Washington, DC: Perimeter Trail
Skip the tourist spots and take the bus to Greenbelt Park for a 5.4-mile loop through a quiet, leafy urban forest.
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Mapped by Jeff Chow
Trail Facts
- Distance: 8.7
Waypoints
GTR001
Location: 38.9954071044922, -76.8942794799805
Follow yellow-blazed Perimeter Trail to E
GTR002
Location: 38.989990234375, -76.8899307250976
Straight @ 3-way; path switchbacks down to grasslands, wooded marshy pockets, streambeds. In .2 mi., L @ T
GTR003
Location: 38.9885215759277, -76.8937072753906
Enter wooded gully and cross Still Creek; listen to birds in Virginia pines
GTR004
Location: 38.9818992614746, -76.8943328857422
Trail rises and curves SW
GTR005
Location: 38.977970123291, -76.896728515625
Cross Park Central Rd., then bear L @ Y with road leading to campgrounds; slight decline ahead
GTR006
Location: 38.9746398925781, -76.9007797241211
Trail descends to Deep Creek. In 100 yds., turn R @ T; gravel path leads through quiet hollow
GTR007
Location: 38.9766502380371, -76.9089965820312
Cross fire road and the small ripples of Deep Creek; 2nd half of loop cruises past American holly and mountain laurel
GTR008
Location: 38.9815788269043, -76.9059524536133
Cross another fire road; stay L @ next two Y jcts. before jetting over Still Creek bridge
GTR009
Location: 38.9902305603027, -76.9004669189453
Near park boundary, keep L past spur trails
GTR010
Location: 38.9922485351562, -76.8973770141602
Cross bridge @ North Fork Still Creek
GTR011
Location: 38.9947700500488, -76.8950653076172
Bear R onto Park Central Rd., then keep straight @ 3-way; in 350 ft., turn L @ 3-way to return to park entrance
