Acres of nature await you here at North Branch Stream Valley Park. This park consists of three units. They total 1408 acres. The park’s story began in 1963. That was the first acquisition date.
Northwest Branch Stream Valley Park totals more than 1320 acres. It travels along Northwest Branch Stream. This park offers wonderful outdoor exercise. Trails extend from Alderton Road to the Anacostia River.
Hiking is available on all trails. Bikes and horses are also permitted on some trails. A new multi-use trail is being built. It is located on the hillside downstream from Burnt Mills. In the upper Northwest Branch stream valley, a historical trail is available. It commemorates the involvement of Montgomery County residents in the Underground Railroad. It also celebrates the Quaker heritage and traditions of Sandy Spring.
Northwest Branch Stream Valley Park hosts both hard surface and natural surface trails. The natural surface trail is roughly 8 miles long. Hikers, bikers, and equestrians can use it. The north end of the trail is at Alderton Road near Bonifant Road. It crosses Randolph Road and Colesville Road or Burnt Mills. Another 1.2 miles brings you to the hard surface trail portion. This links you to The Anacostia Trail.
The Rachel Carson Greenway Trail is located between Kemp Mill Road and Colesville Road. It sits on the east side of the creek. It is opposite the Northwest Branch Trail. While the Northwest Branch Trail is open to all users, the Rachel Carson Greenway Trail offers a more challenging experience. It is exclusively for hikers. Equestrian riders are permitted between Valley Brook Drive and the trail connection to Northwest Branch Trail. The Fall Line Trail is another hiking-only experience. It is south of Colesville Road. It connects to the Northwest Branch Trail and Copperhead Run.
Copperhead Run is our newest trail. It is shared by all. It offers great views of the stream valley below. The trail begins at the Colesville Road entrance or Burnt Mills. It runs parallel to and intersects the Northwest Branch Trail. This creates a system of stacked loops.
Renowned environmentalist and biologist Rachel Carson spent most of her adult life in Montgomery County. Carson lived near the southern end of this stream valley. She wrote her most famous book there. It was Silent Spring in 1962. Carson was already a New York Times best-selling author. Her earlier books were Under the Sea-Wind and The Sea Around Us.
Carson’s account of the devastating impacts of the pesticide DDT is widely credited. It changed the way Americans think about the natural world. Her warnings helped launch the modern environmental movement. This led to the banning of DDT. It also led to the start of the Environmental Protection Agency in 1970. Her message is compelling. We all need to be good stewards of the environment.