Lake Needwood–Westside Viewpoint, 6 sights is a 2.7-mile out-and-back in Rock Creek Regional Park near Avery, MD. The route passes Lake Needwood, Rock Creek Regional Park Beach and Westside Viewpoint. It is mostly level, with 174 ft of elevation gain, and mostly dirt. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi341 – 443 ft2.9 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Needwood Lake Circle 39.11643, -77.12803
Nearest town Avery, MD
Directions
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Lake Needwood–Westside Viewpoint, 6 sights
2.7 mi · ▲ 174 ft · 59 min
Elevation 342–444 ft
Out & Back · Rock Creek Regional Park
Trailhead: Needwood Lake Circle · 39.11643, -77.12803
Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:55 AM · sunset 7:11 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Needwood Lake Circle, heading SW.
- 50 ftPass Lake Needwood.
- 50 ftPass Rock Creek Regional Park Beach.
- 200 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Westside Trail, heading SW.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Parilla Path, heading NW.
- 50 ftPass Westside Viewpoint.
- 0.4 miTurn left onto Gude Trail, heading W.
- 0.8 miReach Lake Needwood, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.8 miTurn right onto Parilla Path, heading NE.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Westside Trail, heading SE.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Needwood Lake Circle, heading NE.
- 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
84% dirt11% gravel3% paved2% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:55 AMSunset 7:11 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.1 mi in (~30 min). Leave by 6:21 PM for the 7:11 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:54 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
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Hikes near Avery, Maryland