(tldr: The signage is a bit better than it used to be, and now I’ve done it enough so I know the way, but the first few times I did get turned around. If you have some sort of map with you, either with a phone thingey or old fashioned paper, I don’t think one has to worry about getting too lost for too long)
With all the construction on First St NE, it’s better imo to be on the east side of Union station when hitting the southern MBT trail head. Going up 2nd street is inuitive, then turn left on M, go under the bridge, and the ramp to the trail is then immediately on the left (across from the Metro entrance)
The trail goes up as a MUP to Franklin St where it ends and you turn right onto 8th (I just had to look up the Franklin street name, so I think it doesn’t really matter to remember that detail, the signage for 8th street is visible and this intersection has always been well labelled)
The construction where 8th street meets Monroe and Michigan (and Catholic University) is finally coming to a point where the trail in more apparent (and actually exists now) Go directly across Monroe from 8th (no traffic light there, but there is a cross walk – there’s also a light one block down in either direction) when you cross the street there’s a brand new path that curves around the new apt/commerical complex between the building and the metro station & tracks. The path continues under Michigan to the Catholic University entrance of the Brookland metro stop (watch out for throngs of pedestrians, you’re kinda still on the sidewalk here)
The trail then parallels John McCormack Drive parallel to Catholic U. The road curves to the left at the dump where then you climb up to Ft Totten Drive. Ft Totten is narrow with erattic traffic, but you’re only on it for about 4 blocks until intersection with Gallatin St a four way stop where you make the left. (there’s a school on the right back corner of this intersection)
Then you’re looking for 3rd after you cross New Hampshire on Gallatin, make a right on 3rd and follow it all the way to Van Buren. Right on Van Buren, under the tracks, then immediately left on Sandy Spring which curves around to Maple, then a left at Carrol, the first signalled intersection.
There is an MBT directing one left at Carroll now. But that’s the one I missed the other day, so I wound up going all the way up to Philadephia. So I haven’t done the rest up the connection on that side – Carroll to Cedar to Eastern to connect to the trails that parallel the tracks. The other way I have connected to the trails that parallel Takoma Ave is using Piney Branch Road.
There are signs that start to direct you to the Georgetown Branch Trail around Fenton street and Philadelphia Ave, but their placement around Silver Spring itself I find uneven. If one goes all the way up Fenton, one will eventually come across the Green Trail on Wayne Ave, then one can take to 2nd Ave and the nominal start of the (interim) Georgetown Branch Trail. (there’s also shorcuts through some of the other streets before that, but I’m not familiar with those)
The last thing is, the last time I did this trip about a week ago, I didn’t see a sign from 2nd Ave after you cross 16th St that directs you to the left you need to make on either Hanover or Grace Chapel Road to connect to the Talbot bridge and mile 0.0 of the labelled GBT. (I’ve always done this loop in a clockwise direction until last week, so I’ve never looked for the left turn)
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, and so by 1 my legs might be a little tired.
