Fairland Park/Paint Branch Trail

by Rebecca Williams
1 year ago
Near Calverton, US

4 views

Although you can get to this trail from anywhere in Fairfield Park, the best place to start is in the parking lot off Greencastle Road. If you start there, this is a great hike. It is still an out and back, but you get to circle the pond at the turnaround.

There is a steep section through the woods, but it's not too extreme. Plus you can add on to this trail with either the numerous singletrack trails that intersect this one or with the Greencastle Trail, a neighboring paved trail.

Keep an eye out for mountain bikers as this is a popular area and the singletrack mountain biking trails do intersect the paved trail in a few locations.

If you want to start from the side of the park near the Fairfield Recreation Center, just head to the back of the park (as far back as you can go off Old Gunpowder Road. Head just down the hill and you can't miss the trail.

The park contains natural and hard surface trails open to runners/hikers, bikers, and equestrians.
All of the trails can be accessed from the parking lot off of Greencastle Road. A left (north) turn at the fork off of the short access trail from the parking lot leads to Holly Trail and the Holly Trail Loop.

The Holly Trail descends to a stream crossing that is just before the Holly Trail Loop in the northernmost section of the park. After riding the loop, head back to do a loop on the Crow's Foot Trail. The Crow's Foot Trail leads to a boardwalk and obstacle area for bikers. The Crow's Foot Trail ends at Greencastle Rd, but picks back up again as the Viper Trail on the other side of the bridge (same side of the street). The Viper and Pine Trail loop will bring you back to Crow's Foot Loop Trail and the parking lot.