Friends of Cabin John Creek is inviting Potomac-area residents to hike 10 miles along the Cabin John Creek Trail on Sunday, Nov. 1.
The Cabin John Creek Challenge starts at 10 a.m. at the Goya Drive trailhead and follows the creek to the Potomac River. The group expects the hike to take four to six hours.
The route passes through familiar ground. Hikers will cross Tuckerman Lane at the one-mile mark, reach the Sycamore Fire Ring at Locust Grove Nature Center around mile three, pass Bradley Boulevard at mile 4.5, cross River Road at mile six, hit Cabin John Local Park at mile 8.8 and finish at the river.
A nature talk and lunch stop are scheduled at the Sycamore Fire Ring from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Participants who complete the full trail, either on Nov. 1 or in segments over the course of the year, earn a special-edition sticker, according to the group's website. The creek flows through Rockville, Bethesda, Potomac and Cabin John before draining into the Potomac River and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay.
On its homepage, the group says Montgomery Parks recognized it as the watershed group with the "Most Remarkable Growth" in cleanup impacts in 2025. That claim has not been independently confirmed through Montgomery Parks' public records. Montgomery Parks lists Friends of Cabin John Creek among eight watershed groups active in Montgomery County.
Parking at Goya Drive is limited. The event flyer urges participants to carpool or arrange a drop-off. Hikers should bring water, lunch, snacks, a cell phone and a printed trail map.
Funding for the challenge comes from the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection and the Montgomery County Water Quality Protection Fund, according to the group's website. Residents with questions can email [email protected].
