Detour Notice: As of September 2017, the Capital Crescent Trail east of downtown Bethesda was closed due to the construction of the Purple Line light-rail system. It is estimated that the reopening of the CCT from Bethesda to Silver Spring as a paved trail adjacent to the Purple Line will happen in 2025 or 2026. An on-road detour has been designated around the closure; a map of the route is available on the website for the Purple Line project.
Note: The detour involves busy Jones Bridge Road, which doesn’t have a shoulder or a marked bike lane. Trail users can find lower-stress alternatives to the official detour on the Washington Area Bicyclist Association website.
Overview
Forming an emerald arc around the northwestern borders of the District of Columbia, the Capital Crescent Trail, connects Washington to the Maryland suburbs through 12.7 miles of trail. The pathway is lushly wooded at many points along the trail, and at times, it is possible to forget that the hustle and bustle of the city is just a few short steps away.
About the Route
The southern end of the trail is located in D.C.’s Georgetown neighborhood, just a few blocks from the prestigious John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the infamous Watergate complex. The southernmost few miles of the trail are located within the Chesapeake & Ohio National Historical Park, and follows alongside the C&O towpath trail, with both trails - one asphalt and one gravel, nestled between the C&O Canal and the Potomac River. There are several places to switch between the trail routes, which are often at two different elevations, including Fletcher's Cove in D.C. The stone house overlooking Fletcher's Cove is one of the oldest structures along the Capital Crescent Trail, and this park features a rental shop that sells kayaks, canoes, rowboats, and even hydro bikes that trail users can take out on the Potomac.
From Fletcher's Cove, the Capital Crescent Trail splits off from the C&O canal via. a bridge suspended high above Canal Rd. NW. From here, there is a nearly continuous slight uphill grade all the way to Bethesda. Just past the DC-MD border, the trail goes through the Dalecarlia Tunnel, a 340-ft long brick structure. A feature of this tunnel is the unusual person-size cutouts designed to allow a pedestrian to move out of incoming train traffic.
Near here, the trail also passes through the Little Falls Stream Valley Park, where a number of hiking trails are available.
As the trail continues to chug uphill, the trail comes to an abrupt end in downtown Bethesda on Bethesda Ave. There are numerous retail and dining options here, perfect for tired and hungry trail users.
The Georgetown Branch Trail used to continue northeast from here, but construction on the Purple Line metro closed the trail in 2017. As of now, an interim Georgetown Branch Trail uses an on-road bike route to take trail users all the way to Silver Spring. Once completed, the Capital Crescent Trail will continue as a rail-with-trail alongside the Purple Line all the way to Silver Spring.
Connections
At the trail's southern endpoint, connections to the Rock Creek Park Trails are available.
In Brookmont, the trail intersects with the MacArthur Boulevard Bike Path (although the trail passes through a tunnel under MacArthur Boulevard) and the Little Falls Trail (MD).
In Silver Spring, the trail crosses the Rock Creek Trail (MD).
The Capital Crescent Trail parallels the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, with many connections available.
The Captial Crescent Trail is part of the Capital Trails Coalition, a series of interconnected trails in the Metropolitan Washington D.C. Region.
The Capital Crescent Trail is part of the Great American Rail Trail, a 3,700-mile route from Washington to Washington D.C.
Trail History
The Capital Crescent Trail has a rich and colorful history. It traces the route of the former Georgetown Branch of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, which opened in 1910. The line hauled freight for 75 years, including the coal that provided electricity for Georgetown’s streetcars and powered the steam plant that warmed federal buildings like the White House. Limestone for the construction of the Lincoln Memorial was also ferried on the tracks.
Please use this form to notify us of any changes or updates that we need to make to the trail information on TrailLink for this trail. RTC staff will review your submission and contact you if there is any need for further clarification.
