It’s… something?
Location: Van Ness
Length: A bit over 2.5 miles
MAP
ROUTE GUIDE
As with all loops, you can start this route anywhere along the path since you’ll always finish back where you started. My guide begins on Connecticut Avenue between Rodman and Sedgewick Street. The starting location is marked by a trail opening on the east side of the road.
Starting location by the trail entrance.
Van Ness-UDC metro station if you want to bail.
Coast up Connecticut Ave in the North direction. The trail entrance should be on your right. .7 miles up the road you will reach Albemarle St. A giant Burger King sign will be visible on the left side of the road right before reaching Albemarle. You want to make a right on this road.
Albemarle St. is right after the Burger King.
Hang a right on Albemarle
Only a little bit down the road, you will see a large sign marking the start of the Soapstone Valley Trail, which is what we are about to take. The entirety of the Soapstone Valley Trail is about .8 miles long but definitely treacherous, so enter at your own peril.
First, you start off on a nice straightaway.
Soon you will go down this path:
This hill is very slippery and steep. Go slow(ish).
This part is steep and slippery, especially with leaves on the ground
Hang a left at the bottom of the hill.
Part of what makes Soapstone treacherous is not just the steep hills but the stream crossings. There are a lot of them. We’ll keep a tally as we go along. Here’s the first:
Stream 1
Stream 2
Stream 3
Stream 4
At this point, you’ll see a set of wooden stairs. Go up.
Up these stairs
Follow the arrow:
Stream 5
Stream 6?
Stream 7
Stream 8
8 streams in a .8 mile stretch. Happy trailing!
Almost out of the death trap
Broad Branch Rd
Once you reach Broad Branch Rd, make a right.
Go right on Broad Branch
The red circle marks the path.
The dirt trail will take you far. It runs right next to a creek on your left.
Under the tunnel:
Once you get to this field, you go to the small red circle to the entrance of Melvin Hazen trail. This trail will take you back to where you started. The red house circled is bathrooms/water.
Bathrooms available. Otherwise, go to the circle.
Alternatively, you can go up Tilden Rd and it will intersect with Connecticut. Viable for rainy days.
Alternatively, you can go up Tilden Rd.
When you get close to the Melvin Hazen, you will see the opening marked by signs.
Take Melvin Hazen back up to the starting point.
This is where the ascent begins. In the last 1.5 miles, you will have to make up 300 ft. The trail you just entered (Melvin Hazen) will start relatively mild with a few stream crossings but will get extremely steep towards the end.
After .5 miles, you will exit onto Connecticut Ave.
You will come right out of the trail that we started next to. The loop is complete.
NOTES
I honestly cannot think of a reason why you would ever choose to do this run. It’s way too short, incredibly hilly, and a good portion godawful. The Soapstone Valley Trail is full of so many steep and slippery hills, stairs, and stream crossings that you’re better off running on a treadmill.
In fact, getting through Soapstone without rolling an ankle or eating dirt is a feat in itself. If you’re in the area, just do the Zoo Loop, which is basically a direct upgrade to this trail. However, if you do choose this trail, take a friend with you who will get you help when you inevitably twist something by accident.
Despite the fact that this trail has absolutely no redeeming factors, I am very fond of it. I feel a sense of allegiance to it, harkening back to the days I was a freshman and loved this trail because it gave me an excuse to not run. I almost feel ownership of this trail (partially because it’s such garbage no one ever uses it) that I feel obligated to feature it on my website.
But yeah, don’t use it. Sorry I made you read this.