Boulder Bridge Hike Map (click to enlarge)

Length: 3.4-mile loop
Time: 2.5 hours
Difficulty: easy to moderate

The Boulder Bridge Loop Hike at Rock Creek Park is the name given to a hiking route by the National Park Service, not the name of any particular trail. The hike combines parts of the Western Ridge Trail, the Valley Trail, the White Horse Trail, and the Black Horse Trail. The route is listed on a brochure called Half-Day Hikes in Rock Creek Park that you can pick up at the Rock Creek Nature Center for free.

The most convenient place to start the hike is at the Nature Center. If standing with the building entrance to your back, go to the left and walk south through the parking lot and take the first left. The road immediately forks again, so stay to the left and head towards the Rock Creek Park Horse Center. Walk to the far end of the parking lot until you come to the corral. A trail runs along the left side and heads into the forest.

Corral at the Rock Creek Park Horse Center

The trail forks almost immediately, so stay straight. At this point you are on the White Horse Trail and will begin a long, gradual descent to Rock Creek, though there are a few short-but-steep segments as well. The trail is a wide gravel path with a surface that is free of rocks and roots. It is open to both hikers and horseback riders all the way to the Rapids Bridge.

Typical terrain at the start of the Boulder Bridge Loop Hike

At .6 mile into the hike you come to the intersection of Ross Drive and Joyce Road. This is the location of Picnic Area #22.

Picnic Area #22 near the intersection of Ross Drive and Joyce Road

The trail runs along Joyce Road for a hundred yards before veering off to the right just before a vehicle bridge that spans Rock Creek. As you head south, now on the Black Horse Trail, Ross Drive will be on your right, the creek on your left, and Beach Drive just on the other side of the creek, so you are never out of earshot of vehicle noise.

The trail quickly climbs up a steep hill to a ridge high above Rock Creek, follows this for a short distance, then descends back down the hill, leveling out five to ten feet above the creek. Hikers have beaten side trails down to the water if you want to get a closer look.

View of Rock Creek from a side trail that leads to the water

Within another tenth of a mile the trail finally descends to water level. At times you are close enough to jump right into the water, and at other times the trail is too far from the creek to even see it.

Hike along Rock Creek

At the 1.4-mile mark on the hike is the Rapids Bridge, a pedestrian footbridge over Rock Creek. Cross the bridge to continue the hike south. You can get a great photo of the rocks in Rock Creek from the middle of the bridge.

Rapids Bridge

View of Rock Creek from the Rapids Bridge

Not only does the trail cross the creek, but it also crosses Beach Drive, one of the main roads in the park. When you get to the road look to your 2 o’clock position for a post that marks the continuation of the hike on a short connector trail that leads to the Valley Trail. When you get to the intersection with the Valley Trail, which is marked by another post, take a right.

Trail continues across Beach Drive

No longer resembling a former road, the Valley Trail is a traditional hiking trail, narrow and full of roots that can trip you up. The easy hiking is over and you must now keep your eye to the ground so you don’t twist an ankle. The terrain also becomes quite hilly as it works its way along another ridge.

Typical terrain along the Valley Trail

Beach Drive now stands between you and Rock Creek, so while the trail is more like a real hiking trail, you no longer have a good view of the creek, plus there is no avoiding vehicle noise. There is an option to stay on the Black Horse Trail and not cross over on the Rapids Bridge—which certainly would be more scenic—but then you’d end up missing Boulder Bridge, the namesake of the hike. I chose to follow the trail route as specified.

Valley Trail runs along a ridge high above Beach Drive

A little over .3 mile from the Rapids Bridge is a set of stairs that leads up a steep hill. This intersection is not on the trail map, but if you look up the hill, you will see a blue blaze (paint splotch) on one of the trees. The Valley Trail is marked by blue blazes, so taking the stairs is definitely the way to go. If you keep straight the trail comes to an end just around the corner.

Take the stairs to continue the hike

The next point of interest is Boulder Bridge, which was built in 1902. This is the location where President Theodore Roosevelt supposedly lost one of his rings. One day somebody might find it—one ring to rule them all. I just hope that whoever finds it doesn’t turn into Gollum.

Boulder Bridge

Cross Boulder Bridge to get back on the west side of Rock Creek. This is a vehicle bridge, so look out for cars. As soon as you cross you will see an unnamed trail on your right that is marked with a post. This will take you up a fairly steep hill to the top of yet another ridge.

Continuation of the Boulder Bridge Hike just after crossing Boulder Bridge

A tenth of a mile from the bridge—two miles into the hike—is a four-way intersection with the unnamed trail and the Black Horse Trail. The map indicates that you should stay straight, though straight in this case is a little bit to the left, around the 10 o’clock position. The unnamed trail once again becomes a wide, road-like path that is open to hikers and horseback riders.

Four-way intersection

Shortly after the intersection, the trail crosses Ridge Road and arrives at Equitation Field, a field where riders can practice their horsemanship. The trail runs along the left side of the corral. This is also the location of Picnic Areas #25 and #26.

Equitation Field

When you get about halfway around the corral there is an intersection that marks the end of the unnamed trail that you have been hiking on since Boulder Bridge and the beginning of the Western Ridge / White Horse Trail (the two merge for a short distance). Keep straight to head north. Taking a left sends you hiking south on the Western Ridge Trail.

Stay straight to hike north on the Western Ridge Trail

The trail heads back into the woods and runs fairly close to Ridge Road. You can tell that you are on the correct route by the green blazes on the trees, the color markings for the Western Ridge Trail.

Green blaze marks the route of the Western Ridge Trail

After five minutes you will come to where the Western Ridge and White Horse trails split. You want to stay to the left, following the green blazes. If on a horse, stay to the right towards the picnic area.

Stay to the left to remain on the Western Ridge Trail

A quarter mile later the Western Ridge Trail temporarily merges with the White Horse Trail. Take a left and walk about fifty feet to the intersection where the two trails split once again.

Merger with the White Horse Trail

Exit from the Horse Trail

In another .2 mile the Western Ridge Trail crosses Grant Road and continues parallel to Ridge Road until coming to where it and Glover Road merge into a V-shape. When you arrive, you will find yourself standing in Picnic Area #13. Directly across Ridge Road is Picnic Area #14, which is situated in the field that is sandwiched between the two roads. Cross Ridge Road to Picnic Area #14, heading in the direction of a post with a green blaze on it, then continue across the field towards another green-blazed post next to Glover Road.

Green blazed post across Ridge Road from Picnic Area #13

Look across Glover Road and you will see a dirt path that leads into the forest. This is the trail back to the Nature Center, which is close enough to hit a golf ball to but you can’t see it because of the trees. You’ll be back at the parking lot in two minutes, ending an enjoyable hike through the lower half of Rock Creek Park.

Trail across Glover Road that leads to the Nature Center

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