once the protected bike lane ends, follow East Mount Royal Avenue (a two-lane road with a parking lane) until a bike lane starts between Saint Paul Street and North Charles Street. This bike lane starts just after an interstate exit off the Jones Falls Expressway. You will use this bike lane on West Mount Royal Avenue until you get to Maryland Avenue, where you will make a right and head north. You will use a contra-flow bike lane on Maryland Avenue until you reach West Lanvale Street. On West Lanvale Street, use the unprotected contra-flow bike lane until it ends at West Lafayette Avenue and then utilize the street. At the bridge undercrossing, you can use the sidewalk path till just after the streetcar station. Then, take the crosswalk to the paved trail on the left side of the street. The trail utilizes a switchback to take you to the Wyman Park Drive protected bike lane.
Once you get off the bridge on Wyman Park Drive, you will enter Druid Hill Park. Continue to take the trail till just past Druid Lake and then take the road until you reach Mansion House Drive, where you can get back on the trail. The trail continues to take you through the park, past the Maryland Zoo, and then onto Crow’s Nest Road. You will be on Crow’s Nest Road for a short bit and then back on the trail until you leave the park on Parkdale Avenue. From Parkdale Avenue, you will turn east on Clipper Road, which is a neighborhood street. Once you get to the intersection of Clipper Road and Druid Park Drive, you will have to utilize the sidewalk for a few blocks because Clipper Road is a one-way street until you get to the off-road trail in Hooper and Rockrose Park. The trail leaves the park and utilizes a large sidewalk along Spring Garden Drive, taking you by several neighborhoods until you turn north on Greenspring Avenue. After you pass Cylburn Avenue, the trail takes you around the Michel Mirowski Medical Office Building.
As you leave the medical campus, you will cross the West Northern Parkway and the trail will take you through Northwest Community Park. At the edge of the park, turn east onto West Rodgers Avenue, where you can use the sidewalk or the two-lane neighborhood road with a parking lane heading east. Just past the intersection of Wildwood Lane and West Rodgers Avenue, you will take the Jones Falls Trail elevated boardwalk that will take you through the woods to Newbury Street, which is a small, paved road. From Newbury Street, turn east onto Kelly Avenue, which is a two-lane road with small sidewalks to ride on, but no shoulders. Kelly Avenue takes you to Falls Road via an intersection with a traffic light where you will turn north. While traveling north of Falls Road, there is a small sidewalk that can be used for traveling. There are sharrow markings in some spots to indicate to drivers to share the road with bicyclists. There are also some shoulders and other areas along the road that are used for parking lanes, which you could cautiously move in and out of if needed. At Old Jones Falls Road and Falls Road, veer right onto Old Jones Falls Road and follow it to the Old Falls Road Transit Station parking lot. The trail link to the boardwalk is at the far end of the parking lot, past the station to the east. There are benches and a sign near the boardwalk entrance to guide you past the bollard and onto the boardwalk. The boardwalk section of the trail takes you past Lake Roland and through a section of Lake Roland Park. From Lake Roland Park, the trail turns south and takes you to Hollins Avenue—a neighborhood street with a steep downhill; please use caution. From Hollins Avenue, turn left and head southeast on West Lake Avenue—a two-lane road without a shoulder, but it has sidewalks in some locations that can be used. When you reach Roland Avenue, you will turn south and use the unprotected bike lane. At West Melrose Place, turn east and follow this road by the Bryn Mawr School and cross North Charles Street. At this point, West Melrose Street changes to East Melrose Street—a neighborhood street without a shoulder or a double yellow line; there are small sidewalks you can ride on if needed on certain parts of the street. From East Melrose Street, turn left and head north on Bellona Avenue—a two-lane road with small sidewalks in some areas and no shoulder. At the intersection of Bellona Drive and North Charles Street, turn right onto North Charles Street. There is a semi-wide shoulder on most parts of the street you can use until North Charles Street ends at Bellona Avenue.
Once you get to Bellona Avenue, turn northeast and use the sidewalk until it ends at Orchard Hills Park. From this point, there is not much of a shoulder to use along Bellona Avenue. At the intersection of Lincoln Avenue and Bellona Avenue, turn west onto Lincoln Avenue; there will not be much of a shoulder to access. From Lincoln Avenue, turn north onto Francke Avenue and travel this one-way road (with a shoulder and side path in some parts) until you reach West Ridgely Road. At West Ridgely Road, head west toward Lutherville Station Shopping Center and take your first right to utilize a through-road of the shopping center to get you to West Aylesbury Road. Please use caution while riding in and around the Lutherville Station Shopping Center because it is a busy plaza with many cars. The intersection of West Aylesbury Road and the Lutherville Station Shopping Center does not have a stop light, so use caution to get across to the right side of the road. From West Aylesbury Road, take a quick left at the East Coast Greenway sign to get onto Business Park Drive. Once on Business Park Drive, you can stay on the road or use the small westbound sidewalk till you get to Greenspring Drive, where you will make a right and head north. Greenspring Drive is a busy two-lane road with a parking lane on the right and a wide sidewalk that can be used if needed. Further north on Greenspring Drive, after Timonium Road, the northbound sidewalk will end, leaving you traveling on a one-lane road with parking on the side to watch out for. However, when you pass the business park and the park-and-ride, you can access the sidewalk again, and Greenspring Drive now turns into Deereco Road, which is two lanes. Following Deereco Road, you will come to the intersection of Greenspring Drive and West Padonia Road. Here you will have to wait for the light to cross the large intersection onto Beaver Dam Road. Beaver Dam Road is two lanes without a shoulder, but there is a sidewalk that can be used if needed for riding. As Beaver Dam Road veers off to the left, you will stay right onto McCormick Road, which is two lanes with sidewalks. When you come to the intersection of Wight Avenue and McCormick Road, follow the East Coast Greenway signs and turn right on Wight Avenue. Wight Avenue is a wide one-lane road with sidewalks, which takes you to an intersection with York Road. When you reach York Road, you will head north. York Road is a busy three-lane road without a shoulder; however, it does have sidewalks that can be utilized. From York Road, you will turn north on Ashland Road and follow it through the town of Ashland all the way until you get to the Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail. Ashland Road is a two-lane road with a small shoulder. Ashland Road will eventually change to Paper Mill Road and will have a wider shoulder in certain areas and unprotected bike lanes as well. The Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail is a flat non-paved trail that you will follow until you get to the town of Monkton. At Monkton, you will head east on MD Route 138, also known as Monkton Road, which is two lanes without a shoulder. Monkton Road will eventually turn into Shepperd Road/MD Route 138 and you will continue to head north. Shepperd Road is two lanes without a shoulder that you will use until you reach Troyer Road, which has little to no shoulder and a 50-mph speed limit. Please use extra caution. You will travel on Troyer Road for several miles, heading north. At the intersection of Troyer Road and Norrisville Road/MD Route 23, you will turn right on Norrisville Road and head east. Norrisville Road has a very limited shoulder and a 50-mph speed limit, so please use extra caution. At the intersection of Norrisville Road and Baldwin Mill Road, turn south onto Baldwin Mill Road. Baldwin Mill Road is two lanes with a limited shoulder, so again use extra caution. From Baldwin Mill Road, you will travel east on the East-West Highway. This road is two lanes with wide shoulders you can utilize. The East-West Highway traverses Conowingo Road, which is two lanes with wide shoulders. You will head south until you reach a traffic light and intersection in which you will head east onto Moores Mill Road. Moores Mill Road is a busy two-lane road that has smaller shoulders and sidewalks to use throughout most parts. At the intersection of Moores Mill Road and Churchville Road, you will head northeast on Churchville Road (Maryland Route 22). Churchville Road is a busy two-lane road but there are shoulders and a sidewalk to use until you reach Maryland Route 543. Be aware that the shoulders on Churchville Road go from large to small depending on location. At Maryland Route 543, the sidewalk ends and the road changes to a single lane with shoulders. Once you reach Glenville Road at the intersection, make a left and head north. Please keep in mind there is not a traffic light at this intersection, so be careful when crossing traffic. Glenville Road is two lanes without a shoulder, so be mindful when traveling on this road. You will come to an intersection with Level Road (Maryland Route 155). There is no traffic light at this intersection so care should be taken when merging into traffic. Take Level Road and head north using the shoulder. Level Road has a 50-mph speed limit, so please use caution. While on Level Road, once you get to the city of Havre de Grace, turn south onto Canvasback Drive. Canvasback Drive is a neighborhood street with sidewalks on each side and a low speed limit. Canvasback Drive ends at Chapel Road, which is a wide developed two-lane road with some sidewalks. You will head east on Chapel Road for about 0.5 miles until you reach Grace Manor Drive and then head south. Grace Manor Drive is a neighborhood street with sidewalks that you can use until you get to Lewis Lane. Lewis Lane is two lanes with limited shoulders. Travel south on Lewis Lane, past Harve de Grace Middle/High School. Lewis Lane will end at Revolution Street and you will then head east. Revolution Street has small shoulders and a sidewalk that you can use instead of riding on the road. When you reach South Union Street, turn right and head south. South Union Street is a wide neighborhood street with sidewalks on each side and a low speed limit.
South Union Street ends at Commerce Street. Turn left and head east on Commerce Street (a quiet, two-lane street with on-street parking and a sidewalk). Commerce Street turns north for 4 blocks and then changes into Market Street. Follow Market to Lafayette Street and make a right. Take Lafayette Street to the lighthouse at the end of the road and turn left, heading north onto Concord Street. Concord Street changes into Girard Street. (Both are wide streets with sidewalks in a low-speed neighborhood.) Follow Girard until it intersects with Market Street and make a right.
Head north on Market Street for a few blocks to arrive at Congress Avenue. Make a left and follow this neighborhood street for a few blocks until you reach North Washington Street, where you make a right. North Washington continues through a small business district — near the end, veer left onto St. John Street. St. John Street merges with North Union Avenue for a short period of time. After passing under the railroad bridge, bear right on Water Street.
Follow Water Street past the Havre de Grace Marina, and bear left riding Erie Street for a short time. (These are neighborhood streets that should be easy to travel.) Follow Erie Street until you reach N Juniata Street, where you will make a left. Juniata Street narrows as it approaches Ostego Street. Turn right on Ostego Street. Be aware that Ostego Street changes from neighborhood setting to a slightly busier road as you approach the Pulaski Highway (Maryland Route 40). You will go right onto Pulaski Highway/Route 40. Maryland Route 40 is an extremely busy road, please use caution. When traveling this road, sidewalk use is recommended — but be aware this sidewalk ends abruptly before reaching the Thomas Hatem Memorial Bridge.
Extreme caution is recommended if you choose to cross the Thomas Hatem Memorial Bridge on Maryland Route 40. There are no shoulders or high jersey barriers, so it is recommended you plan your crossing when traffic is not as high as rush hour or other busy times.
Alternatively, you can avoid the Thomas Hatem Memorial Bridge by taking a Maryland transit option that utilizes the Marc Train. The train route can be found here. Additionally, information regarding taking bikes on board can be found here. The train runs six times per day across the Susquehanna River and is a strongly recommended option to avoid the Thomas Hatem Memorial Bridge.
If you feel you need to ride across the bridge, the Maryland State Police (located near the bridge) have provided escorts across the bridge for bicyclists in the past. They would need several days’ notice and it would depend upon staff capacity. This service is not guaranteed to be available. To investigate this option, contact the barracks at 410-537-1147.
Once you cross the Thomas Hatem Memorial Bridge just before the toll booth plaza, take the sidewalk at the end of the bridge and go around the booth until to you get to Aiken Avenue. Take the first right on Aiken Avenue once you get off the bridge. Aiken Avenue is a two-lane neighborhood road with a small shoulder and a sidewalk — follow this until you reach Broad Street.
Make a left on Broad Street and use the sidewalk as it leaves Perrysville. Broad Street will change into Philadelphia Street (a rural road with a moderately high speed limit with shoulders in some areas, but not consistent throughout). Broad Street/Philadelphia Road will then bear left and become Coudon Boulevard. This stops at Maryland Route 40 where you head right/east on Maryland Route 40 for a short time. Utilize the shoulder until you head southeast and bear right on West Old Philadelphia Road (a two-lane road with minimum shoulder and a 50-mph speed limit). From West Old Philadelphia Road, turn right on Baltimore Street and head southeast. (This is a two-lane road with a higher speed limit, but does have wide shoulders until you reach Carpenters Point Road where the shoulder ends.) Continue until you pass Charlestown Elementary on your left. Make the next left on Cecil Street (a two-lane road without shoulders, but a sidewalk in certain locations).
You will make the next right on Market Street, left on Water Street, and left on Louisa Lane to take you around the historic district of Charlestown. Make a right on Bladen Street/Route 267 and head north until you get back to West Old Philadelphia Road.
You will travel on West Old Philadelphia Road for a while, keeping in mind that there isn’t a prominent shoulder on this two-lane road. After you cross the Northeast River, you will enter the town of North East, Maryland, and travel through the business district before you head back onto Old East Philadelphia Road. This road has both narrow and wide shoulders, depending on the area. Old East Philadelphia Road ends at Maryland Route 40, where you must head east utilizing the wide shoulder on the right-hand side of the road. When you reach Elkton, Maryland, there will be a sidewalk you can use if you prefer to not ride on the shoulder. At the intersection of Landing Lane and Maryland Route 40 in Elkton, turn left using the traffic light and head north to Landing Lane. Use caution in this area because you must cross several lanes of busy traffic to get to Landing Lane. Landing Lane ends at West Main Street, where you will continue east until you get to North Street. West Main Street is two lanes with sidewalks on both sides. As you travel further along West Main Street, it will turn into a one-way road with two lanes as it enters the business district of Elkton. Keep an eye out for North Street/Maryland Route 268 where you will turn left. Be careful because there isn’t a traffic light to make the left turn, so cross when it is safe to do so. North Street is a wide two-lane road with sidewalks on each side while you are in the town of Elkton. Once you leave Elkton, the sidewalks will end. North Street will take you to Maryland Route 727 / Elkton Road / Delaware Route 2. This route is a busy four-lane road — two north and two south — but does have a wide shoulder to access.
This concludes the route in the states of Maryland, Washington D.C., and northern Virginia. To learn more about traveling through the state of Delaware, please visit the Delaware section of our Find Your Connection on our website...coming soon!
The northwest to southeast route from Cumberland, Maryland, to Washington D.C. consists of a 184.5-mile crushed gravel trail through the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, which is managed by the National Park Service. To learn more about the numerous adventures and places to explore along the canal, visit their website.
When you get to Washington D.C., use the Rock Creek Trail to get to the Arlington Memorial Bridge. The Rock Creek Trail is a hard-surfaced trail that runs parallel to the Potomac River. When you arrive at the Arlington Memorial Bridge, you can use the wide sidewalks to cross the Potomac River and continue along Memorial Avenue till just past Virginia State Route 110 (Richmond Highway) until you get to a crosswalk right before the entrance of the Arlington National Cemetery. Once you are on the other side of the road, continue to head back toward the river and access the Mount Vernon Trail, which is a hard asphalt trail. Follow the Mount Vernon Trail over another bridge that will take you past the Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove and to Boundary Channel Drive, a low-speed road that travels around the Pentagon. Watch carefully for signs to guide you around the Pentagon and to the memorial, which is located on the southwest corner of the building. More information about the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial can be found here.
Once you leave the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial, you will head back across the Arlington Memorial Bridge to take the northeast route, which will take you through the National Mall in Washington D.C. via busy city streets. You will start along Constitution Avenue, turn right onto 14th Street, turn left on Madison Drive, and then turn right on 4th Street. This route will take you through the National Mall and down to the P Street SW separated bikeway and across the new bike-friendly Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge over the Anacostia River. The Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge will take you to the Martin Luther King Bridge side path that will connect you to the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail.
The main Anacostia Riverwalk Trail will turn into the Anacostia Tributary Trail System, leading you to the Berwyn Heights neighborhood. From there, you will utilize a mixture of small trails and roads for a few miles until you get to the Seabrook neighborhood, where you can access the Annapolis Road side path and the Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis Trail. The Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis Trail will end at Laurel Bowie Road (MD Route 197), where you will have to ride a wide shoulder on a busy road for a mile or so until you reach a wide side path on Collington Road. You will follow Collington Road to Mitchellville Road and then make a right and continue on the Mitchellville Road and Excalibur Road side path. Note that the Excalibur Road side path will eventually end at the Walmart shopping center.
Excalibur will briefly turn into a four-lane road with a 30-mph speed limit before it changes to Mill Branch Road, which is a lower-volume road without much of a shoulder and a 40-mph speed limit, so please use caution. At the intersection of Mill Branch Road and Central Avenue (MD Route 214), the route continues on Central Avenue, a two-lane road with a shoulder, but the speed limit is 50 mph so please use caution in this area. The trail then takes Patuxent River Road, which doesn’t have much of a shoulder and has a 30-mph speed limit. Patuxent River Road leads to Rossback Road—a two-lane lower-volume rural road with a 35-mph speed limit and no shoulder. When the trail follows to Rutland Road, the north route has a shoulder in some places that can be used; however, the southern route does not. The trail route then takes you to Defense Highway (MD Route 450), which is a two-lane road with small shoulders that will take you to the outskirts of Annapolis.
The Defense Highway takes you to the South Shore Trail, which is an asphalt trail built on the former Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis Electric Railway (WB&A). The South Shore Trail then changes into a sidewalk path next to the Luminis Health Center, which takes you on Jennifer Road (a four-lane road with limited shoulder access), then to Admiral Drive (a two-way road with sharrows), and finally leading you to Poplar Avenue and the Poplar Trail. When the Poplar Trail ends, you will need to use Glenn Avenue, West Street, and Russell Street to get to the Spa Creek Trail.
When the Spa Creek Trail ends, you will have to use several roads through downtown Annapolis, depending on your direction. For traveling north, you can access Silopanna Road, Boxwood Road, Hill Top Lane, Bay Ridge Avenue, and Chesapeake Avenue. For traveling south, you can access Compromise Street, Market Space, Cornhill Street, and Francis Street. Other roads you may have to travel include State Circle, Maryland Avenue, King George Street, Baltimore Boulevard/Baltimore Annapolis Boulevard, and Boulters Way.
The Baltimore Annapolis Trail will take you to the John Overstreet Connector Trail, which connects to the BWI Trail and utilizes the BWI Trail Extension as well. The BWI trails end at North Camp Meade Road. You must ride on that four-lane road that has defined shoulders until you get to the path at Belle Grove Road. From there, you can use a sidewalk to Brooklyn Park, Maryland, just outside of Baltimore. When leaving Brooklyn Park, use Hanover Street, which takes you to the Middle Branch Trail that starts in Reedbird Park. The Middle Branch Trail is operated by Baltimore City Parks. The Middle Branch Trail stops at Kloman Street, which you will use to take to Clare Street and eventually back to the Middle Branch Trail on Annapolis Road. The Middle Branch Trail turns east at Russell Street, taking you through a beautifully tree-lined trail until you reach Warner Street. At Warner Street, you will take a sharp right to the bike lane and follow it to Stockholm Street. At the end of Stockholm Street, the road changes into South Sharp Street, which will take you into the Gwynns Falls Trail at Solo Gibbs Park. On a fall weekend, if you notice a large crowd, it could mean a home Ravens game, as the trail takes you just a few blocks from M&T Bank Stadium—home of the Baltimore Ravens. After leaving Solo Gibbs Park, you will continue on South Sharp Street, a two-lane residential street that has parking on both sides. Once you get to Lee Street, turn right and head toward the Inner Harbor. Lee Street is also a residential street with parking on both sides. However, once you get to the intersection of Hanover and Lee Street, you will need to ride on the sidewalk until you get to the Jones Falls Trail — Inner Harbor side path because Lee Street is one way in the opposite direction. When you get to Light Street, you will need to wait for the pedestrian signals to cross to the Inner Harbor as Light Street is very busy. The Jones Falls Trail around the Inner Harbor follows sidewalks along Pratt Street and then when the trail turns north up Market Place Street and on East Lombard Street. Please ride carefully because this is a high-volume pedestrian area. Just before the bay water on East Lombard Street, take a left and head north on a brick sidewalk with minimal traffic until you get to East Baltimore Street. From there, use the crossing signs to get to the President Street side path or protected bike lane to continue your journey north. President Street is a busy street but there is a protected bike lane to help riders feel more comfortable when riding in this area. However, the protected bike lane stops shortly after the Jones Falls Expressway begins once you get to Fallsway Street. From there, you can choose to use the wide sidewalk or continue on the two-lane road with parking. At the intersection of Centre Street and Fallsway, an unprotected bike lane starts heading north and then changes to a protected bike lane starting at East Madison Street. From East Madison Street, the protected bike lane travels all the way to Guilford Avenue and then stops. Once the protected bike lane ends, follow East Mount Royal Avenue (a two-lane road with a parking lane) until a bike lane starts between Saint Paul Street and North Charles Street. This bike lane starts just after an interstate exit off the Jones Falls Expressway. You will use this bike lane on West Mount Royal Avenue until you get to Maryland Avenue, where you will make a right and head north. You will use a contra-flow bike lane on Maryland Avenue until you reach West Lanvale Street. On West Lanvale Street, use the unprotected contra-flow bike lane until it ends at West Lafayette Avenue and then utilize the street. At the bridge undercrossing, you can use the sidewalk path till just after the streetcar station. Then, take the crosswalk to the paved trail on the left side of the street. The trail utilizes a switchback to take you to the Wyman Park Drive protected bike lane.
Once you get off the bridge on Wyman Park Drive, you will enter Druid Hill Park. Continue to take the trail till just past Druid Lake and then take the road until you reach Mansion House Drive, where you can get back on the trail. The trail continues to take you through the park, past the Maryland Zoo, and then onto Crow’s Nest Road. You will be on Crow’s Nest Road for a short bit and then back on the trail until you leave the park on Parkdale Avenue. From Parkdale Avenue, you will turn east on Clipper Road, which is a neighborhood street. Once you get to the intersection of Clipper Road and Druid Park Drive, you will have to utilize the sidewalk for a few blocks because Clipper Road is a one-way street until you get to the off-road trail in Hooper and Rockrose Park. The trail leaves the park and utilizes a large sidewalk along Spring Garden Drive, taking you by several neighborhoods until you turn north on Greenspring Avenue. After you pass Cylburn Avenue, the trail takes you around the Michel Mirowski Medical Office Building.
As you leave the medical campus, you will cross the West Northern Parkway and the trail will take you through Northwest Community Park. At the edge of the park, turn east onto West Rodgers Avenue, where you can use the sidewalk or the two-lane neighborhood road with a parking lane heading east. Just past the intersection of Wildwood Lane and West Rodgers Avenue, you will take the Jones Falls Trail elevated boardwalk that will take you through the woods to Newbury Street, which is a small, paved road. From Newbury Street, turn east onto Kelly Avenue, which is a two-lane road with small sidewalks to ride on, but no shoulders. Kelly Avenue takes you to Falls Road via an intersection with a traffic light where you will turn north. While traveling north of Falls Road, there is a small sidewalk that can be used for traveling. There are sharrow markings in some spots to indicate to drivers to share the road with bicyclists. There are also some shoulders and other areas along the road that are used for parking lanes, which you could cautiously move in and out of if needed. At Old Jones Falls Road and Falls Road, veer right onto Old Jones Falls Road and follow it to the Old Falls Road Transit Station parking lot. The trail link to the boardwalk is at the far end of the parking lot, past the station to the east. There are benches and a sign near the boardwalk entrance to guide you past the bollard and onto the boardwalk. The boardwalk section of the trail takes you past Lake Roland and through a section of Lake Roland Park. From Lake Roland Park, the trail turns south and takes you to Hollins Avenue—a neighborhood street with a steep downhill; please use caution. From Hollins Avenue, turn left and head southeast on West Lake Avenue—a two-lane road without a shoulder, but it has sidewalks in some locations that can be used. When you reach Roland Avenue, you will turn south and use the unprotected bike lane. At West Melrose Place, turn east and follow this road by the Bryn Mawr School and cross North Charles Street. At this point, West Melrose Street changes to East Melrose Street—a neighborhood street without a shoulder or a double yellow line; there are small sidewalks you can ride on if needed on certain parts of the street. From East Melrose Street, turn left and head north on Bellona Avenue—a two-lane road with small sidewalks in some areas and no shoulder. At the intersection of Bellona Drive and North Charles Street, turn right onto North Charles Street. There is a semi-wide shoulder on most parts of the street you can use until North Charles Street ends at Bellona Avenue.
Once you get to Bellona Avenue, turn northeast and use the sidewalk until it ends at Orchard Hills Park. From this point, there is not much of a shoulder to use along Bellona Avenue. At the intersection of Lincoln Avenue and Bellona Avenue, turn west onto Lincoln Avenue; there will not be much of a shoulder to access. From Lincoln Avenue, turn north onto Francke Avenue and travel this one-way road (with a shoulder and side path in some parts) until you reach West Ridgely Road. At West Ridgely Road, head west toward Lutherville Station Shopping Center and take your first right to utilize a through-road of the shopping center to get you to West Aylesbury Road. Please use caution while riding in and around the Lutherville Station Shopping Center because it is a busy plaza with many cars. The intersection of West Aylesbury Road and the Lutherville Station Shopping Center does not have a stop light, so use caution to get across to the right side of the road. From West Aylesbury Road, take a quick left at the East Coast Greenway sign to get onto Business Park Drive. Once on Business Park Drive, you can stay on the road or use the small westbound sidewalk till you get to Greenspring Drive, where you will make a right and head north. Greenspring Drive is a busy two-lane road with a parking lane on the right and a wide sidewalk that can be used if needed. Further north on Greenspring Drive, after Timonium Road, the northbound sidewalk will end, leaving you traveling on a one-lane road with parking on the side to watch out for. However, when you pass the business park and the park-and-ride, you can access the sidewalk again, and Greenspring Drive now turns into Deereco Road, which is two lanes. Following Deereco Road, you will come to the intersection of Greenspring Drive and West Padonia Road. Here you will have to wait for the light to cross the large intersection onto Beaver Dam Road. Beaver Dam Road is two lanes without a shoulder, but there is a sidewalk that can be used if needed for riding. As Beaver Dam Road veers off to the left, you will stay right onto McCormick Road, which is two lanes with sidewalks. When you come to the intersection of Wight Avenue and McCormick Road, follow the East Coast Greenway signs and turn right on Wight Avenue. Wight Avenue is a wide one-lane road with sidewalks, which takes you to an intersection with York Road. When you reach York Road, you will head north. York Road is a busy three-lane road without a shoulder; however, it does have sidewalks that can be utilized. From York Road, you will turn north on Ashland Road and follow it through the town of Ashland all the way until you get to the Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail. Ashland Road is a two-lane road with a small shoulder. Ashland Road will eventually change to Paper Mill Road and will have a wider shoulder in certain areas and unprotected bike lanes as well. The Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail is a flat non-paved trail that you will follow until you get to the town of Monkton. At Monkton, you will head east on MD Route 138, also known as Monkton Road, which is two lanes without a shoulder. Monkton Road will eventually turn into Shepperd Road/MD Route 138 and you will continue to head north. Shepperd Road is two lanes without a shoulder that you will use until you reach Troyer Road, which has little to no shoulder and a 50-mph speed limit. Please use extra caution. You will travel on Troyer Road for several miles, heading north. At the intersection of Troyer Road and Norrisville Road/MD Route 23, you will turn right on Norrisville Road and head east. Norrisville Road has a very limited shoulder and a 50-mph speed limit, so please use extra caution. At the intersection of Norrisville Road and Baldwin Mill Road, turn south onto Baldwin Mill Road. Baldwin Mill Road is two lanes with a limited shoulder, so again use extra caution. From Baldwin Mill Road, you will travel east on the East-West Highway. This road is two lanes with wide shoulders you can utilize. The East-West Highway traverses Conowingo Road, which is two lanes with wide shoulders. You will head south until you reach a traffic light and intersection in which you will head east onto Moores Mill Road. Moores Mill Road is a busy two-lane road that has smaller shoulders and sidewalks to use throughout most parts. At the intersection of Moores Mill Road and Churchville Road, you will head northeast on Churchville Road (Maryland Route 22). Churchville Road is a busy two-lane road but there are shoulders and a sidewalk to use until you reach Maryland Route 543. Be aware that the shoulders on Churchville Road go from large to small depending on location. At Maryland Route 543, the sidewalk ends and the road changes to a single lane with shoulders. Once you reach Glenville Road at the intersection, make a left and head north. Please keep in mind there is not a traffic light at this intersection, so be careful when crossing traffic. Glenville Road is two lanes without a shoulder, so be mindful when traveling on this road. You will come to an intersection with Level Road (Maryland Route 155). There is no traffic light at this intersection so care should be taken when merging into traffic. Take Level Road and head north using the shoulder. Level Road has a 50-mph speed limit, so please use caution. While on Level Road, once you get to the city of Havre de Grace, turn south onto Canvasback Drive. Canvasback Drive is a neighborhood street with sidewalks on each side and a low speed limit. Canvasback Drive ends at Chapel Road, which is a wide developed two-lane road with some sidewalks. You will head east on Chapel Road for about 0.5 miles until you reach Grace Manor Drive and then head south. Grace Manor Drive is a neighborhood street with sidewalks that you can use until you get to Lewis Lane. Lewis Lane is two lanes with limited shoulders. Travel south on Lewis Lane, past Harve de Grace Middle/High School. Lewis Lane will end at Revolution Street and you will then head east. Revolution Street has small shoulders and a sidewalk that you can use instead of riding on the road. When you reach South Union Street, turn right and head south. South Union Street is a wide neighborhood street with sidewalks on each side and a low speed limit.
South Union Street ends at Commerce Street. Turn left and head east on Commerce Street (a quiet, two-lane street with on-street parking and a sidewalk). Commerce Street turns north for 4 blocks and then changes into Market Street. Follow Market to Lafayette Street and make a right. Take Lafayette Street to the lighthouse at the end of the road and turn left, heading north onto Concord Street. Concord Street changes into Girard Street. (Both are wide streets with sidewalks in a low-speed neighborhood.) Follow Girard until it intersects with Market Street and make a right.
Head north on Market Street for a few blocks to arrive at Congress Avenue. Make a left and follow this neighborhood street for a few blocks until you reach North Washington Street, where you make a right. North Washington continues through a small business district — near the end, veer left onto St. John Street. St. John Street merges with North Union Avenue for a short period of time. After passing under the railroad bridge, bear right on Water Street.
Follow Water Street past the Havre de Grace Marina, and bear left riding Erie Street for a short time. (These are neighborhood streets that should be easy to travel.) Follow Erie Street until you reach N Juniata Street, where you will make a left. Juniata Street narrows as it approaches Ostego Street. Turn right on Ostego Street. Be aware that Ostego Street changes from neighborhood setting to a slightly busier road as you approach the Pulaski Highway (Maryland Route 40). You will go right onto Pulaski Highway/Route 40. Maryland Route 40 is an extremely busy road, please use caution. When traveling this road, sidewalk use is recommended — but be aware this sidewalk ends abruptly before reaching the Thomas Hatem Memorial Bridge.
Extreme caution is recommended if you choose to cross the Thomas Hatem Memorial Bridge on Maryland Route 40. There are no shoulders or high jersey barriers, so it is recommended you plan your crossing when traffic is not as high as rush hour or other busy times.
Alternatively, you can avoid the Thomas Hatem Memorial Bridge by taking a Maryland transit option that utilizes the Marc Train. The train route can be found here. Additionally, information regarding taking bikes on board can be found here. The train runs six times per day across the Susquehanna River and is a strongly recommended option to avoid the Thomas Hatem Memorial Bridge.
If you feel you need to ride across the bridge, the Maryland State Police (located near the bridge) have provided escorts across the bridge for bicyclists in the past. They would need several days’ notice and it would depend upon staff capacity. This service is not guaranteed to be available. To investigate this option, contact the barracks at 410-537-1147.
Once you cross the Thomas Hatem Memorial Bridge just before the toll booth plaza, take the sidewalk at the end of the bridge and go around the booth until to you get to Aiken Avenue. Take the first right on Aiken Avenue once you get off the bridge. Aiken Avenue is a two-lane neighborhood road with a small shoulder and a sidewalk — follow this until you reach Broad Street.
Make a left on Broad Street and use the sidewalk as it leaves Perrysville. Broad Street will change into Philadelphia Street (a rural road with a moderately high speed limit with shoulders in some areas, but not consistent throughout). Broad Street/Philadelphia Road will then bear left and become Coudon Boulevard. This stops at Maryland Route 40 where you head right/east on Maryland Route 40 for a short time. Utilize the shoulder until you head southeast and bear right on West Old Philadelphia Road (a two-lane road with minimum shoulder and a 50-mph speed limit). From West Old Philadelphia Road, turn right on Baltimore Street and head southeast. (This is a two-lane road with a higher speed limit, but does have wide shoulders until you reach Carpenters Point Road where the shoulder ends.) Continue until you pass Charlestown Elementary on your left. Make the next left on Cecil Street (a two-lane road without shoulders, but a sidewalk in certain locations).
You will make the next right on Market Street, left on Water Street, and left on Louisa Lane to take you around the historic district of Charlestown. Make a right on Bladen Street/Route 267 and head north until you get back to West Old Philadelphia Road.
You will travel on West Old Philadelphia Road for a while, keeping in mind that there isn’t a prominent shoulder on this two-lane road. After you cross the Northeast River, you will enter the town of North East, Maryland, and travel through the business district before you head back onto Old East Philadelphia Road. This road has both narrow and wide shoulders, depending on the area. Old East Philadelphia Road ends at Maryland Route 40, where you must head east utilizing the wide shoulder on the right-hand side of the road. When you reach Elkton, Maryland, there will be a sidewalk you can use if you prefer to not ride on the shoulder. At the intersection of Landing Lane and Maryland Route 40 in Elkton, turn left using the traffic light and head north to Landing Lane. Use caution in this area because you must cross several lanes of busy traffic to get to Landing Lane. Landing Lane ends at West Main Street, where you will continue east until you get to North Street. West Main Street is two lanes with sidewalks on both sides. As you travel further along West Main Street, it will turn into a one-way road with two lanes as it enters the business district of Elkton. Keep an eye out for North Street/Maryland Route 268 where you will turn left. Be careful because there isn’t a traffic light to make the left turn, so cross when it is safe to do so. North Street is a wide two-lane road with sidewalks on each side while you are in the town of Elkton. Once you leave Elkton, the sidewalks will end. North Street will take you to Maryland Route 727 / Elkton Road / Delaware Route 2. This route is a busy four-lane road — two north and two south — but does have a wide shoulder to access.
This concludes the route in the states of Maryland, Washington D.C., and northern Virginia. To learn more about traveling through the state of Delaware, please visit the Delaware section of our Find Your Connection on our website...coming soon!