Little Paint Branch Trail (Burtonsville to College Park)

**Check back to see if the date or start time has changed. This ride will be postponed (or replaced with another ride) if the chance of rain is above 49%, or wind speed or wind gusts are above 15 mph (per WeatherBurg) **

PARKING AND MEETUP SPOT
Park at the tennis courts parking lot. If that is full, then park at the soccer fields parking lot. We’ll meet in the tennis court parking lot area (unless it is too full). Parking is free and the abundant.
After check-in, we’ll do an icebreaker question.

TRAIN OR BUS STOPS
There is a bus stop nearby, but no nearby train stations.

BIKE ROUTE SUMMARY
This is the northern segment of the same Paint Branch Trail route we rode earlier this year, but we started further south on Cherry Hill Rd (Home Depot parking lot).

This route starts at the northern end of the trail in Fairland Recreational Park (one of our favorite hiking parks). The Park offers a unique blend of natural beauty, athletic facilities, and multi-use trails that span both Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties.

Experience the Fall Line Influence. Fairland lies near Maryland’s Fall Line, a geological boundary where the Piedmont Plateau meets the Atlantic Coastal Plain. This transition zone often produces steeper terrain and elevation changes compared to surrounding parks. Fairland’s hills make it a favorite for mountain bikers and trail runners seeking a challenge, while its preserved terrain supports biodiversity and scenic views.

The route trail connects to Lake Artemesia Trail, NW Branch Trail, and the Rhode Island Trolley Trail. It is a blend of mostly wooded paved trails, stream crossings, some urban trail connections, and some noticeable inclines on the north end — perfect for a cardio workout!
Route POIs:
· Fairland Regional Park

• A beltway quarry (where sand, clay & gravel were extracted)

· Beltsville West Park
· UMD campus
· Lake Artemesia
· College Park Airport
Bladensburg Waterfront Park
TYPE OF BIKE: Any kind of bike frame and tires. Ensure it is the correct frame size for your height so you can get maximum output. Participants are responsible for ensuring their bike tires, brakes, and chain are in good condition and they have a spare inner tube on hand. Organizers can try to help but aren't responsible for everyone's bike conditions.

SKILL LEVEL: Not for beginners. The first and last seven-mile segment entails rolling hills of various sizes, so you need to have fit legs and experience with inclines and declines (or be prepared to walk up hills) and curvy segments. Your brakes need to be in excellent condition. If you haven’t been biking recently, be prepared to return earlier than the other participants due to the hills in the first seven miles.

PACE: It’s up to you. HOWEVER: The event organizers have fit legs (avg. 10-16 mph). And some of us like to do a cardio workout at some point. We make stops at tricky points on the trail and /or to regroup every 2-4 miles. Since paved trails can sometimes be crowded, we don’t have expectations of being able to go very fast.
· 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.

DISTANCE OPTIONS
Participants can choose to return at any point. These are just suggestions.
OPTION A: Fairland Park to Southern entrance of Beltsville Park =5.6 miles one way, +237 ft/12 miles total.
OPTION B: Fairland Park to Cherry Hill Rd entrance gazebo = 7.8 miles one way, 380 ft/16 miles total. (Keryn will do this option)
OPTION C: Fairland Park to UMD campus (northern side entry) = 10 miles one way. +389 ft/20 miles total. (Muddasar will probably do this and possibly further)
OPTION D: Fairland Park to Bladensburg via Lake Artemesia and NW Branch Trail and RI Trolley Trail = 16.1 miles, +422 ft/ 32.2 miles total.

BATHROOMS

1. At Fairland Recreation Center: The bathrooms at our meetup spot will likely be closed, but we will bike by the athletic center going southbound and northbound, which has indoor bathrooms. Let the organizers know if you need to make a stop there. Otherwise, there are no bathrooms until you get to Cherry Hill Rd entrance.
2. Beltsville Community Center: Closed on Sundays
3. Cherry Hill Rd: Home Depot or other retail shops on the left side.
4. Bladensburg Waterfront Park, should you bike that far.
   BIKE RENTALS
   Not found
   BIKE REPAIR
   Proteus Bikes on Rhode Island Ave, College Park (can access via a short detour).
   FOOD & DRINK INFO
   Burtonsville Shopping Center (north of Fairland Park)
   College Park retail options
   Bladensburg Waterfront Park has vending machines inside
   Riverdale Park Shopping Center (off of RI Trolley Trail)

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/