Home › Maryland › Derwood › Rock Creek Regional Park
Rock Creek Regional Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 2,259 Google reviews · Running trail in Derwood, Maryland · Dawn to dusk
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Mixed
- Distance
- 13 mi
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Dawn to dusk
Confirmed from Rock Creek Regional Park's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Parkland with multiple hiking trails & lakeshore wildlife-watching, plus playgrounds & boat rentals.
What runners say about Rock Creek Regional Park
“The park is well maintained, family-friendly, and offers plenty of opportunities to enjoy nature.”
“The scenery is beautiful year-round, and the lake provides a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.”
“Beautiful park with lots of picnic areas with benches and well marked trails.”
“The scenery is beautiful year-round, and the lake provides a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.”
“The park is well maintained, family-friendly, and offers plenty of opportunities to enjoy nature.”
So pretty and calm. Great place to walk the dogs 💕 Glad that we have this park near our home. We are definitely going to visit here more regularly.
We stumbled across this state park on the internet and glad we did. We drove 1 hour to get there from Hagerstown. There was plenty of parking. The trails were easy to follow and clean. Loved there were stops to get off the trail for the dogs to play in the water. The lake was nice.
My family’s favorite park since 10 years now. Calm, clean, well maintained, fresh air, ample vegetation and great animal sightings. From winter to summer its always a great idea. Great for walk and cycling. Kids love the park and will spend time looking at bugs etc… also there are many water streams.
First time here, on a brief jog around Needwood Lake, about 4km. A perfect nature+exercise break. Passed a yoga class in an unidentified language, the dam, people walking with their dogs, Canadian geese with their goslings.
Trail conditions & character
“The scenery is beautiful year-round, and the lake provides a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.”
“It is a very nice park with plenty of free parking, public restrooms and many pavilions that you can book ahead of time.”
“Passed a yoga class in an unidentified language, the dam, people walking with their dogs, Canadian geese with their goslings.”
“Really fun trails that definitely throw some challenging roots and gullies near the lake but certainly not too difficult.”
“The scenery is beautiful year-round, and the lake provides a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.”
“It is a very nice park with plenty of free parking, public restrooms and many pavilions that you can book ahead of time.”
Plan your run at Rock Creek Regional Park
The practical stuff
- AccessDawn to dusk — the gates close, so do not plan a run that finishes after dark
- SurfaceMixed — more than one surface along the route, so check the segment you plan to run
- Distance13 mi as reported — check whether that is one way or a round trip before you commit. Long enough for a real long run.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking, restrooms — reported by runners
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
- Stroller / wheelchairReported as smooth and step-free enough for a running stroller or a chair.
- Trail mapOfficial trail map
- Websitemontgomeryparks.org
- Phone(301) 495-2595
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Hours
| Monday | 7 AM–7 PM |
| Tuesday | 7 AM–7 PM |
| Wednesday | 7 AM–7 PM |
| Thursday | 7 AM–7 PM |
| Friday | 7 AM–7 PM |
| Saturday | 7 AM–7 PM |
| Sunday | 7 AM–7 PM |
Running trails near Derwood
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Lake Bernard Frank
4.7 ★★★★★ 67 reviews
Wooded trails, a lake and a meadow populate this outdoor area, popular for walking and birding.
Meadowside Nature Center
4.7 ★★★★★ 209 reviews
This center features hands-on natural & cultural history, 8 miles of trails & native bird aviaries.
