Fairlands
Location:
Beltsville, Maryland
Description:
Located just off of 95 in Laurel Maryland, Fairlands is a fun but underutilized trail system. Fairlands has been a pet project of sorts for MORE Maryland Advocacy Director Austin Steo. Austin has been leading the effort to redesign, improve and build new trail in this park. The efforts have really paid off this past year as Fairlands has begun to come into it’s own as a riding destination. Fairland now offers up some fun rolling single track. At this point the trails are rideable but not 100% complete and as such aren’t that well marked just yet. It may be best to go with someone who knows the trail or to attend a group ride in order to learn the loop before heading out alone. There’s not much danger of getting hopelessly loss but it definately helps to know the park in order to squeeze the best possible ride out of this smallish park. If I had to compare this to another trail system in our area I’d liken it to the bowl at Wakefield
Maintained By:
Trail Liaison: Austin Steo
Technical Difficulty:
Other than the occasional small log hop or transition into a short steep climb there’s not much in the way of technical challenges to be had at Fairlands. This would be a great place for a beginner to begin working on their technical
skills.
Aerobic Difficulty:
No individual big climbs but the terrain is consistently rolling. A beginner
with a reasonable level of fitness would do well here.
Directions From DC:
Take 495 to 95 North towards Baltimore;
Take the first exit onto route 212 East (Powder Mill Road) towards Beltsville.
Upon exiting, get into the left lane immediately and turn left onto Old Gunpowder Road. Stay on Old Gunpowder for about 2 miles and turn left onto Greencastle Road. Go up about a mile and take a right into Fairland Park. At the stop sign take a left and park. Trail head is behind the Pavilions next to the playground.
Directions From Baltimore:
Take 95 south to exit 33B route 198 west towards Burtonsville.
At the second light take a left onto Old Gunpowder Road. Pass the aquatic center and turn right onto Greencastle Road. Travel for approximately one mile and take a right into Fairland Park. At the stop sign take a left and park. Trail head is behind the Pavilions next to the playground.
Fees: N/A
Links:
PG County Parks Link
MORE Where To Ride Link
Topo:
Elevation Profile:
Google Earth Map:
GPS Stuff:
Track File - This is in GPX format. You can use Easygps to read and xfer this file to your gps.
Trail Head Coordinates: N38 46.809 / W076 48.135
Nearby Restaurants:
Sierra Grill - 11619 Beltsville Dr, Beltsville, MD 20705 - (301) 572-7830
Small Mom & Pop’s Local Mexican restaurant. Great buritos and believe it or not they also offer a great cheeseburger and fries. To get there head back out to and make a right turn on 212. Go down past the gas station and make a right onto Beltsville drive. Sierra Grill will be on your right shortly after making the turn.
