MD Rail Trail Biking Club

4.9•349 ratings

Silver Spring, MD, US

About us

The purpose of this group is to give our fellow Maryland bike riders opportunities to:

explore familiar and new bike trails mostly in MD, and occasionally in DC, VA, DE, PA, NJ and NY.
socialize and make new friends.
have fun while exercising.
travel with a familiar group to participate in day trips and weekend getaways for bikers
travel with a familiar group to participate in larger bike events such as "Bike Philly"
volunteer for bike events
support bike advocate groups such as Bike Maryland and WABA.

Although most participants have been in the over 40+ age range, we welcome bikers of all ages, as well as all skill levels, gender identifications, ethnicities, races, etc.

Most of the events are for casual bicycle riding on scenic trails. We target rail and greenway trails, which are bicycle-friendly trails that tend to parallel old train tracks, canals, and rivers. Since trains did not do well on anything over a 3% grade, these trails are amazingly flat. They go through some beautiful areas and quaint towns, often where food and drink are plentiful.

We avoid streets as much as possible, although some of the trails may include a bike lane or shoulder for a small portion of the ride. Only a small number of routes use roads more than 25% of the time. Any route that is mostly on roads will be titled with "ROAD RIDE " so they can be easily identified.

Although we are mainly interested in "day trips," We also like to schedule at least one overnight each year.

Most rides will have distance options such as 10, 15, 20, etc., that you can choose from. And we'll range between 8 - 15 mph (some of us are slower, some are faster). This will make for a pretty laid-back ride and riders of just about any skill level should be fine. This is not about performance!

Group Fees
At this time there is no event fee or annual group fee. But please consider making a small donation to offset the $300 annual Meetup fee, the $80 annual Ride with GPS fee, and the huge number of hours the organizer's use to research destinations, check for trail construction, parking, writing, answering member questions, etc. in lieu of doing their personal errands.

Volunteer organizers are needed
If you’re in the mood to ride a particular trail and would like to let others join you, let me know and I’ll gladly add your event and put you as the organizer - even if there’s already a bike trip listed the same day. The more the merrier!

What do I need to bring?
Bike details: A proper-fitting bike that has had a maintenance check. Hybrids, mountain bikes, and road bikes (as long as they don't have the ultra-thin tires); the trails tend to be a mixture of asphalt, crushed limestone, and gravel.

Helmet: Required to be worn when seated/riding a bike.

Some other gear that is almost mandatory:

Water (water bottles or a backpack style hydration system)
Spare tube: Even if you don't know how to change a flat, someone in the group will be able to do it for you and it's MUCH easier to change a tube than to patch one
Bike tools (a tire repair and patch kit and spare tube is always a good idea)
Bike lock (we do stop for food and drink and the bike is not always in view)
A payment method
Good attitude (we're fun people!)

Other things to consider:

Bug spray
Sunscreen
Sunglasses
Small first aid kit
Bike bag to hold everything
Biking shorts (padded shorts may look strange to the uninitiated, but they sure do the trick)
In cooler seasons, wear an upper layer that can be removed when you get warmed up.
Please read our group rules

Please Note
We place limits on the number of riders that can join any single ride. Be aware of this when you join a ride. If you find you won't be able to make the ride, please move yourself from ‘Going’ to ‘Not Going’ ASAP and no later than 24 hours before the event start time to give others the chance to join. If you wait till the day of the event then you’re not giving others the time to take your place. Please don’t RSVP to an event just to add it to your calendar; only RSVP if you truly feel you will make it.

Make sure you get to the Meetup location before start time. Give yourself enough time to get your bike off/out of the car and ready by the start time (at least 15 minutes). Especially in summer, it’s too hot to stand around waiting for late arrivals to get ready. If you’re running late, please message the group on Meetup so we know whether to leave or wait a bit.

Upcoming events

See all

Bike Season Kick Off: Neon Ride at Historic Ellicott City
Sun, Mar 15 · 1:45 PM EDT
Historic Ellicott City Lot A, 1233 Oella Avenue, Ellicott City, MD, US
**Check back to see if the date or start time has changed. This ride could be postponed if the temperature is too cold, the chance of rain is above 40%, or wind speed is above 15 mph or wind gusts are above 20 mph (per Weatherbug) **

Thanks goes to HJ Park for suggesting this ride and helping me develop this route.

NEON RIDE - Wear something neon/bright (if you have it). For example, tops, pants, socks, shoes, gloves, or helmet.

PARKING Online Map Link:
***Parking lot A on Oella Dr.
If you can’t find parking in lot A, find street parking, or go to one of their other free parking lots nearby (B, C, D, E, F, and G - go across the bridge up Main Street and look for the blue and white “P” signs for the lots. The courthouse lot is one block above Main St.) I recommend you arrive early so you can make sure you find parking and have time to get to the meeting spot on time.
**Lot B: From Lot A, turn left then right onto Main St (Frederick Rd). Go over the bridge and make an immediate right into Lot B.

**Lot C: From Lot B, turn right onto Main St (Frederick Rd), go under the train bridge, turn left onto Maryland Ave /3701 Mulligans Hill Ln.
Lot D: 8318 Forrest St.
Lot E: Go up the hill on Main St. There should be a sign on the right side near Pheonix Upper Main for the lot entrance.
Lot F: 8390-8398 Frederick Rd (Main St.)
Lot G: Coming out of F, turn right on Fels Lane, then left into lot F. Parking along Ellicott Mills Drive is also free

MEETING SPOT & CHECK-IN
Meet in Lot A on Oella Dr. at 1:45, by the stairway. If the lot is crowded, look for me (Keryn), with a yellow safety vest and white helmet, on the grassy area across the street from parking lot A. After check-ins, we will form an oval and do an icebreaker.

Note: I will need volunteers to lead groups of 3-4 riders across Frederick Rd and two other crossings. I'll have loaner safety vests, if needed.

PACE: It’s up to you. HOWEVER: The event organizers haven't been riding since last November, so we'll probably be riding at a slower pace than usual!
· If you prefer a faster pace than the lead riders, you can make stops to wait for them to catch up.
· If you’re not sure what your avg. speed is, be prepared to use a nav app to ride solo in case you don’t catch up to us at our stops.

BIKE ROUTE SUMMARY
This route starts in Historic Ellicott City, right off Main Street. To learn more, see Historic Sites.

There are three distance options to choose from, but participants can modify their distance at any point. These routes offer a wide variety of views - the Patapsco river, stone arch bridges, metal bridges, quiet country roads, pine tree forests, fields, and airplanes in action.

DISTANCE OPTIONS

OPTION A: 10.7 miles lollipop loop, +/- 494 ft.
A mix of low-traffic country roads and a well-maintained hiker/biker trail in Patapsco State Park (we don’t need to pay to enter). We take Frederick Rd for .6 miles (wide shoulders) then take River Rd (about 1 mile) to the park. Then take Grist Mill trail to the end, make a hairpin turn and then take River Rd to the swinging bridge. Bathrooms are here (across from the swinging bridge). Cross the bridge and return back the same way. This loop provides close-up river views and captures the beauty of Patapsco Park. You will cross two of its bridges and enjoy the river views most of the way.

OPTION B: 22 miles total +/- 786 ft. Steepest section is a 4% incline over .7 miles
(Keryn plans to do this option)

From the OPTION A turnaround point, this route takes you out to the BWI Loop entry point before returning. (Participants may decide to return earlier). If food is needed, you will pass a gas station on the way.

OPTION C: 32.7 miles total, 1643 ft 3:00 hours.
-----You need to have a nav app to for this option-----There is no lead for this option at this time-----

In addition to biking the first half of Option A, and adding Option B, you will then get on the BWI Loop trail (total 10.7 miles), a well-maintained paved loop. It’s a moderately challenging route, mostly paved, with some slight grades along the way. Although, there were two short segments with some tree root bumps. This has two good stop areas to enjoy views and watch airplanes: Andover Park (picnic table and bike stand) and Friendship Park. Friendship Park has port-o-johns and bike repair stand. There is a Burger King opposite the trail loop.

BATHROOMS
-In Historic Ellicott City: The Visitor Center (lower level -back entry near Lot D on Main St) and at retail establishments

-In Patapsco Park we will pass a couple of park bathrooms

-At the BWI airport, there is a Burger King on the southeast side and port-o-potties are at Friendship Park.

BIKE RENTALS
NA

BIKE REPAIR
The Cycle Mill
169 Frederick Rd
Ellicott City, MD

OPTION TO SOCIALIZE BEFORE AND AFTER THE RIDE
- Farmers Market on Saturday mornings in Lot D.
- There is usually live outdoor music being played in Lot D in the afternoons.
There is ample seating outside the Little Market Cafe. I plan to park my car in Lot D and sit around the fire pit area for a lunch break after completing Option B. There's many other food options and places to picnic in this town.

Things to do:
- Explore Main Street.
- Visit the Railroad Museum (right across the bridge). It has an awesome miniature train display set up in a separate building.
- Visit the visitor center (go up Main St towards Lot D)
- Firehouse Museum (up the hill at 3829 Church Rd)
- Museum of Howard County (up the hill at 8328 Court Ave, open 1-5, free),
-Ellicott City Courthouse area (has a nice scenic overlook of the town)
- Patapsco Female Institude (there are usually volunteer tour guides there giving free tours), walk up Trolley Line # 9.

RECOMMENDATIONS
Bring: Water bottles, snacks, biking gloves, bike bell, bike lock, helmet visor, sunglasses, bike tube, pump, patch, first aid kit, mobile phone with nav app installed (e.g. Google maps, we use RidewithGPS). If you get leg cramps during or after a ride, take electrolytes before and during your ride (or add salt and magnesium to your water). A change of clothes for your ride home or a car seat cover to absorb sweat.
Clothing: Wear biking gloves and durable clothing so that if you do fall, your skin is protected. Avoid wearing all black, all dark, all dark brown, or all dark blue, which blends in with pavement, especially while riding through a shady segment. Consider wearing something light to help others notice you.

REQUIREMENTS
Be proactive to avoid a fall/crash and minimize injury:
- Keep a distance between yourself and other bikers. If the biker ahead of you suddenly stops, you should be able to avoid hitting them.
- Don’t make stops on the trail. Pull over to the side and use hand gestures to let people know you’re slowing down to make a stop.
- Yelling out “Passing on your left” and/or ringing a bike bell as you approach people ahead of you, so they don’t inadvertently move in your line of travel.
- Slow down to wait, rather than speeding up when trying to pass people at the same time walkers/bikers are approaching you from the opposite direction.
- Avoid potholes and debris and slow down when approaching bumps
  · When approaching road crossings and iffy situations, triple-check before crossing and don’t let yourself be distracted by talking, etc.
- Ensure your helmet is tightly secured so that it won’t move if you hit the ground.
- MEETUP POLICIES
  Participants should understand that biking is an inherently dangerous activity, and an accident could happen at any time. Participation is at your own risk.
  An RSVP of “Yes” to an event is your digital signature acknowledging that you have read, understood, and agree with Meetup’s and MD Rail Trail Biking’s policies, esp. section 6 “Release” and section 8.2 ” Limitation of Liability,” found at https://www.meetup.com/terms/
9 attendees
College Park Loop Trail (five trails)
Sat, Mar 21 · 2:15 PM EDT
Home Depot parking lot, 4700 Cherry Hill Rd, College Park, MD, US
**Check back to see if the date or start time has changed. This ride will be postponed (possibly replaced with another ride) if the chance of rain is above 49%, or wind speed or wind gusts are above 15 mph (per Accuweather) **

SKILL LEVEL
All levels will enjoy this ride. It is mostly flat until we get closer to Bladensburg Waterfront Park where we encounter a couple of inclines.

METRO OPTION
Greenbelt Metro Station

PARKING AND MEETING SPOT
Home Depot, College Park, parking lot. Park after the storage sheds against the brick boundary wall. (The trail parking lot is too small and has no bathrooms.) Plan to arrive by 9:45 so you have time to prepare and do a test ride. After check-in at 10, we will do an icebreaker question then ride over to the trailhead. This involves one traffic light crossing and biking a short distance on a sidewalk.

ROUTE DETAILS
The organizers will stop every two miles to regroup so slower riders can catch up and we stop at intersections that could be confusing. Faster riders may wish to meet us at a designated regroup point.

Paint Branch Trail begins on Cherry Hill Rd. It goes south to the UMD campus. It is one of the flatter trails and also has several shady segments making it suitable for summer biking. We will regroup at the T-junction before the route 1 tunnel.

After reaching UMD, we will connect to the Lake Artemesia Trail, which takes us to the scenic Lake Artemesia. Regroup at the bathrooms in the middle.

After biking around the lake, we'll get on the NE Branch Trail and make a quick stop at the College Park airport/College Park Aviation Museum - the longest operating airport in the world and where Wilbur Wright trained the first aviators.

We'll take the NE Branch Trail down to Bladensburg Waterfront Park. (Water station and bathroom stop). We'll regroup before crossing the bridge and then at the park by the caboose.

We'll return on NE Branch Trail and regroup before we make a left on Rachel Carson Greenway Trail (a short sidewalk on Charles Armentrout Dr) to the Route 1 light. Turn right onto Rhode Island Ave Trail. Take RI Ave Trail north until College Park Community Center. Turn right onto Paint Branch Trail and go back to the start.

DISTANCE OPTIONS
Participants are welcome to turn back at any point. The below are just suggestions.
Option A Bike 3 miles up to UMD campus and return.
Option B Bike 5 miles to and around Lake Artemesia and return
Option C Bike ~9 miles down to Bladensburg Waterfront Park and back to the starting point [The organizers plan to do this].
Option D Bike additional miles by continuing on Paint Branch Trail going north for additional 6 miles.

BATHROOMS
Home Depot
UMD campus
Lake Artemesia
Bladensburg Park
Riverdale Center

BIKE RENTALS
NA
BIKE REPAIR
Proteus Bike Shop (North end of the Trolley Trail)
RECOMMENDATIONS
Bring: Water bottles, snacks, bike bell, bike lock, helmet visor, sunglasses, bike tube, pump, patch, first aid kit, mobile phone with nav app installed (e.g. Google maps, we use RidewithGPS). If you get leg cramps during or after a ride, take electrolytes before and during your ride (or add salt and magnesium to your water). A change of clothes for your ride home or a car seat cover to absorb sweat.
Clothing: Wear biking gloves and durable clothing so that if you do fall, your skin is protected. Avoid wearing all black, all dark grey, all dark brown, or all dark blue, which blends in with pavement, especially while riding through a shady segment. Consider wearing something light to help others notice you.
REQUIREMENTS
Be proactive to avoid a fall/crash and minimize injury:
· Keep a distance between yourself and other bikers. If the biker ahead of you suddenly stops, you should be able to avoid hitting them.
· Don’t make stops on the trail. Pull over to the side and use hand gestures to let people know you’re slowing down to make a stop.
· Yelling out “Passing on your left” and/or ringing a bike bell as you approach people ahead of you, so they don’t inadvertently move in your line of travel.
· Slow down to wait, rather than speeding up when trying to pass people at the same time walkers/bikers are approaching you from the opposite direction.
· Avoid potholes and debris and slow down when approaching bumps
· When approaching road crossings and iffy situations, triple-check before crossing and don’t let yourself be distracted by talking, etc.
· Ensure your helmet is tightly secured so that it won’t move if you hit the ground.

MEETUP POLICIES
Participants should understand that biking is an inherently dangerous activity, and an accident could happen at any time. Participation is at your own risk.
An RSVP of “Yes” to an event is your digital signature acknowledging that you have read, understood, and agree with Meetup’s and MD Rail Trail Biking’s policies,
2 attendees
9 seats left
Three Covered Bridges and Thurmont Trolley Trail - ROAD RIDE
Sat, May 2 · 1:00 PM EDT
Thurmont Regional Library, 76 E Moser Rd, Thurmont, MD, US
**Check back to see if the date or start time has changed. This ride will be postponed (possibly replaced with another ride) if the chance of rain is above 29%, or wind speed or wind gusts are above 14 mph (per Accuweather) **

Note: This is a more challenging ride due to more elevation changes than usual. Only sign up if you know you can complete it.

DESCRIPTION
Join us for a cycling adventure in Frederick County where we'll get the feeling of stepping back in time while riding through historic covered bridges (originally built in the 1800's), riding on the historic Thurmont Trolley Trail (it is currently about 1.3 miles long) and passing through the historic Main Street.

This route is moderately hilly and on country roads, so you need to have biked at least 15 miles as well as done some hills within the past 7 days to be able to comfortably complete the shortest distance option. And you need to feel comfortable biking single-file on country roads without a shoulder.

We did this ride last year and only encountered about six cars on the 23-miles option. Local drivers seemed used to seeing bikers in their neighborhood but we still recommend wearing neon tops and use flashing lights.

You should be able bike an average speed of at least 14 mph on flat trails to keep up. Although we will stop to regroup and to take 2 minute breaks, we won't wait, and I don't expect anyone else to wait, more than two minutes for slower riders to catch up on this particular event. You will need to use your nav app to complete the ride if you fall too far behind.

PARKING & MEETUP SPOTS FOR ALL OPTIONS: Thurmont Library (it is open on weekends). Meet us in the parking lot near the Trolley Trail entrance.

ELEVATION: Ranges from 780 to 1098 ft.

DISTANCE OPTIONS

Option A: 15.6-mile out and back trip, +/- 780 ft, to the Utica Mills Covered Bridge.
-Bike from the library down to Utica Covered Bridge. Option to go on your own into the Utica District Park for bathrooms and rest before returning. It is one mile to get there, so you add two extra miles for this option.
-Bike back to the library.
Ride with GPS: Option A map

Option C: 23.4-mile loop, +/- 1098 ft (without Utica Park stop).
-Bike from the library down to Utica Mills Covered Bridge. (Option to go on your own one more mile down to the Utica Park for bathroom or water).
-Then bike up 11 miles to Loys Station Covered Bridge. Option to take a rest stop at the park.
-Then bike northwesterly up to the Roddy Road Covered Bridge. Option to take a rest stop at the adjacent park.
-Then bike south to the Thurmont Trolley Trail on the way back to the library.

Ride with GPS: Option C map

SEGMENT DISTANCES
Distance from Thurmont Library to Utica Mills Bridge: 7.6 miles
Distance from Utica Bridge to Utica Park: 1 mile
Distance from Utica Mills Bridge to Loys Station Bridge: 8.8 miles
Distance from Loys Station Bridge to Roddy Road Bridge: 4.2 miles
Distance from Roddy Road Bridge to Thurmont Library: 2.8 miles

We will stop to regroup and rest along the way.

BATHROOMS
There are covered pit toilets at each of the three parks by the bridges. It is optional to stop. Participants can choose to skip taking a break with others at each rest area.

REQUIREMENTS
A helmet must be worn while seated on a bike.
A fully charged cell phone with nav app installed.
You must be comfortable following a nav app/cue sheet on your phone.

NEW: Wear light color/neon color top or bottoms. Avoid grey and black so you stand out from the road.
Post when you have returned to your car in the event.

BIKING ETTIQUETTE FOR THIS ROUTE
- Many sections of roads won’t have a shoulder. Please ride single file and notify others of oncoming cars by yelling “car up” or “car back”

- If you’re going to pass another biker, yell “ passing on your left”
- Don't make sudden stops on the road. Instead, yell "slowing down" and pull over onto the side.

RECOMMENDATIONS
Extra drinks/water, snacks and packed lunch (there are picnic tables at each of the three parks nearby each covered bridge).

Backpack, sunglasses or visor, sunscreen, biking gloves, change of clothes, washcloth, spare tire, tire patch, tire pump

Clothing (this is just a guideline).
If weather forecast is below 60*F layer with long-sleeves under a jacket (consider windproof), long comfy pants (add tights if it's below 45*F), and thicker gloves, thicker socks and windproof shoes.

If weather forecast is above 60*F, you may feel comfortable with a T-shirt and shorts, thinner gloves, thinner socks and shoes.

Electrolytes to avoid cramping. If you get leg cramps after long bike rides, consider having Mg and salt the day before as during the ride and the day after.

Use a flashing light on your helmet or on the rear of your bike.

OPTIONAL TRIP IDEAS
See/slide the biggest wooden slide in Maryland at Mount Tabor Park in Rocky Ridge, afterwards. See the article This Giant Slide Will Make You Feel Like a Kid Again

OPTIONAL SOCIAL EVENT AFTERWARDS
Food options nearby: Thurmont Country Kitchen, Simply Asia, Mountain Gateway Family Restaurant, Fratelli's NY Pizza, Taco Bell/KFT, McDonald's, Los Amigos

**PARTICIPATION IS AT YOUR OWN RISK**
3 attendees
NYC 5 Boro Bike Tour 2026 (40-mile route)
Sun, May 3 · 7:00 AM EDT
Bowling Green, Broadway and Whitehall Street, New York, NY, US
Official website: TD Five Boro Bike Tour - Bike New York

## Registration

2026 Tour registration is open! Sign up now.

## Standard (Adult & Youth)

Standard registration for adults and youth costs $157.56 (including processing fees), $31 of which is a tax-deductible charitable donation to Bike New York to help fund our free bike education, advocacy, and community outreach programming. Standard registration includes:
- Rider Identification Kit (helmet cover, bib & bike plate) – this is your key to enter and participate in the Tour
- Snacks and entertainment at rest areas along the route
- Fully supported route with additional water stops
- Access to free bike repair along the route (labor is free; parts may cost extra)
- Access to SAG (Support and Gear) vehicles
- Entry to the Finish Festival on Staten Island
- Special edition finisher medal
TEAMS NOTE: If you want to ride with friends and family, we strongly recommend you create/join a team, so you’ll all be assigned to the same start wave. The team name for this group is "Team Jess Boyd Awesome!"

For more information, visit our FAQ page and click on the teams question.
2 attendees