Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve

Dark Branch Trail–Sidewinder, 4 sights

8.3 mi · ▲ 498 ft · 3 hr 1 min

Dark Branch Trail–Sidewinder, 4 sights is an 8.3-mile out-and-back in Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve near Sugarloaf Vista, MD. It climbs 498 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 20/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi381 – 571 ft8.7 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 39.28387, -77.29300
Nearest town Sugarloaf Vista, MD

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Dark Branch Trail–Sidewinder, 4 sights

8.3 mi · ▲ 498 ft · 3 hr 1 min

Elevation 379–572 ft

Out & Back · Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve

Trailhead: 39.28387, -77.29300

Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:56 AM · sunset 7:11 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading W.
  2. 0.5 miBear left, heading SW.
  3. 0.6 miTurn left onto Sidewinder, heading SW.
  4. 200 ftContinue straight onto Hyattstown Mill Road, heading S.
  5. 0.3 miTurn left, heading SE.
  6. 0.2 miBear right onto Dark Branch Trail, heading NE.
  7. 0.5 miContinue straight onto Pine Grove Trail, heading NE.
  8. 0.2 miBear left onto Timber Ridge Trail, heading NE.
  9. 0.8 miTurn right onto Tobacco Barn Trail, heading SE.
  10. 1 miReach Sidewinder, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  11. 1 miTurn left onto Timber Ridge Trail, heading N.
  12. 0.8 miBear right onto Pine Grove Trail, heading W.
  13. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Dark Branch Trail, heading NE.
  14. 0.5 miBear left, heading SW.
  15. 0.2 miTurn right onto Hyattstown Mill Road, heading SW.
  16. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Sidewinder, heading NW.
  17. 150 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  18. 0.6 miBear right, heading NE.
  19. 0.4 miArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail surface

82% dirt18% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:56 AMSunset 7:11 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.5 mi in (~14 min). Leave by 6:37 PM for the 7:11 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:40 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead