Columbia, Maryland - Village of Owen Brown

Columbia, Maryland - Village of Owen Brown

From the Village of Owen Brown, good trails stretch to other neighboring Columbia villages. Mostly following stream valleys, the trails go to and from schools as well. Jeffers Hill Elementary School, where routes in this section start, is just one of these. Owen Brown also is situated near many of Columbia=s business parks. The Steven=s Forest trails lead down from the high school to Lake Elkhorn which is near the business parks also. Going the other direction, the Talbot Springs trail system passes through the Village of Oakland Mills to the Columbia town center. Additional trails loop through the Village of Long Reach to the north.

Following some of the trails in the area can be dauntingBeven for those living in Columbia. Many spurs break-off from the main trails without signs. It=s not always evident which one is the main trail. Where there are signs, they are often painted onto the pavement and get worn off. When you can read them, they indicate directions to roads at the ends of the spurs, not how to follow the main trail. However, occasional detailed maps at turns do make passing through easier. The trickiest parts of the routes described here are laid-out to go downhill. Thus when a turn comes up, you can usually be correct by following the one that goes down hill along the stream valley. If you plan to run the trails and are unfamiliar with them, consider going with a friend who knows them, or consider bicycling the route first so that you can get familiar with it. If you make a mistake on bicycle, you can correct it more easily. I found that going over a route once or twice was all it took to be comfortable following it without having to stop for directions.

Getting There

From the Capital Beltway (I-95), take I-95 north toward Baltimore. After approximately 14 miles from the beltway, take Little Patuxent Pkwy. Rte. 175 west. After approximately 3 miles, turn left onto Tamar Dr. Turn left after one-quarter mile and park at Jeffers Hill Elementary School.

Area Routes

Lake Kittamaqundi (5.15 or 7.4 miles, IV or VI)

Columbia=s town center is located on the west edge of Lake Kittamaqundi. Just further west of the town center is The Mall in Columbia. Getting there from Jeffers Hill Elementary School, pass through open areas and the border of Oakland Mills High School. Dropping into the Talbot Springs trail system, arrive at the lake after crossing the foot bridge over Columbia Pike, Rte. 29. The paved trail at the lake does not fully circle the lake. To complete the circle, some dirt paths must be used which can be considerably muddy after rains. The dirt trail itself becomes grassy on the north side and is hard to discern briefly. At one point on the grassy section, it breaks away perpendicular to the shore of the lake, eventually becoming wood chip and gravel just before hitting a paved section just over 400ft. away from the lake. Another awkward part is at the town center. Bearing left at a trail split to stay near the shore again, you must go over wooden docks, and some sloping wide stairs. Bicycles are not allowed on this part. Watch for restaurants as you pass to come back to after you finish. An optional extension goes around the town center along the Little Patuxent Pkwy, on to Wilde Lake. See the description of the route around Wilde Lake under Columbia, Maryland - Centennial Lake.

Lake Elkhorn (7.6 or 5.95 or 7.95 miles, VI, V, or VII)

Poised off the Broken Land Parkway, Lake Elkhorn achieves the picture-book setting that Columbia=s developers had wanted to create. It=s got the nicest lake trail in Columbia. People hang-out suntanning on the dam as water rushes over it. The trail is on a wooden dock in one cove. Great Blue Heron=s in the wetland on the east, seem un-bothered by the passers-by. Get there first by passing by Oakland Mills High School and picking-up the trail head at Kilamanjaro Rd. The Steven=s Forest trail system gets you most of the rest of the way there. There are many spurs off it but until you cross Farewell Rd., you can follow the route without having to remember turns, just by going downhill. A T-intersection after Farewell Rd., under power lines will remind you to turn uphill for a brief stretch to the Owen Brown Community Center. Another unnamed trail afterward gradually drops you down to the lake.

The loop around the lake is 1.85 miles, just the same distance as that around Lake Kittamaqundi. The middle distance route described here does all but one-tenth of a mile of this before leaving, by following along the main creek feeding the lake. The short option only stays at the lake shores for the one-tenth mile. A portion of the mid and short routes is on a hilly dirt and gravel road, along power lines. The long route goes around the lake but adds-on a trail toward Brush Run. The long route requires climbing a bigger hill but is all paved. It also passes by the Christ Episcopal Church, a place of worship since 1711. All three options are united again at Oakland Mills Rd. There a very nice quiet trail crosses under the road and follows the main creek feeding Lake Elkhorn back to Jeffers Elementary. The way back is shady with few turns or road crossings to contend with. It=s one of the nicest trails in Columbia.

Village of Long Reach (5.9 miles, V)

This route crosses north of the Little Patuxent Pkwy. (Rte. 175) and rambles through the Village of Long Reach. Coming back, it crosses back under the parkway, to return through the Village of Oakland Mills. Most of the route is on quiet paved trails however a little over 1.5 miles are through suburban residential streets. The trails use tunnels to get past most of the major roads. The route is equally shady and open with no severe hills. Though there are many turns indicated, the route is on main trails that are usually not difficult to follow.

Nearby and Connecting Zones

Columbia Maryland, Centennial Park River Walk, Laurel, Maryland

What to do Afterward

L 0.0 Tamar Dr from the school

R 0.05 Old Montgomery Rd

XS 0.3 Oakland Mills Rd; follow the paved trail

0.75 trail X on L to high school

R/L 0.95 R on Thunderhill Rd; L on White Acre Rd

L/R 1.0 trail X on L after trail overpass; Talbot Springs trail system (unmarked)

R/L 1.3 to cross Stevens Forest Rd

1.65 begin bridge over Rte 29

R 1.85 at the lake; trail X on R to bridge over creek

BL 2.15 trail splits at Kennedy Gardens

S 2.2 onto unpaved trail

2.55 cross stream at north end of lake

R 2.65 grassy trail; becomes wood chip/gravel

L 2.7 at T on paved trail

L 2.95 trail splits; stay near shore at town center; follow the docks around the boat area

3.25 trail X on R; boat ramp on L

3.3 trail X on L for lake loop at lake=s south end

3.5 end of bridge over Rte 29

R/L 3.8 to cross Stevens Forest Rd; trail continues

L/R 4.1 trail X on L to White Acre Rd before tunnel (unmarked)

R/L 4.2 R on Thunderhill Rd/L on trail head to Oakland Mills High School

4.4 trail X on R to high school

XS 4.85 Oakland Mills Rd

L 5.1 Tamar Dr

R 5.15 Jeffers Hill Elementary

1.85 trail X on R to bridge over creek

L 1.9 trail X on L; boat ramp on R

R 2.0 Little Patuxent Pkwy

2.25 pedestrian overpass for mall

2.85 trail X on R merges from the lake

L 2.9 Vantage Point Rd; becomes W Runningbrook Rd after crossing road

L 3.0 Hyla Brook Rd (also trail X on L for return)

L/R 3.15 L into parking and R onto dock/trail

L 3.55 trail X at map & lake after bridge over creek

L 3.6 at trail X to stay on the lake loop

3.65 Rivulet Row

L 3.75 L Waterfowl Terr

L 3.85 trail X on L before Green Mtn Cir

L 3.9 at T; follow shoreline over the wood chip trail & through the trellis

4.3 dam on L; steep winding hill ahead (!)

S 4.35 trail X triangle on L for Wilde Lake loop

R 4.45 onto W. Runningbrook Rd

CR 4.55 Little Patuxent Pkwy

BL 4.6 trail X on L (unmarked) to lake

4.85 trail X triangle on L

4.95 wood chip/gravel trail on L from lake loop (pickup cues at mile 2.95 on 5.15 mile route)

7.6 Mile Route

L 0.0 on Tamar Dr from the school

R 0.05 Old Montgomery Rd

XS 0.3 Oakland Mills Rd; follow the paved trail

L 0.75 trail X on L to high school; pass basketball and tennis courts to the road

L/R 0.9 CL on Kilimanjaro Rd, R on trail head; follow the stream downhill

BR 1.5 at trail X on L to the follow creek

BL 1.55 at trail X to follow the creek (2^nd map)

1.9 Farewell Rd (unmarked)

L 1.95 at T after creek (power lines); begin uphill

2.0 Windharp Way (unmarked)

R 2.2 trail X triangle at Cradlerock Way

CL 2.25 at Younghart La toward Owen Brown CC

2.4 trail X on L as trail bends sharp to R in field

L 2.55 at trail X; school is on the R

CL 2.7 Cradlerock Way

R 2.8 trail X on R (unmarked); downhill to lake

L 2.9 at trail X (downhill); R is to Smooth Path

BR 3.05 after wood bridge at trail X to continue going downhill; L is to Wrestling Sun

3.1 trail X on R to Smooth Path

R 3.25 at T; Lake Elkhorn trail

4.1 trail X on R to tunnel under Broken Land Pkwy (west end of lake)

4.25 trail X on L to dam; restroom/water

<**

BL 4.9 trail X triangle; R to Brush Run

R 5.0 at T after bridge; leave the lake

BR 5.15 on grass/dirt road that follows the power lines as the paved trail bears L to the houses

CR 5.3 trail along Dasher Ct (unmarked)

R 5.4 Oakland Mills Rd

BR 5.45 trail head on R before creek

>**

BL 6.2 toward creek; trail X on R

6.5 Tamar Dr at dead end (unmarked)

6.65 Old Montgomery Rd (unmarked)

BL 7.1 at trail X on R toward tunnel

L 7.4 at trail X toward road after bridge

L 7.45 Tamar Dr

7.6 Jeffers Hill Elementary

** 7.95 Mile Route

BR 4.9 trail X triangle; R to Brush Run

5.0 trail X, triangle merges under power lines

5.1 trail X on R to Rustling Leaf

5.15 trail X on L to Farbell Row

BL 5.2 trail splits (unmarked)

BL 5.3 trail X on R to Kilrain Ct

L 5.5 Oakland Mills Rd (Episcopal Church 5.65)

UL 5.8 trail X on L after creek (sharp turn) (pickup cues at mile 6.2 on 7.6 mile route)

R 0.0 Tamar Dr from the school

R 0.1 trail head on R after Majors Lane

R 0.15 trail X on R to wood bridge to follow creek (many bridges ahead)

L 0.5 toward tunnel at trail X

0.55 tunnel under Rte 175

L 0.7 trail X triangle

R 1.05 trail X triangle before road

1.1 underpass Tamar Dr

1.15 trail X on R (pond loop)

L 1.4 at T after wooden bridge over pond

1.5 trail X triangle; trail X on R

1.7 trail X

L 1.95 High Tor Hill (unmarked road)

L 2.15 Phelps Luck Rd (store)

CR 2.6 Billow Row

CR 2.85 Summer Hollow La

L 2.95 Broken Timber Way

L 3.05 trail head on L (Talbot Springs trail system, unmarked)

L 3.15 at trail X to go over bridge & up hill

3.45 Soaring Hill Rd (at dead end)

R 3.6 trail X on R to wooden bridge to stay on main trail

3.75 Sleeping Dog La (unmarked)

3.8 tunnel under Rte 175

4.05 tunnel under Thunder Hill Rd (map)

R 4.2 trail X on R to stay on main trail

4.35 trail X on R (map)

L 4.5 trail X triangle after wooden bridge to follow main trail uphill

R 4.9 trail X on R to White Acre Rd after tunnel, R on White Acre Rd

R/L 5.0 CR Thunder Hill Rd; L on trail head to Oakland Mills High School

5.15 trail X on R to high school

XS 5.6 Oakland Mills Rd

L 5.85 Tamar Dr

R 5.9 Jeffers Hill Elementary