Silver spring to Alexandria using Sligo – where to go after Rhode Island Ave?

[DaveK]

It’s a relatively easy connection – You can see on this track how to get from Sligo Creek Trail to the Met Branch Trail and to Union Station. I did it reverse from what you will but the track is the same. From Union Station, just hop on down to the Mall and you’re good to go.

http://app.strava.com/activities/38136764

[Overtone]

@DaveK 48425 wrote:

It’s a relatively easy connection – You can see on this track how to get from Sligo Creek Trail to the Met Branch Trail and to Union Station. I did it reverse from what you will but the track is the same. From Union Station, just hop on down to the Mall and you’re good to go.

http://app.strava.com/activities/38136764

Thanks very much! Just what I was looking for.

John

[DaveK]

Pro tip: north of New Hampshire, Sligo Creek Parkway is closed to through traffic and is a far nicer riding experience than the trail. South of New Hampshire you have to be back on the trail, but take the Parkway while you can.

[consularrider]

@DaveK 48516 wrote:

Pro tip: north of New Hampshire, Sligo Creek Parkway is closed to through traffic and is a far nicer riding experience than the trail. South of New Hampshire you have to be back on the trail, but take the Parkway while you can.

That’s only on Sundays, right?

[DaveK]

@consularrider 48524 wrote:

That’s only on Sundays, right?

You’re right, should have mentioned that.

[Overtone]

Followup- I had a great 30mile ride on Saturday. I used the Sligo Parkway for part of the way where it had a wide shoulder, but once it narrowed, I switched over to the pathway. As noted above, it’s open to cars on Saturday.

Couple of notes about the trip. Given where I was coming from in northern Silver Spring, I decided to explore the uppermost part of the Northwest Branch trail then zip over the hump straight west to the northern end of the Sligo Creek trail. That didn’t work so well! Presumably all of you know that portion of the NB is a hiking trail full of rocks and deep sand. Perhaps passable to a serious mountain biker but I ended up carrying my bike for almost a mile till I could get off the trail. It was beautiful up there and I’m glad to have seen all the flowers. Next time I’ll have to figure out how to tell in advance the difference between a “trail” and a “trail”.

Also, I felt somewhat unsafe from the end of Sligo Creek trail where it joined the (paved) northwest branch, past West Hyattsville metro station and to 38th street where I turned off the trail. Even on a sunny Saturday afternoon there was basically no one around, MS13 spray painted on the trees, big housing projects nearby. Having just seen the thread on the mugging on the Custis… Am I just being a paranoid suburbanite? Would it be preferable to be in a group through there?

Later on, getting across the mall to the 14th street bridge entrance was No Fun due to the big crowds. Luckily that was a short distance and I could enjoy the MVT the rest of the way home into Alexandria.

Thanks to DaveK for pointing out the route.

John

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