Cabin John Regional Park
Managed by Montgomery Parks
510 acres12.2 mi of trail
Cabin John TrailCampground Loop TrailHighway Loop TrailKidney Bean Loop Trail+1
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Photo: Russ · CC BY 2.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in Potomac
Potomac has 53 miles of mapped trails, 2.1 for every square mile of land
21% of Potomac’s land is conserved, about 3,420 acres. 92% of residents live within a half mile of a park. The biggest trail networks: Cabin John Regional Park (12.2 mi), Cabin John Stream Valley Park (4.1 mi), William F. Bolger Center (1 mi).
Ahead of 95% of U.S. towns · #13 of 261 in Maryland. What drives it
Conserved land
21%
3,420 acres · of 25.2 sq mi of land
Trails
53 mi
2.1 per sq mi of land
Park land
1,209 ac
26 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
92%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
32 mi
3.6 mi lanes · 21 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
14
3 beaches · 1 boat launch
What kind of outdoors town is Potomac?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Potomac have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Potomac is ahead of 95% of U.S. towns, #13 of 261 in Maryland. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; trail miles rank highest, park acres per resident lowest.
A+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Potomac’s overall grade.
Conserved land21% of the land · typical MD town 9% · U.S. 4%ATrails2.1 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (53 mi) · MD 0.5 · U.S. 0.4APark land26 acres of park per 1,000 residents (1,209 acres) · MD 9 · U.S. 13B+Parks close to home92% of residents within a half mile of a park · MD 87% · U.S. 72%A−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 95%
LessMore
Maryland towns of 2,500+ (261)Ahead of 95%
Maryland towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 9%; the U.S., 4%), so Potomac’s 21% is ahead of 88% of Maryland towns, while its trails per square mile lead 91% of them.
Water is 5% of Potomac’s area (1 of 27 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 20%.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from A to A+. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Cabin John Regional Park, with 12.2 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Cabin John Stream Valley Park
Managed by Montgomery Parks
368 acres4.1 mi of trail
Cabin John TrailRidgeleigh Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
William F. Bolger Center
Managed by Dolce Hotels and Resorts / US Post Office
78 acres1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Lot #5Website ↗
Avenel Local Park
Managed by Montgomery Parks
25 acres1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Falls Road Park
Managed by Montgomery Parks
22 acres0.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
All 28 parks & preserves
Cabin John Regional Park510 acres · 12.2 mi of trail · Montgomery Parks
DirectionsCabin John Stream Valley Park368 acres · 4.1 mi of trail · Montgomery Parks
DirectionsWilliam F. Bolger Center78 acres · 1 mi of trail · Dolce Hotels and Resorts / US Post Office
DirectionsAvenel Local Park25 acres · 1 mi of trail · Montgomery Parks
DirectionsFalls Road Park22 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Montgomery Parks
DirectionsChesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park115 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · National Park Service
DirectionsBuck Branch Stream Valley Park102 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Montgomery Parks
DirectionsBeverly Farms Park9 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsHeritage Farm Neighborhood Park30 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBuck Branch Neighborhood Park9 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Montgomery Parks
DirectionsTuckerman Neighborhood Conservation Area6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Fox Hills West Neighborhood Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Rock Run Stream Valley Park140 acres · Montgomery Parks
Watts Branch Stream Valley Park87 acres · Montgomery Parks
DirectionsKilgour Branch Stream Valley Park77 acres · Montgomery Parks
Rockwood Special Park45 acres
Bedfordshire Park8 acres · Montgomery Parks
Inverness Forest Neighborhood Conservation Area7 acres · Montgomery Parks
Potomac Community Neighborhood Park5 acres
DirectionsWindsor Neighborhood Conservation Area5 acres
Scott's Run Nature Preserve3 acres · Fairfax County Park Authority
Scotland Neighborhood Park3 acres · Montgomery Parks
Potomac Woods Park2 acres · City of Rockville
Rapley Preserve Park2 acres
DirectionsHighland Stone Neighborhood Park2 acres
DirectionsGregerscroft Neighborhood Park2 acres
Woodrock Playground Park1 acres
Charred Oak Neighborhood Conservation Area1 acres
Who protects it
3,420 conserved acres
21% of Potomac’s land. Water is left out: Potomac has 25.2 square miles of land and 1.4 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Potomac’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
National Park Service1,585 ac
Regional agency299 ac
Other or Unknown Local Government283 ac
County255 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits190 ac
Other or Unknown Federal Land82 ac
State natural resources13 ac
Special Designation Area · 1,244 acState Other or Unknown · 1,205 acLocal Park · 499 acConservation Easement · 461 acHistoric or Cultural Area · 258 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 311 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 131 of 281 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| George Washington Memorial Parkway Special Designation Area | National Park Service | 1,244 | Restricted |
| Cabin John Regional Park State Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 846 | Unknown |
| Watss Branch Stream Valley Park State Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 301 | Unknown |
| Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park Historic or Cultural Area | National Park Service | 258 | Restricted |
| Cabin John Creek Park State Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 206 | Unknown |
| C & O Canal National Historical Park Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 127 | Open |
| Buck Branch Svp Local Park | Regional agency | 101 | Open |
| Kilgour Branch Svp Local Park | Regional agency | 77 | Open |
| Potomac Gorge Preserve Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 52 | Restricted |
| Rock Wood Park Local Park | Other or Unknown Local Government | 47 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
87 places to go in Potomac
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Potomac
Purplehorse Beach
DirectionsSycamore Beach
DirectionsPlus 1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Playgrounds in Potomac
Cabin John Park Adventure PlaygroundIn Cabin John Regional Park
DirectionsGISW Lower-School Playground
DirectionsGISW Upper-School Playground
DirectionsHadley's ParkIn Falls Road Park
DirectionsNature Exploration AreaIn Cabin John Regional Park
DirectionsTot Lot
Directions60 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Potomac
1 dog park without a name on the map.
Boat launches in Potomac
1 boat launch without a name on the map.
Waterfalls in Potomac
Great Falls
DirectionsStubblefield Falls
DirectionsPlus 4 waterfalls without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Scenic views in Potomac
Great Falls OverlookIn Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
DirectionsOverlook 1
DirectionsOverlook 2
DirectionsScott's Run FallsIn Scott's Run Nature Preserve
DirectionsWashington Aqueduct Observation Platform
DirectionsPlus 3 scenic views without a name on the map.
Picnic areas in Potomac
Carderock, Chesapeake & Ohio National Historic Park
DirectionsPlus 5 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Campgrounds in Potomac
Marsden Tract Group CampsiteFee
DirectionsRobert C. McDonell CampgroundFee · In Cabin John Regional Park · Montgomery County
DirectionsTrails & water
25 named trails and 14 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 14.2 miUnpaved · 35.7 mi
Cabin John Trail7.4 mi
Ford Mine Trail2.1 mi
Billy Goat Trail Section A1.8 mi
Gold Mine Loop1.6 mi
Billy Goat Trail Section C1.6 mi
Billy Goat Trail Section B1.4 mi
Campground Loop Trail1.2 mi
Highway Loop Trail1.1 mi
River Trail1.0 mi
Gold Mine Spur0.8 mi
15 more trails
Woodland Trail
0.7 miKidney Bean Loop Trail
0.7 miOverlook Trail
0.7 miValley Trail
0.6 miAnglers Spur
0.5 miRockwood Spur
0.5 miLock 16 Spur
0.3 miLock 19 Spur
0.3 miTulip Tree Trail
0.3 miRidgeleigh Trail
0.2 miUpland Meadow Trail
0.2 miExit Trail
0.2 miGreat Falls Overlook Trail
0.2 miGooseneck Loop Trail
0.2 miFalls Road Spur
0.1 miBiking & sports
32 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
3.6 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
21 mi
off-road bike paths
7.8 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Cabin John TrailBike route
6.6 miCourts & fields
142Tennis
44Basketball
33Golf
23Baseball
20Soccer
6Softball
6Multi-sport
5Pickleball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →4 places on the National Register, one a National Historic Landmark
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 3 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
When to get out
The best walking months in Potomac: April and August
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.7 | 10.7 | 11.8 | 13.2 | 14.3 | 14.9 | 14.6 | 13.7 | 12.4 | 11.1 | 10.0 | 9.4 |
| High (°F) | 42 | 46 | 54 | 66 | 74 | 82 | 87 | 85 | 78 | 67 | 56 | 46 |
| Rain (in) | 3.0 | 2.7 | 3.7 | 3.4 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 3.7 | 4.3 | 3.8 | 3.2 | 3.6 |
February is the driest month (2.7 in) and July the warmest (highs of 87 °F). 4.4 inches fall in July, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 87 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Potomac →
Next door
Potomac and its neighbors
Potomac has the most mapped trails of the 8 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Potomac53 miGreat Falls47 miMcLean43 miRockville19 miTravilah13 miBethesda6.4 miCabin John4.8 miNorth Bethesda2.5 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Potomac | 21% | 2.1 | 26 | 92% | A+ |
| Travilah | 18% | 0.8 | 64 | 65% | A |
| Rockville | 10% | 1.4 | 16 | 99%+ | A |
| North Bethesda | 7% | 0.3 | 3 | 97% | B |
| Cabin John | 43% | 4.0 | 18 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Bethesda | 6% | 0.5 | 3 | 99% | B |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Potomac
Where can I hike in Potomac?
The longest trail networks: Cabin John Regional Park, 12.2 miles; Cabin John Stream Valley Park, 4.1 miles; William F. Bolger Center, 1 miles; Avenel Local Park, 1 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Potomac is conserved land?
21% of its land, against a typical 9% for a Maryland town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Potomac’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Cabin John Regional Park (on leash). For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Potomac?
32 miles of bike routes are on the map: 3.6 of painted or protected lanes, 21 of off-road paths and 7.8 of shoulders and shared lanes. Named routes: Cabin John Trail.
Is there public land near Potomac?
28,138 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Potomac or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 1,209 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Potomac have?
Ahead of 95% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #13 of 261 in Maryland. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Potomac neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →