Routes

Routes to/from NIH

Note: Due to the demise of Bikely, we are working on updating these routes using Google Maps. The published routes might differ slightly from the Google routes for now, as we try to fine tune them. Stay tuned...

These routes were submitted by individual NIH bicycle commuters. Many thanks to those who took time to send in their routes! If you have a favorite route that is not listed, please let us know and we will add it to the collection.


Briggs Chaney to NIH Campus (13.5 miles; 60-70 minutes)

Start at Sturtevant and Briggs Chaney Rd

West on Briggs Chaney

L on Good Hope Road

R on Windmill Ln

L on Northview Eastway Dr

R on Piping Rock

L on New Hampshire Ave

R on Randolph Rd*

L on Kemp Mill

R on Arcola

L on Orebaugh

R on Franwell

L on Amherst

(cross University Blvd)

R on Plyer’s Mill Rd

(cross Georgia, then Conn Ave)

L on Summit Ave (bear R where Summit becomes Cedar Ln**)

(cross Rte 355 into NIH campus)

*Randolph is okay early (and it’s downhill). On the way back, use sidewalk or Shaw Drive, which parallels Randolph from just east of Kemp Mill to New Hampshire Ave (Take first R after Kemp Mill onto Springtree, then L on Shaw)

**Just after going under Beltway on Cedar, a bike path goes off to the right and winds back around to Cedar Lane—cuts out a dangerous hill.

Capital Crescent Trail to NIH Campus*

Coming from the South

Start at Capital Crescent Trail and Little Falls Pkwy

L on Little Falls Pkwy

Continue straight ahead to Glenbrook

(Cross Bradley Blvd)

Continue on Glenbrook to Wilson Ln

There are then options of:

Battery Lane into NIH; or

Custer to Huntington Pkwy to Old Georgetown Rd and NIH; or

Maple Ridge and into NIH, etc.

Coming from the North**

Start at Capital Crescent Trail and Jones Mill Road

North on Jones Mill a short distance

L on Jones Bridge Road

(cross Connecticut Ave [use sidewalk; lanes narrow substantially])

(cross Rte 355 into NIH)

*Note: More information and maps of the Capital Crescent Trail are available at The Capital Crescent Trail Homepage

**Note: Jones Bridge Road is not ideal for cyclists. To avoid this on the way home (coming from Main Campus heading North on the CCT): from the Bike trail that goes along the southern perimeter of the Bethesda campus, turn right on the bike path to Battery lane. Turn left (east) on Battery, cross Wisconsin Ave and follow Rosedale to end. Turn right at end then quick left onto Kentbury. Small pathway to CCT is on the left after about 50 yards on Kentbury. It's sort of hidden between 2 houses, so jsut look closely from the left sidewalk.

East-West Highway to NIH Campus (3.5 miles; 30 minutes)*

Start at corner of 16th St and East-West Highway

West on path and side streets paralleling East-West Hwy on north side

R at Jones Mill Road

Bear L onto Jones Bridge Rd

(cross Connecticut Ave [use sidewalk; lanes narrow substantially])

(cross Rte 355 into NIH)

*For an alternative route, including a section of the Capital Crescent Trail, see "Silver Spring Metro to NIH Campus".

Falls Church, VA to NIH Campus (11 miles; 65 minutes)

Starting from Williamsburg Boulevard, head towards Maryland.

Left onto Glebe Rd.

Right onto Old Glebe Rd

Left onto Randolph

Look for signs for Chain Bridge and make right down a steep hill ( you may want to walk bike at this point).

Cross at light onto Chain Bridge (busy intersection, be alert!).

Go across Chain Bridge about 3/4 of the way and look for ramp down to the C&O Canal

Take Canal path East bound for about 1 mile to the Capitol Crescent Trail - you will see the bridge above you that crosses over the Canal ( you can get off of bike and walk it up the hill to the trail) or continue to the paved path of the CC trail (about .7 miles past where you see the bridge above you).

Take CC into Bethesda or via routes on the bicycle club web page. (see Capital Crescent to Campus)


Gaithersburg to Campus (1)

Start at intersection of Calypso/Cross Country Lane

L on Cross Country Lane

L on Strawberry Knoll Rd

L on Emory Grove Rd

R on Washington Grove Rd

L on Mid-County Hwy

R on Shady Grove Rd

L on Darnestown Rd (Rte 28)

R on Glen Mill Rd

Bear L on Richie Ct/Pkwy

Straight on Richie Pkwy, crossing Falls Rd (189)

R on 7 Locks Rd at Tee

L on Tuckerman Ln

R on Westlake Dr

L on Democracy Blvd just past mail on left

R on Fernwood Rd

Bear L on Greentree Rd at 4-way stop

Straight on South Dr (at NIH), crossing Old Georgetown Rd

Gaithersburg to Campus (2)

Start at Lake Needwood. There is parking available if you want to do a “drive-bike” commute. The Rock Creek Park hiker-biker trail starts at the southern end of the lake. The trail leads almost all the way to campus (though it crosses many roads at grade)

South on Rock Creek hiker-biker trail

R on Cedar Lane* (at light)

cross Rte 355 into NIH

*Just after going under beltway on Cedar, a bike path goes off to the right and winds back around to Cedar Lane—cuts out a dangerous hill.

White Flint Metro to NIH

via Trolley trail

Olney to NIH Campus (19 miles)

From Charline Manor Rd

R on Olney Mill Rd

(cross Rte 108)

L on Thornberry Ln

L on Thornhurst Dr

R on Briars Rd (becomes Gelding Ln)

R on Queen Elizabeth Dr

L on Morningwood Dr

R through Olney ES to reach Queen Mary Dr (through playgrounds behind school)

R on Queen Mary Dr

L on Lafayette Dr

R on Hines Rd

L on Wellfleet Dr (becomes Cherry Valley Dr)

L on MacDuff Ave

R on Continental

(cross Cashell Rd)

L on George Washington Dr

R on Rex Place

L on Calvary Dr

R on new (2001) Emory Ln multi-use path

L on Pinetree Rd

R on Sycamore Ln

(cross Muncaster Mill Rd; traffic!)

L on Hornbeam Dr

R on Sunflower Dr

R on Emory Ln (different one)

L on Bauer Dr

R on Rte 28 frontage road

Straight at dead-end of frontage road onto unmarked multi-use path (steep hill)

L to join Rock Creek multi-use path

(cross Baltimore Rd, Viers Mill, Randolph, Garret Park Rd, and Strathmore/Knowles)*

R on Cedar Ln (at light)**

(cross Rte 355 into NIH)

*May wish to ride on Beach Drive, starting where multi-use path crosses it.

**Just after going under Beltway on Cedar, a multi-use path goes off to the right and winds back around to Cedar Lane—cuts out a dangerous hill.

Quince Orchard High School to NIH Campus

Darnestown Road towards Rockville (Darnestown Rd is Maryland Highway 28 until intersection with Key West Blvd)

Right on Glen Mill Road

Left on Wootton Parkway

Right on Seven Locks Road

Left on Bradley Blvd

Left on Fernwood

Right on Greentree

Greentree to Old Georgetown Road and NIH Campus

Randolph Rd to NIH Campus (5.1 miles; 25-30 minutes)

Start at Randolph and Dewey

South on Rock Creek hiker-biker trail

(cross over Garrett Park Rd, Knowles/Strathmore, and Beach Dr)

R on Cedar Lane* (at light)

(cross Rte 355 into NIH)

*Just after going under Beltway on Cedar, a bike path goes off to the right and winds back around to Cedar Lane—cuts out a dangerous hill.

Silver Spring Metro to NIH Campus (4 miles; 35 minutes)*

Start at corner of Colesville Rd and Wayne Ave (entrance to Silver Spring Bus Station)

Cross Colesville Rd and go straight on along Second Ave

(Cross Spring St)

(Cross 16th St)

L on Hannover St

(Cross 3rd Ave and follow rd round to left)

R onto bridge over railway

Take second L (Michigan Ave)

First R on Pennsylvania Ave

L on Kansas Ave

Turn R on a sidewalk next to a parking lot, and stay on the sidewalk as it bears L

Turn L onto the start of the Capital Crescent Trail (note: this section of the trail is a rocky and unsuitable for road racing bikes)

Continue on Trail to Jones Mill Rd

North on Jones Mill a short distance

L on Jones Bridge Road

(cross Connecticut Ave [use sidewalk; lanes narrow substantially])

(cross Rte 355 into NIH)

*Note: More information and maps of the Capital Crescent Trail are available at The Capital Crescent Trail Homepage

Takoma Park to NIH Campus

North on bike path in Sligo Creek Park

L (west) on Forest Glen Road

(cross Georgia Ave and Seminary Rd/ Capital View)

R on Newcastle Ave

R on Forsythe

R on Stoneybrook

L on Beach Drive

L on Cedar Lane*

(cross Rte 355 into NIH)

*Just after going under Beltway on Cedar, a bike path goes off to the right and winds back around to Cedar Lane—cuts out a dangerous hill.

Twinbrook to Campus (8.2 miles)

From bike path in Twinbrook Park

R on Atlantic Ave

R on Veirs Mill Rd

R on Veirs Mill service road (just past the fire station at Gaynor)

R on Edgebrook (at bottom of hill)

Bear L onto Dewey

Bear R onto Garrett Park Rd

L on Beach Dr

R on Cedar Lane*

(cross Rte 355 in pedestrian crossing)

L on West Dr

L on Center Dr

R on Memorial to Bldg. 10

*Just after going under Beltway on Cedar, a bike path goes off to the right and winds back around to Cedar Lane—cuts out a dangerous hill.

On returning, at end of Dewey, turn into Park on left

Cross over wooden bridge immediately on entering Park

Continue on Gaynor

L on Veirs Mill

If you do not like riding with the traffic on Veirs Mill, Beach, and Dewey, use the Rock Creek Trail for all or some of the ride. It crosses this route frequently.

Walter Reed Annex to NIH Campus

Start at abandoned parking lot north of Walter Reed Annex on Linden Lane*

Take hiker-biker trail from southwest corner of parking lot

R at first fork at the bottom of the hill, to join Rock Creek trail at Stoneybrook and Forsythe

West on Rock Creek trail (along Beach Dr)

Left on Cedar Ln (at light)**

(cross Rte 355 into NIH)

OR

Park at the Forest Glen Metro

West on Forest Glen Ave

(cross Seminary Rd/Capital View)

R on Newcastle

R on Forsythe (at bottom of hill)

R onto the Rock Creek Path (on west side of Stoneybrook)

L on Cedar Lane**

(cross Rte 355 into NIH)

*I live in the Dumont Oaks/White Oak area of Silver Spring and have found no safe route north of University; so I drive to this point.

**Just after going under Beltway on Cedar, a bike path goes off to the right and winds back around to Cedar Lane—cuts out a dangerous hill.

Wootton HS to Campus Wootton High School to NIH Campus(10 miles; 35 minutes)

Wootton Parkway

Right on Seven Locks Road

Left on Bradley Blvd

Left on Fernwood

Right on Greentree

~1.5 miles to NIH campus

This is a terrific route with long straightaways, 5 significant hills, few intersections and only 7 lights. Normally I hit only 2 red lights en route and can make it to NIH peddling easily in ~35 minutes. 75% is on Seven Locks and Bradley both of which have generous shoulders that have recently been paved. The tight spots are Wootton Parkway, although a new dedicated bike path that should solve this is nearing completion, and the last half mile of Greentree (no solution in sight, but the cars are usually stacked up here so danger is minimal).

New routes? Changes? Updates? Please contact Ron Engle or Frank Velez, of the NIH Bicycle Commuter Club.

Start at Bradley Blvd and Fairfax Rd in Bethesda

Bear R onto Clarendon Rd

L on Hampden Ln

R on Exeter Rd

(cross Wilson Ln)

Merge with Glenbrook Rd

(cross Old Georgetown Rd and Rugby Ave)

Proceed on the path through Battery Park

(cross Battery Ln)

Continue on path to NIH