Get Active by Getting Outdoors in Montgomery County, Maryland

Perhaps this year’s “Join a Gym” resolution hasn’t exactly panned out as planned in the early going of 2014. Not to worry, there are still plenty of months left to start living healthier by becoming more physically active. Living healthier doesn’t necessarily mean you have to become a marathon runner. Any amount of physical activity can greatly benefit your body and mind.

If you’re not big on running (as many of us aren’t), you may want to consider outdoor activities such as walking, biking, hiking, zip-lining or swimming as easy ways to remain active and reduce stress. Here are a few of the many outdoor activities available in Montgomery County :

• Montgomery County is home to two world-class zip line courses. Go Ape! in Rock Creek Regional Park in Rockville is home to 6 zip lines including America’s first skateboard zip line. The Adventure Park in Sandy Spring consists of 13 different courses varying in degree of difficulty.
• Sugarloaf Mountain in Dickerson, MD is open to the public for hiking, rock climbing, and sightseeing. Sugarloaf offers three well-marked hiking trails: a 2.5 mile, 5 mile or a 7 mile loop.
• Chesapeake & Ohio Canal is a U.S. National Historical Park home to 184.5 miles of towpath that runs parallel along the northern banks of the Potomac River with numerous trails ideal for biking and hiking. The park is also popular amongst Washingtonians and other visitors for running, fishing, boating and kayaking.
• On the southern banks of the Potomac River is the Great Falls Park accessible from both Maryland and Virginia.   The cascades of the Great Falls reside in Maryland and have become a popular destination for expert whitewater kayaking. The park also boasts more than 15 miles of scenic hiking trails.
• Capital Crescent Trail is an 11 mile biker-hiker trail running from west Silver Spring to Georgetown DC. The trail was formerly used as the Georgetown Branch rail line of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.
• Seneca Creek State Park in Gaithersburg is comprised of 6,300 acres that extend along 14 scenic miles of Seneca Creek, as it winds its way to the picturesque Potomac River. The 16.5-mile Seneca Creek Greenway Trail follows the entire course of the river.

For more information about these outdoor activities in Montgomery County, MD, please visit here.