Seneca Creek is a 5.8-mile-long (9.3 km) stream in Montgomery County, Maryland , USA, roughly 16 miles (26 km) northwest of Washington, D.C. It drains into the Potomac River .
7-607: The Seneca Creek Greenway Trail is a 24.2-mile (38.9 km) long trail that runs along Seneca Creek from the Potomac River to Watkins Road, with some parts maintained by the state of Maryland and some parts maintained by Montgomery County, MD The 16.5 mile state-maintained portion of the Seneca Creek Greenway Trail starts at the Potomac River near Riley's Lock . it goes by the ruins of
14-784: Is a 7.8-mile natural-surface trail that continues to the north. Follow the trail under the bridge, then cross the creek on the bridge to get to a gravel parking area. From there the trail runs to Watkins Mill Road, where there is also a parking area. The trail continues north to its end at Watkins Road, but you can continue to Damascus Recreational Park on the Lower Magruder Trail. Seneca Creek (Potomac River tributary) The creek begins with two main tributaries: These tributaries converge near Darnestown . Another major tributary, Dry Seneca Creek, empties into Seneca Creek west of Darnestown. The creek continues south and passes under Seneca Aqueduct /Riley's Lock (Lock 24) of
21-445: Is a boat ramp into the creek which provides access to the Potomac River. An area of about 6,300 acres (25 km ) along 14.75 miles (23.74 km) of the creek has been set aside as Seneca Creek State Park . It has trails including the 16.5 miles (26.6 km) Seneca Creek Greenway Trail , the 10 miles (16 km) Schaeffer Farm Trail, and many shorter and easier trails. Parking and picnic areas are provided at various locations in
28-523: The Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Canal before it flows into the Potomac River. There is about a 600 feet (180 m) change in elevation from the stream's upper sources to its mouth at the Potomac. Seneca Creek has a watershed area of 121 square miles (310 km ). Depending on conditions, parts of the creek are navigable by light watercraft, such as kayaks or canoes . Near Riley’s Lock there
35-470: The Seneca stonecutting mill and runs along Tschiffely Mill Road for about a mile. The trail then crosses River Road and goes a short distance on Berryville Road, where the off-road portion of the trail begins. The trail continues past Darnestown Road , Blackrock Mill and Clopper Lake until it reaches Maryland Route 355 . The state-run portion of the trail ends at Maryland Route 355. The county portion
42-547: The Smithsonian Castle and locks 8 - 27 of the C&;O Canal. The remains of the 1837 stone cutting mill are still intact, though unmarked; above the quarry is the restored quarry masters house. Both are within state park lands. During the 1920s and 1930s Seneca was a popular vacation spot for people from lower Montgomery County and Washington who came for the cooler temperatures, boating, swimming, and fishing. There
49-471: The park. Long Draught Creek, a small tributary north of Gaithersburg has been dammed to form the 90 acres (0.36 km ) Clopper Lake which is the centerpiece of the park's day use area. This area includes multiple picnic areas, a disc golf course, boat rentals for the lake, and restroom facilities. Just west of the creek's mouth is the Seneca Quarry , the quarry that provided the red sandstone for
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