AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Rock Creek Regional Park

Study Pond–Sunfish Pond, 3 lakes

12.8 mi · ▲ 402 ft · 4 hr 28 min

Study Pond–Sunfish Pond, 3 lakes is a 12.8-mile out-and-back in Rock Creek Regional Park near Stoney Brook, MD. The route passes Sunfish Pond before reaching Study Pond at the turnaround, 6.2 miles in. It climbs 402 ft. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi236 – 440 ft14.4 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 39.05743, -77.09171
Nearest town Stoney Brook, MD
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Study Pond–Sunfish Pond, 3 lakes

12.8 mi · ▲ 402 ft · 4 hr 28 min

Elevation 235–439 ft

Out & Back · Rock Creek Regional Park

Trailhead: 39.05743, -77.09171

Weather Sep 22: sunrise 6:57 AM · sunset 7:07 PM

Transit-accessible: Veirs Mill Rd & Turkey Branch Pkwy stop 347 m from the trailhead · Toilets at the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
  2. 200 ftSharp left onto Matthew Henson Trail, heading SW.
  3. 250 ftContinue straight onto Rock Creek Trail, heading SW.
  4. 1.2 miSharp left, heading NW.
  5. 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  6. 0.2 miBear left, heading NW.
  7. 0.8 miTurn right onto Rock Creek Trail Connector, heading N.
  8. 2.9 miTurn left, heading NE.
  9. 0.5 miPass Sunfish Pond.
  10. 0.2 miBear left, heading NW.
  11. 300 ftContinue straight onto Sunfish Trail, heading SW.
  12. 0.2 miPass Study Pond.
  13. 450 ftTurn right onto Lakeside Trail, heading W.
  14. 350 ftTurn left, heading W.
  15. 50 ftTurn right onto Muncaster Mill Trail, heading W.
  16. 300 ftTurn left onto Trail connector, heading W.
  17. 50 ftContinue straight onto Rocky Ridge Trail, heading SW.
  18. 250 ftBear right, heading W.
  19. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  20. 250 ftTurn right, heading W.
  21. 0.1 miTurn right, heading N.
  22. 150 ftReach Study Pond, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  23. 150 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  24. 0.1 miTurn left, heading N.
  25. 250 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  26. 350 ftContinue straight onto Trail connector, heading W.
  27. 50 ftTurn right onto Muncaster Mill Trail, heading W.
  28. 300 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  29. 50 ftTurn right onto Lakeside Trail, heading W.
  30. 350 ftTurn left onto Sunfish Trail, heading W.
  31. 0.3 miBear right, heading S.
  32. 0.8 miTurn right, heading NE.
  33. 2.9 miTurn left onto Rock Creek Trail, heading S.
  34. 0.8 miBear right, heading SW.
  35. 0.2 miBear left, heading SE.
  36. 250 ftTurn left, heading S.
  37. 50 ftSharp right, heading S.
  38. 0.4 miBear right, heading S.
  39. 0.3 miTurn left, heading S.
  40. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Matthew Henson Trail, heading NE.
  41. 250 ftSharp right, heading NE.
  42. 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 map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/study-pond-study-pond-out-back-5-lakes-21-km

Trail surface

31% paved28% dirt1% gravel40% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:57 AMSunset 7:07 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 4.7 mi in (~121 min). Leave by 4:46 PM for the 7:07 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:19 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Veirs Mill Rd & Turkey Branch Pkwy stop 347 m from the trailhead
  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Drinking water at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Stoney Brook, Maryland