Piscataway Park
Piscataway Park | Boating & Fishing | Chesapeake Bay Gateways | Trails | Trees

The Trails

There's a trail for every skill level.

The Accokeek Foundation maintains a number of trails in Piscataway Park. Each trail is listed with a brief description, including, difficulty, and some general information on the trail and the surrounding area. Piscataway Park is part of the National Park system and exists to protect the natural beauty of this land. To better protect our wildlife and its habitat, we ask visitors to abide by posted signs and regulations. Trail brochures are available in the Visitor Center. Please note that the park closes at dusk.

The Bluebird Trail runs along the edge of the Native Tree Arboretum and around the chestnut groves and agricultural fields down to the river. It follows bluebird boxes that have been erected to provide nesting sites for eastern bluebirds. The trail also passes the Native Tree Arboretum and the groves of American chestnut trees. The Pawpaw Trail provides a good side loop to the Bluebird Trail. Feel free to observe the bluebirds, but please do so at a distance. Bluebirds are present from February through November, with some birds over wintering in the park.
Distance: 1.5 mile loop.
Difficulty: Easy flat trail.
Markers: Blue blazing.

The Pawpaw Trail begins at the upper edge of the Native Tree Arboretum and leads up the hillside through old growth forest. The trail is named for the Pawpaw tree, which grows in relative abundance along the trail. Pawpaws are typically found in low wet woods, but the unique nature of the underground water table in this area provides enough moisture for the trees to grow on this slope. Several of the trees along this trail are very large and old. This small area provides a glimpse of what the natural ecosystem was like before European settlers arrived and cleared much of the land. The trail ends in a grove of American chestnut trees and reconnects with the Bluebird trail.
Distance: 0.5 miles one way.
Difficulty: Moderate to difficult, hilly.
Markers: White blazing.

The Persimmon Trail begins in the barnyard and circles the Conservation Pond. The trail is named for the persimmon trees, which grow along the north edge of the pond. The pond serves as a habitat site for wildlife, but also provides the important service of agricultural runoff collection and sedimentation control. Along the banks of the pond, you will see trees and shrubs that were planted by students from the University of Maryland. These plants control erosion and restore wildlife habitat. A number of animals can be seen around and in the pond, including ducks, geese, turtles, frogs and fish. The small island in the pond provides a good nesting site for the water fowl. A number of Canada geese have adopted the pond as their home and can be found here all year.
Distance: 0.4 mile loop.
Difficulty: Easy, flat.
Markers: Orange blazing.

The Pumpkin Ash Trail follows the river's edge beginning near the Visitor Center and ending at the Ecosystem Farm. The trail leads through a wooded area, crosses a freshwater tidal wetland via a boardwalk, and emerges in an open field. The trail is named for the pumpkin ash, a primary component of the forest in the wetland. This region is the northern limit of the pumpkin ash, named for its fruit which looks somewhat like a pumpkin seed. The boardwalk, constructed in 1992, rests on top of the soil of the wetland. The wetland is comprised of a swamp and a marsh, and the level of water present changes with the tide. During low tide, various animal tracks can be found in the mud. Fish, amphibians, and birds are abundant during high tide. This trail also connects with the Blackberry Trail.
Distance: 0.5 miles one way.
Difficulty: Easy, flat.
Markers: Yellow blazing.

The Blackberry Trail connects with the Pumpkin Ash Trail near the Ecosystem Farm and ends near the Visitor Parking Lot. The trail meanders through a floodplain forest. The water that gathers in this area feeds into the tidal wetland and eventually empties into the Potomac River at the boardwalk. The small streams and other wet areas you pass along this trail all drain into the Potomac River. This environment provides excellent habitat for moisture-loving plants and animals. Some parts of the trail can get muddy, so you may wish to wear boots. If you stay quiet, your chances are good for seeing white-tailed deer along this trail. Keep an eye out for various animal tracks on and along the trail.
Distance: 0.8 miles one way.
Difficulty: Easy, flat, seasonally muddy.
Markers: Purple blazing.

The Riverview Trail follows the top of the riverbank from the picnic area to the chestnut groves. The trail leads through a riparian forest buffer which has been planted with trees and shrubs. This strip of land is called a buffer because it reduces the effects that agriculture, and other inland land uses, has on the river, such as soil erosion and the runoff of nutrients and pollutants. This buffer area will gradually become a natural forest ecosystem. Approximately 2,000 trees and shrubs representing more than 50 species native to Maryland have been planted on six acres of land, completing a three-mile stretch of continuous riparian forest along the Potomac River. Volunteers performed much of the work involved in the project. Anyone interested in assisting with the ongoing work on this project should contact the Accokeek Foundation at 301.283.2113, or e-mail nature@accokeek.org.
Distance: 0.8 miles one way.
Difficulty: Easy, flat.
Markers: Green blazing.