Capital Crescent Trail — paved Bethesda south return
Maryland · Rail-trail
At Bethesda Avenue/Woodmont Avenue join the existing Capital Crescent Trail SOUTH toward Georgetown for up to one mile, then retrace. Walk controlled road crossings and turn before barriers. Do not enter the eastern Purple Line works, tunnel, Silver Spring detour or distant Georgetown tunnel-project area.
Plan your ride
- Location
- Bethesda · Maryland
- Ride length
- Up to 2 miles return
- Ride format
- Out and back
- Surface
- Paved asphalt main rail-trail south of Bethesda
- Road crossings
- Yield to walkers and slow at junctions. Stop and look at every street crossing; do not use traffic lanes to bypass a closure.
- Elevation
- Gentle railway gradients overall; downhill outward toward Georgetown, uphill return. Junctions and access ramps require care.
- Starting location
- Capital Crescent Trail public southern departure at Bethesda Avenue and Woodmont Avenue, Bethesda, MD
Selected outward cap and the same return; turn earlier at the actual route end or a barrier. Parking walks are extra.
Named trail/street reference only, not a surveyed public entry or parking pin. Follow the separate written course and public access.
Capital Crescent Trail — paved Bethesda south return — detailed guide
Source review: 2026-10-22. A dated source review does not guarantee current-day conditions.
A selected outing on a documented improved bicycle route. Follow the stated public start and course.
Start and parking
Start: Capital Crescent Trail public southern departure at Bethesda Avenue and Woodmont Avenue, Bethesda, MD.
Use lawful public arrival or a separately selected signed county visitor garage and walk to the trail. The partner links current county parking maps; older lot numbers and neighborhood-curb assumptions are not parking permission. No dedicated trail lot is promised.
Ride and distance
Selected ride: Up to 2 miles return. Format: Out and back.
Ride: At Bethesda Avenue/Woodmont Avenue join the existing Capital Crescent Trail SOUTH toward Georgetown for up to one mile, then retrace. Walk controlled road crossings and turn before barriers. Do not enter the eastern Purple Line works, tunnel, Silver Spring detour or distant Georgetown tunnel-project area.
Selected outward cap and the same return; turn earlier at the actual route end or a barrier. Parking walks are extra.
Surface and effort
Paved asphalt main rail-trail south of Bethesda. Gentle railway gradients overall; downhill outward toward Georgetown, uphill return. Junctions and access ramps require care.
Crossings and shared use
Yield to walkers and slow at junctions. Stop and look at every street crossing; do not use traffic lanes to bypass a closure. Yield to pedestrians, keep right, and slow at blind corners. Stop at barriers; never use a traffic-road detour to bypass a trail closure.
Hours, costs and access
Use daylight and obey posted trail, park and parking hours. Follow current public visitor-parking terms; reserved activities and events have separate conditions.
Reviewed 2026-10-22. The trail coalition documents the established hard-surface Bethesda–Georgetown bicycle route and separately flags closure east of Bethesda for Purple Line work and work at Georgetown. A tentative season for reopening is not a completion notice. This short southern return does not require either work area. This is a source review, not a same-day inspection. Recheck the linked manager before travel.
Map and Directions
Use the named public start and its posted parking signs. The map reference identifies the facility or selected trail area; it is not a surveyed parking stall or navigable route line. Bicycle and e-bike rules can differ; only ordinary bicycle use is established unless noted.