Rock Creek Greenway Hike

Overview

The paved trails along this powerline corridor provide excellent walking, biking, and jogging opportunities. A series of wetlands along the trail, beginning with Bethany Lake and going east, give shelter to numerous species of birds and mammals such as beaver, nutria, muskrat, and coyote. The loop on the east end of the hike goes through the natural forest of Kaiser Woods. While the entire hike is under powerlines, the first part described involves soccer fields and a golf course, so those seeking a more natural experience should begin at Bethany Lake and hike east, making the trip 2.6 miles shorter. From the Rock Creek Powerlines Park (now Rock Creek Powerlines Soccer Fields), take the paved trail alongside a hedge of Armenian blackberry. To the right, you will pass four soccer fields under the wide powerline corridor. Pass through a fenceline and enter the private golf course of the Rock Creek Country Club. As a visitor, you must keep to the narrow tarmac trail here and make way for golf carts! Pass a pond of recycled waste water on the right and then drop downhill. Cross Neahkanie Avenue and then the entrance road to the Country Club Condominiums. Enter Bethany Lake Park, walking past a thicket of lichen-draped ash trees to the left and getting views of the lake below. The trail swings right to pass a wetland of ash, rose, osier dogwood, and snowberry. Rock Creek runs next to the trail. Cross a footbridge over the creek and pass a spur trail leading right. The trail now runs along the south shore of the lake, in places festooned with clumps of wild rose and spiraea. Rather tame geese and ducks often graze on the lawns here and, especially in winter, they can be supplemented by wilder kin. See a community garden to the right and reach the Bethany Lake Trailhead. Cross 185th Avenue and enter the recently paved trail section through Allenbach Acres Park. The trail drops gradually to a footbridge over a wetland. Cross West Union Road and go right on the sidewalk until you find the trail heading along the Ro

Trail Stats

Photos

600px-RockCreekGreenwayMap

600px-RockCreekGreenwayMap

250px-RockCreekGreenway5

250px-RockCreekGreenway5

250px-RockCreekGreenway2

250px-RockCreekGreenway2

250px-RockCreekGreenway3

250px-RockCreekGreenway3

250px-RockCreekGreenway4

250px-RockCreekGreenway4

400px-RockCreekGreenway1

400px-RockCreekGreenway1

Tags