Rock Creek Regional Park

Lake Frank Overlook–Lake Bernard Frank, 4 lakes

5.5 mi · ▲ 220 ft · 1 hr 57 min

Lake Frank Overlook–Lake Bernard Frank, 4 lakes is a 5.5-mile out-and-back in Rock Creek Regional Park near Sycamore Acres, MD. The route passes Sunfish Pond and Lake Bernard Frank before reaching Lake Frank Overlook at the turnaround, 2.7 miles in. It is mostly level, with 220 ft of elevation gain, and mostly dirt. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi302 – 436 ft5.8 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 39.10543, -77.09217
Nearest town Sycamore Acres, MD

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Lake Frank Overlook–Lake Bernard Frank, 4 lakes

5.5 mi · ▲ 220 ft · 1 hr 57 min

Elevation 302–435 ft

Out & Back · Rock Creek Regional Park

Trailhead: 39.10543, -77.09217

Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:55 AM · sunset 7:10 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
  2. 0.4 miTurn left, heading S.
  3. 0.7 miPass Sunfish Pond.
  4. 150 ftBear left, heading SW.
  5. 350 ftContinue straight onto Sunfish Trail, heading W.
  6. 0.2 miTurn right onto Lakeside Trail, heading N.
  7. 350 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  8. 50 ftTurn left onto Muncaster Mill Trail, heading S.
  9. 0.3 miSharp left onto Lakeside Trail, heading NW.
  10. 0.1 miPass Lake Bernard Frank.
  11. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Old Nasty, heading W.
  12. 50 ftBear right onto Lakeside Trail, heading NW.
  13. 0.7 miReach Lake Frank Overlook, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  14. 0.7 miBear left onto Old Nasty, heading E.
  15. 50 ftContinue straight onto Lakeside Trail, heading NE.
  16. 0.3 miSharp right onto Muncaster Mill Trail, heading E.
  17. 0.3 miTurn right, heading SE.
  18. 50 ftTurn right onto Lakeside Trail, heading SE.
  19. 400 ftTurn left onto Sunfish Trail, heading N.
  20. 0.3 miBear right, heading S.
  21. 0.7 miTurn right, heading SE.
  22. 0.3 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% dirt2% gravel16% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:55 AMSunset 7:10 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.2 mi in (~5 min). Leave by 6:46 PM for the 7:10 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:31 PM — 6 min before dark.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead