Anacostia Pedal Paddle Palooza!

It’s a pedal paddle palooza! Join the biggest watershed exploration party on September 29th to bike and kayak the Anacostia watershed. Start in Montgomery County, Prince George’s County or the District on bike and explore the trails to finish at Kingman Island. Come to the river on September 29th!

Let us know you’re coming!

How much does it cost? Nothing! Where do I start? We’ve got launch points in all three jurisdictions in the Anacostia watershed – start somewhere close to home or totally new to explore something different! Montgomery County – Sligo Creek Park at Dennis Ave Prince George’s County – University of Maryland District of Columbia – 11th St Bridge Do I need to start at a launch point? Not required but definitely recommended. We have all the trail directions and event passports at the launch points. Raffle is only open to folks who have completed their passport book! And to be officially on the ride, there are bike waivers required that are only available at launch and paddle points. Do I need to register? We do require waivers to be signed for both kayaking and riding. They will be available at all launch and kayak points but also available for kayaking here. Save yourself the time outside for fun and do it ahead! How long is this ride? As long as you want! We’ve got activities throughout the Anacostia watershed on the trail but the average ride from a launch point to the central hub at Kingman Island is 10 miles. The trail follows the Anacostia River and water prefers to go downhill if possible, so the trail is pretty flat with a downhill trend towards the District. When should I start? All the launch points are open 10:00 am – 12:00 pm. The earlier you start, the cooler it will be and the less folks will probably be using the kayaks. If you pedaled straight from Sligo Creek Field (the farthest away launch point) to Kingman Island, it should take about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Add in the necessary time for stopping to smell the flowers, snack breaks and kayaking, what makes sense for your schedule? What should I bring? Folks who are joining us for the trail ride should have a working bicycle, helmet (insurance requirement) and a bike lock. There will be bike racks at all the kayak and motorized boat tour locations. Staff will be at all the paddle points to keep a cursory eye over your stuff – please be prepared to lock your bike. We recommend taking your phone and wallet with you in a small plastic baggie. Larger panniers, extra jackets, etc., should be safe on land. Although, please do not bring your family heirlooms or diamonds. Folks who are kayaking should bring a small plastic baggie to keep valuables dry. A broad brimmed hat (baseball hat, etc) and sunglasses would be helpful to reduce glare and sunburn when you’re out in the water. For everyone – please bring water, snacks, sunscreen and clothing to keep you safe outside for a few hours. Phones are also good for taking photos of our gorgeous watershed! What’s the weather plan? We don’t kayak or ride bikes during hazardous conditions such as lightning or thunderstorms. If dangerous storms roll over the area on Sept 29th, we will likely cancel the event. But other than that, we’ll be a go! Please bring the water, snacks, sunscreen, or clothing layers you need to keep safe outside. What’s the scoop with the Sligo Creek launch point? Precise address: Dennis Ave and Sligo Creek Trail (next to Sligo Creek Middle School) Closest Metro: Forest Glen Arriving by car: Car parking is at the Sligo Creek Middle School. Once you have parked, please follow the signs to the trail and the launch point tent! What’s the scoop with the University of Maryland launch point? Precise address: Paint Branch Drive and Technology Drive, College Park MD 20742 Closest Metro: College Park – U of Md. What’s the scoop with the 11th St bridge launch point? Precise address: Good Hope Rd SE and Anacostia River Trail (below 11th St Bridge) Closest Metro: Anacostia Arriving by bike: if you are arriving from the east bank, the most pleasant connections to the trail and over/under 295 and Minnesota Ave are Good Hope Rd SE, and River Terrace though Nicholson is also a decent option. If you arriving from the west bank of the Anacostia River, the most pleasant connection across the river is 11th St Bridge though Benning and South Capitol are also decent options. Arriving by car: Parking is free at the Anacostia Metro garage over the weekends. There is also plenty of free parking along Anacostia Ave in the park, and paralleling the trail. Anything else I should know? To get from the Metro, follow the signs to the parking garage. Once at the parking garage, walk out the back and across Howard Rd to the gate of the fence. You’ll see a 1 story National Park Service building and the blue roof of the Park Police headquarters behind it. Walk straight through (the public is allowed!) and straight to the river. Once you arrive at the trail, take a right and we’ll be at the bridge you can see! How do I join? Come to the river on September 29th!

Let us know you’re coming!