Natural shelter & Burnt Mills Reservoir via Northwest Branch Trail
6.9 mi · ▲ 29 ft · 2 hr 19 min
Natural shelter & Burnt Mills Reservoir via Northwest Branch Trail is a 6.9-mile out-and-back in Wheaton Regional Park near Springwood, MD. The route passes Natural shelter before reaching Burnt Mills Reservoir at the turnaround, 3.3 miles in. It is mostly level, with 29 ft of elevation gain, and mostly dirt. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Natural shelter & Burnt Mills Reservoir via Northwest Branch Trail
6.9 mi · ▲ 29 ft · 2 hr 19 min
Elevation 234–292 ft
Out & Back · Wheaton Regional Park
Trailhead: 39.06181, -77.02887
Weather Sep 21: sunrise 6:56 AM · sunset 7:09 PM
Transit-accessible: Randolph Rd at Kemp Mill Rd stop 515 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading W.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 450 ftBear left onto Little Bit Loop Trail, heading NE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Wheaton Way, heading E.
- 400 ftBear left onto Northwest Branch Trail, heading NE.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading E.
- 0.2 miPass Natural shelter.
- 2.4 miPass Burnt Mills Reservoir.
- 0.2 miReach Natural shelter, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 1.6 miBear right, heading N.
- 1.2 miTurn right, heading W.
- 0.4 miBear right onto Wheaton Way, heading W.
- 450 ftContinue straight onto Little Bit Loop Trail, heading W.
- 50 ftBear right, heading W.
- 450 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
Weather
Good to know
- Transit-accessible: Randolph Rd at Kemp Mill Rd stop 515 m from the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Azalea Garden–40th Anniversary Grove, 7 groves 2.4 mi · ▲ 134 ft
- 40th Anniversary Grove & Little Bit Loop Trail 1.1 mi · ▲ 113 ft
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