Met Branch Trail – where the heck is it?!

[Greenbelt]

The best entrance is sort of hidden just across from the NYAve metro and facing the opposite direction from what you’d expect! -Jeff

[video=vimeo;28335448]http://vimeo.com/28335448[/video]

[ronwalf]

@KLizotte 12974 wrote:

It was nice out at lunch today so I snuck out on my bike with the intention of checking out the MBT for the first time. Hahahaha. Never really found it. Is it hiding in plain sight?

The entrance to the current bike portion is on the south side of M street, between 1st and 3rd:
http://g.co/maps/t3tj4
http://g.co/maps/r7gbr
I have no idea if they plan on extending it south or not.

[KLizotte]

Many thanks to Greenbelt and ronwalf; I’m sure I’ll be fine the next time I head out to the MBT. The video was very useful since I recognized much of the ride from my foray this afternoon (must check out that coffee shop on F). What makes it so confusing is that the MBT website shows an off-street *trail* starting at Union Station when really all they are doing is designating ordinary sidewalks as a bona-fide trail. If they had instead just posted street signs pointing to the M Street entrance it would have been far less confusing. Grrrrrr

And you’re right, the entrance does point in a direction opposite from what I was expecting and I didn’t know the trail runs right next to the metro line.

I’m planning on using Dirt’s directions (from the pot luck dinner posting today) as my guide to the entrance of the Hyattsville trail network. I’ve been putting off exploring the Anacostia trails because I didn’t want to take metro to get there but now I see it’s easily bikable presuming I don’t get lost (again).

Hoping for another 60+ weekend so I can go exploring.

Many thanks again.

[consularrider]

@KLizotte 12985 wrote:

…Hoping for another 60+ weekend so I can go exploring.

Many thanks again.

You are the eternal optomist. Get your studded tires out! :p

[DaveK]

@KLizotte 12985 wrote:

(must check out that coffee shop on F)

You’ll like it. I drop by on nice days with my dog since our vet is across the street. They have great drinks and I’m a big fan of their breakfast food (tacos and sandwiches).

[KLizotte]

@ronwalf 12977 wrote:

The entrance to the current bike portion is on the south side of M street, between 1st and 3rd:
http://g.co/maps/r7gbr

You’ll note from the picture that there isn’t any sign indicating that is the entrance to the MBT. There should be a really BIG sign if you ask me.

[KLizotte]

@DaveK 12997 wrote:

You’ll like it. I drop by on nice days with my dog since our vet is across the street. They have great drinks and I’m a big fan of their breakfast food (tacos and sandwiches).

Cool! Fuel for the bike of course.

[JimF22003]

Between Saturday and Sunday, the temps together may add up to 60 degrees. Going to be a cold weekend.

On a related note, I’ve ridden to the Bethesda end of the CCT several times, but could never figure out where the Georgetown Branch continued on from there. Finally I found it the last time I rode on it a couple of weeks ago. It was sort of hidden in plain sight, but in my opinion it was still hidden.

Oh, and I’m pretty sure I saw one of the Politico reporters who regularly appears on MSNBC with his baby on the CCT that day… My brush with greatness for the day.

[Riley Casey]

You may want to to take a buddy along if it’s not a busy time of day. There have been reports of robberies on the MBT. I’ve only ridden it a few times outside of rush hour but a large part of it is still on streets rather than a dedicated trail.

@KLizotte 12985 wrote:

… snip

I’m planning on using Dirt’s directions (from the pot luck dinner posting today) as my guide to the entrance of the Hyattsville trail network. I’ve been putting off exploring the Anacostia trails because I didn’t want to take metro to get there but now I see it’s easily bikable presuming I don’t get lost (again).

Hoping for another 60+ weekend so I can go exploring. … snip …

[DaveK]

@Riley Casey 13047 wrote:

You may want to to take a buddy along if it’s not a busy time of day. There have been reports of robberies on the MBT. I’ve only ridden it a few times outside of rush hour but a large part of it is still on streets rather than a dedicated trail.

Daytime is pretty safe although there have been a couple of incidents, but you can say that about anywhere. I have reservations about a woman alone on that trail at night though. Heck, I have reservations about myself alone out there at night, especially up towards RI Ave. That’s the really sketchy part. Although with the frigid weather they may all be inside…

[KLizotte]

@DaveK 13049 wrote:

Daytime is pretty safe although there have been a couple of incidents, but you can say that about anywhere. I have reservations about a woman alone on that trail at night though. Heck, I have reservations about myself alone out there at night, especially up towards RI Ave. That’s the really sketchy part. Although with the frigid weather they may all be inside…

I would never do the MBT at night and the robbery reports were the main reason why I have avoided it thus far and have always assumed that I’d have to take metro out to the Anacostia trail network. Not sure what I’ll do….

[Greenbelt]

I take the MBT every night. Never had a problem. But I’m also 200 pounds riding a pretty smudged up bike with flashing lights and tape and stickers all over — not exactly theft bait. I don’t know if this is a good idea, but one thing maybe worth considering for security late at night might might be to just wait at the trailhead or at the top of the ramp by the NYAve station for another rider and follow along at their pace? Or do the same by that new apartment building on 8th street for the run back to DC? There’s usually at least a few riders even at 9 or 10 pm unless the weather’s just awful.

[Dirt]

One of the highlights of the MBT is this wonderful confection of a car:

[Author]

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