Greenbelt Park is an oasis on the outskirts of Greenbelt, Maryland. The forested area encourages residents and visitors to stretch their legs and enjoy a range of recreational experiences. The following activities will help you make the most of this picturesque park.
Hike the Trails
With a 5.2-mile walking track and several shorter trails, exploring on foot is one of the best ways to discover Greenbelt Park. The main path takes walkers around the park's perimeter, past streams and wildflowers. It's the most challenging of the trails, because it's longer and the terrain is uneven in places. Most of the track is near the road, which makes it very accessible, but undermines the feeling of getting away from it all.
If you want to deepen your connection with nature, try the shorter trails. You'll see signposts for these trails as you walk around the Greenbelt Park Perimeter Trail. Lake Artemesia Natural Area Trail is a 2.4-mile loop that offers beautiful water views. The Dogwood Loop Trail is a 1.2-mile option that immerses you in the forest's beauty. Dogs can walk on all Greenbelt Park's trails so long as they're kept leashed.
Ride Your Horse
Greenbelt Park's main trail is a shared space for hikers and horse riders. You'll find plenty of space to park your trailer and unload your horse at the Sweetgum picnic area. Ticks are common along the track, so make sure you check your horse and yourself thoroughly after your ride.
Enjoy a Picnic Lunch
Not every experience in Greenbelt Park has to get your blood pumping. If you'd prefer to take it easy, pack a lunch and enjoy a picnic in the park. Sweetgum picnic area is always popular with families for its quality facilities. Bring some steaks to throw on the grills near the picnic tables. You'll also find two sets of playground equipment for kids and a baseball field for family games. Tables are first come, first served, and groups are limited to no more than 25 people.
Larger picnicking parties can
reserve tables at the gated Holly and Laurel picnic areas. Unlike Sweetgum, which is open year-round, you can only secure time at Holly and Laurel between April and mid-October. The area includes tables and grills but none of the recreational facilities you'll find at Sweetgum.
Pitch a Tent
Greenbelt Park is the kind of special place many people don't want to leave. So why rush your visit? The park has 174 campsites staggered around four loops for guests wanting to spend the night. Each site has plenty of room for parking an RV or setting up several tents. Because this camping area has no lake, it doesn't tend to get as crowded as many other campgrounds. However, you might find you're sharing the space with boy scout troops and youth groups. Greenbelt Park Campground is open all year. You can reserve a campsite
through the Recreation.gov website.
With Greenbelt Park at your doorstep, there's no excuse for being idle. Let the fresh air fill your lungs, and discover how much fun being active in this beautiful park can be.