Rock Creek Stream Valley Park
Managed by Montgomery Parks
134 acres2.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Silver Spring Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Station · Photo: Farragutful · CC BY-SA 3.0A−Outdoors
Outdoors in Silver Spring
15% of Silver Spring’s land is conserved, and virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park
Virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park. 11 miles of mapped trail cross Silver Spring, 1.4 per square mile of land. 15% of Silver Spring’s land is conserved, about 751 acres.
Ahead of 83% of U.S. towns · #71 of 261 in Maryland. What drives it
Conserved land
15%
751 acres · of 7.9 sq mi of land
Trails
11 mi
1.4 per sq mi of land
Park land
278 ac
3.4 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%+
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
19 mi
0.9 mi lanes · 13 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
2
7 beaches
What kind of outdoors town is Silver Spring?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Silver Spring have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Silver Spring is ahead of 83% of U.S. towns, #71 of 261 in Maryland. The share of residents near a park holds the grade up; park acres per resident pull it down.
A−
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Silver Spring’s overall grade.
Conserved land15% of the land · typical MD town 9% · U.S. 4%A−Trails1.4 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (11 mi) · MD 0.5 · U.S. 0.4APark land3.4 acres of park per 1,000 residents (278 acres) · MD 9 · U.S. 13C−Parks close to homeVirtually all residents within a half mile of a park · MD 87% · U.S. 72%A
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 83%
LessMore
Maryland towns of 2,500+ (261)Ahead of 73%
Maryland towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 9%; the U.S., 4%), so Silver Spring’s 15% is ahead of 75% of Maryland towns, while its trails per square mile lead 82% of them.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from B+ 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 Rock Creek Stream Valley Park, with 2.7 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Northwest Branch Stream Valley Park
Managed by Montgomery Parks
175 acres2 mi of trail
Franklin Knolls River TrailNorthwest Branch TrailClifton Park River Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Sligo Creek Stream Valley Park
Managed by Montgomery Parks
125 acres1.1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Long Branch Stream Valley Park
Managed by Montgomery Parks
32 acres0.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Broadacres Local Park
Managed by Montgomery Parks
12 acres0.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
All 32 parks & preserves
Rock Creek Stream Valley Park134 acres · 2.7 mi of trail · Montgomery Parks
DirectionsNorthwest Branch Stream Valley Park175 acres · 2 mi of trail · Montgomery Parks
DirectionsSligo Creek Stream Valley Park125 acres · 1.1 mi of trail · Montgomery Parks
DirectionsLong Branch Stream Valley Park32 acres · 0.9 mi of trail · Montgomery Parks
DirectionsBroadacres Local Park12 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Montgomery Parks
DirectionsBullis Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsSeek Lane Neighborhood Park2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Montgomery Parks
DirectionsLong Branch-Arliss Neighborhood Park6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Montgomery Parks
DirectionsSligo-Bennington Neighborhood Park6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Montgomery Parks
DirectionsSligo Avenue Neighborhood Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsEllsworth Urban Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsSeven Oaks Neighborhood Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Juniper-Blair Neighborhood Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsNolte Park17 acres
DirectionsRosemary Hills-Lyttonsville Local Park17 acres
DirectionsMeadowbrook Local Park14 acres · Montgomery Parks
DirectionsJesup Blair Park13 acres
DirectionsLong Branch Local Park13 acres · Montgomery Parks
DirectionsIndian Spring Terrace Local Park12 acres · Montgomery Parks
Ray's Meadow Local Park11 acres · Montgomery Parks
DirectionsBrookview Local Park7 acres
DirectionsLong Branch-Wayne Local Park6 acres · Montgomery Parks
DirectionsDale Drive NP3 acres · Montgomery Parks
DirectionsWoodside Park3 acres · M-NCPPC
DirectionsQuebec Terrace Park3 acres · Montgomery Parks
DirectionsFairview Park2 acres
DirectionsMontgomery Hills Park2 acres · Montgomery Parks
Upper Long Branch Neighborhood Park2 acres · Montgomery Parks
Sligo Cabin Neighborhood Park1 acres · Montgomery Parks
DirectionsLong Branch-Garland Neighborhood Park1 acres · Montgomery Parks
DirectionsSonny's Green1 acres
DirectionsFlower Avenue Urban Park1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
751 conserved acres
15% of Silver Spring’s land. Who manages Silver Spring’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Other or Unknown Local Government333 ac
Regional agency66 ac
Other state land29 ac
County13 ac
National Park Service9 ac
State natural resources1 ac
Not recorded633 ac
State Other or Unknown · 600 acLocal Park · 416 acHistoric or Cultural Easement · 29 acPrivate Other or Unknown · 11 acSpecial Designation Area · 9 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 35 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 17 of 47 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest Branch Park State Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 405 | Unknown |
| Sligo Creek Park State Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 211 | Unknown |
| Rock Creek Stream Valley Park Local Park | Other or Unknown Local Government | 174 | Open |
| Rock Creek Park State Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 78 | Unknown |
| Long Branch Park Private Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 56 | Unknown |
| Nolte Local Park | Other or Unknown Local Government | 16 | Open |
| Jesup-Blair Lp Local Park | Regional agency | 14 | Open |
| Broadacres Lp Local Park | Regional agency | 13 | Open |
| Rays Meadow Lp Local Park | Regional agency | 11 | Open |
| Indian Srpings Terrace Park Local Park | Other or Unknown Local Government | 11 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
91 places to go in Silver Spring
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Silver Spring
7 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Public pools in Silver Spring
Long Branch Outdoor PoolIn Long Branch Local Park
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Silver Spring
Candy Cane CityIn Meadowbrook Local Park
DirectionsWoodside Urban Park PlaygroundIn Woodside Park
Directions69 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Silver Spring
Ellsworth Urban Dog ParkIn Ellsworth Urban Park
DirectionsFalkland Chase Dog Park
DirectionsThe Point at Silver Spring Dog Park
DirectionsPlus 6 dog parks without a name on the map.
Picnic areas in Silver Spring
2 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Community gardens in Silver Spring
Fenton Street Local Park Community Garden
DirectionsKoiner FarmCharles Koiner Conservancy for Urban Farming
DirectionsPlus 1 community garden without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Trails & water
3 named trails and 2 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 1.2 miHorses · 0.6 miUnpaved · 7.9 mi
Franklin Knolls River Trail0.9 mi
Clifton Park River Trail0.6 mi
Northwest Branch Trail0.6 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
19 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
0.9 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
13 mi
off-road bike paths
4.9 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Northwest Branch TrailBike route
0.6 miRachel Carson Greenway TrailBike route
0.6 miCourts & fields
37Tennis
31Basketball
15Baseball
13Soccer
9Golf
4Equestrian
2Multi-sport
1Beach volleyball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →5 places on the National Register
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 Silver Spring: April to June 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) | 43 | 46 | 54 | 66 | 75 | 83 | 87 | 85 | 78 | 67 | 56 | 47 |
| Rain (in) | 3.0 | 2.6 | 3.8 | 3.5 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 3.9 | 4.4 | 3.9 | 3.1 | 3.7 |
February is the driest month (2.6 in) and July the warmest (highs of 87 °F). 4.5 inches fall in July, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 87 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Silver Spring →
Next door
Silver Spring and its neighbors
Silver Spring has the second most mapped trails of the 8 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Washington118 miSilver Spring11 miChevy Chase4.2 miHillandale3.7 miSouth Kensington1.9 miFour Corners1.4 miTakoma Park1.1 miLangley Park0.1 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silver Spring | 15% | 1.4 | 3 | 99%+ | A− |
| Chevy Chase | 14% | 1.7 | 16 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Takoma Park | 7% | 0.5 | 3 | 99%+ | B+ |
| Four Corners | 14% | 1.0 | 4 | 99%+ | A− |
| South Kensington | 20% | 0.9 | 3 | 85% | B+ |
| Langley Park | 6% | 0.1 | under 1 | 99%+ | B− |
| Hillandale | 12% | 2.0 | 17 | 99%+ | A+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Silver Spring
Where can I hike in Silver Spring?
The longest trail networks: Rock Creek Stream Valley Park, 2.7 miles; Northwest Branch Stream Valley Park, 2 miles; Sligo Creek Stream Valley Park, 1.1 miles; Long Branch Stream Valley Park, 0.9 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Silver Spring is conserved land?
15% 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 Silver Spring’s trails?
Rock Creek Stream Valley Park and Northwest Branch Stream Valley Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Silver Spring?
19 miles of bike routes are on the map: 0.9 of painted or protected lanes, 13 of off-road paths and 4.9 of shoulders and shared lanes. Named routes: Northwest Branch Trail and Rachel Carson Greenway Trail.
Is there public land near Silver Spring?
21,108 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Silver Spring or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 278 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Silver Spring have?
Ahead of 83% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #71 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 Silver Spring 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 →