Start of the Dogwood Nature Trail in Greenbelt Park

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See the Hiking Trails web page for a trail map.

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Length: 1.3-mile loop
Time: 45 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

The Dogwood Nature Trail begins from a parking area along the main road through Greenbelt Park. It is a Figure 8-shaped trail that consists of a large loop at the northern end and a smaller loop at the southern end. To begin the hike, from the parking lot take a two-minute walk down a wide, gravel path until reaching the intersection with the main trail. A sign directs you to take a left and hike clockwise around the loop, though it doesn’t really matter which way you go. For the record, I took the left as directed.

Once on the main loop, the trail remains wide and has a smooth surface. The terrain is largely flat and any hills are slight, never raising the difficulty level of the hike beyond easy.

Typical terrain of the Dogwood Nature Trail in Greenbelt Park

The intersection with the smaller southern loop comes a quarter mile into the hike. You have the opportunity to bypass this loop, but with the trail being only 1.3-mile long to begin with, I don’t see much point in shortening the journey. A sign reads Longer Route/Shorter Route, so take the longer route. The southern loop only adds .3 mile to the hike.

Start of the southern loop of the Dogwood Nature Trail in Greenbelt Park

When you get back around to the larger loop, stay to the left. Taking a right brings you back to where you were just a few minutes earlier. There is another Longer Route/Shorter Route sign at the intersection, but just ignore it.

Stay left when completing the southern loop of Greenbelt Park’s Dogwood Nature Trail to get back on the northern loop

Though it had rained a few days earlier, I was surprised to find quite a lot of water and mud on the western side of the larger loop. There are many creeks throughout Greenbelt Park, but none anywhere near this area, and wetlands tend to form near creeks and streams. Signs of water flow along the trail are quite evident, and there are even a few boardwalks that lead over some of the wetter spots. If boardwalks have been built, then standing water is a reoccurring problem.

Wet area along the Dogwood Nature Trail in Greenbelt Park

At the 1-mile mark is the intersection with a trail that connects to the Perimeter Trail.

Intersection of the Dogwood Nature Trail and a connector to the Perimeter Trail in Greenbelt Park

When you get back to the original connector trail you will see a sign that reads Dogwood Parking Area. Take a left here to complete the hike and return to your car.

Intersection of the northern loop of the Dogwood Nature Trail and the connector back to the parking lot, Greenbelt Park

While be designated as a “Nature Trail,” there are no stops along the Dogwood Nature Trail where you can learn about the environment, which is typical of a nature trail. Thus, the trail is nothing more than a short walk through the woods.

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