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 Reporter |
Summary: This is a loop trail that includes the woods and high prominences of Blockhouse Point Park with a horse trail through National Park Service land and a return along the C&O Canal towpath. Views of the Potomac from the highpoints are excellent. There are also 3.5 miles of side trails or alternate routes as shown on the map. All trail within MNCPPC land are marked by signposts and blue blazes. Trails outside the park are not marked. The canal can be crossed only at Pennyfield Lock and Violett's Lock. Use the topo map on this page to see the whole loop hike. Email the hike reporter for turn-by-turn trail notes. There is an excellent map giving names of the trails within the confines of the Blockhouse Point Park at http://www.mc-mncppc.org/trails/trails_MAPS/blockhouse_point.shtm Trailhead: From the Washington Beltway (I 495) proceed north on River Road through Potomac Center. Turn left onto Pennyfield Lock Road. First parking area on the right is nearest the trailhead. Cross over Muddy Branch Creek to get to the trail. Do not cross the canal. Alternatively, there are two marked parking areas on River Road. Finally, you may stay on River Road and turn left onto Violette's Lock Road and park at the end of the road. (Lat:39.0567 Lon:-77.29376) Trail Guides for Blockhouse Point Loop: Hikes in the Washington Region Part A Montgomery and Frederick in Maryland by Potomac Applachian Trail club (Potomac Applachian Trail Club) Best Seasons: Year-Round User Groups: Hikers, Dogs, Horses, Ranger Contact: Trail covers Montgomery Parks land as well as National Park Service land Localhikes Reporter: This hike was submitted by Richard Denton, who has posted 14 other hikes on this site Trail Reviews Page 1 of 2 Submit your own review 
Reviewed by robert on 1/25/2009 I am not sure what happened with my last review. I have run this loop twice with my dogs and it is a nice trail loop that has a couple miles of towpath for variety. Both times I have done the loop I have parked at the blockhouse parking lot and run south to PFL to cross out onto TP and then North to VL. When you cross at VL you have to run up the road to the first driveway on rt. It is a common driveway for two houses and then it keeps going South and becomes a trail. It looks well travelled by horses and is easy to follow. Once back in the blockhouse network, you really have to have a map (available online from MNCPPC) to know which way to turn. All the intersections in BH are well marked. It is a good trail run of about 7.5mi.
Reviewed by Tim B. on 12/28/2008 PLEASE READ - This is a nice walk in the woods (if you can avoid the horse manure), but it is a circuit hike only if you know where to cross the canal (Penny's Lock Road & Violette's Lock Road). The map that is referenced DOES NOT show Violette's Lock Rd, and you cannot cross the canal to complete a loop unless you make it that far. Unfortunately, the description leaves this fact out, and a circuit would take you along River Road for a significant distance. 
Reviewed by KN on 7/20/2008 Hiked the trail w/ my 4 and 6 yr olds this morning (7/20) -brief, but noisy contact w/ River Rd. served as good orientation for my first time on trail and where we actually saw a fawn. Be aware, track from bottom of Canyon Trail east to parking lot (shown in yellow) is not well travelled - canal provides all the situational awareness required to get "home". A little long for my 2 dudes, but tired kids eat/sleep really well.
Reviewed by bambi on 1/6/2008 I'm sure Vivek has probably slit his wrists by now...poor soul...My new squeeze and I enjoyed the trail (especially the signs of beaver activity (I mean the animal, of course), and even more enjoyed reading the endless blogs about a suburban trail, of all things...Can we all find something better to do, please?
Reviewed by Rob on 11/18/2007 Good low intensity hike. Very nice views over the river make it all worth while. 
Reviewed by RJD on 5/31/2007 The only two crossings of the canal are at Pennyfield Lock and Violette's Lock. To do the loop, you must cross both of them.
Reviewed by RM on 5/5/2007 Very beautiful, quiet, not crowded. A great place to find some peace. Hills but nothing rigorous. I found it well marked - but the map made a difference - recommended. Problem mentioned by other hiker likely stems from starting down Pennyfield Lock Road. This is NOT one of the entrances on the map, though the directions above start you here. We ended up starting on PLR, which is on the canal - there is a way to get to the trails by heading west. Again, our map corrected our coordinates. Starting at PLR is fine, but it is much more walking to get to the views of the Potomac. But this is a great getaway. Q: where can you get to the tow path other than at PLR? I wanted to return on the canal from the point, but found no crossover.
Reviewed by Jean on 4/29/2007 We've been hiking Blockhouse Point for about 8 years -- well before trail signs (which are an interesting addition). We do it a couple of times a year when we don't feel like getting out farther to the mountains. It can be hiked in any configuration one wants -- combine with the C&O or make a figure-8 loop which involves some bushwacking off the horse trail on the Muddy Branch side. The views are lovely each season -- from the Callithea Farm on one side to the cliff overlooking the Potomac on another. As an added bonus, the trail is definitely NOT overcrowded; we can hike for 3 or 4 hours and meet only a couple of other people. It's nice to have this little bit of serenity and quiet so close to home. Notice: Traveling in the backcountry can be hazardous. You are responsible for informing yourself about these hazards and taking necessary precautions. Information on this web site comes from volunteer reporters and may contain errors or omissions. A current guidebook and proper equipment are essential for safe enjoyment of the hikes posted on this site. Keys: Maryland Hiking, Maryland Trails, Maryland Hikes, Montgomery County Hiking, Montgomery County Trails, Montgomery County Hikes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||