A 4-mile loop in the Cleveland Park region that includes the Melvin Hazen trail as well as the Smithsonian National Zoo.
Location: Smithsonian National Zoo + surrounding area
Length: Approx. 4 miles
MAP
ROUTE GUIDE
Since this is a loop, you can start anywhere along the trail. I’ve decided to start the trail at the entrance of the zoo since it’s very visible and easy to find.
So, start right by the front entrance to the zoo on Connecticut Avenue. There will be a giant zoo sign right in front.
Start by this giant “ZOO” sign
Face yourself as if you were running out of the zoo, then turn right onto Connecticut.
You’ll see this immediately after turning right onto Connecticut
You’ll cross this bridge
This stretch of Connecticut that is part of the loop is the only real exposure you have to a major DC roadway, so if you’re not into that, I apologize.
However, I actually enjoy this stretch because the scenery is actually pretty nice and you get to cross a cool bridge.
Fun times on Connecticut
Feeling lazy? You pass Cleveland Park metro if you want to bail.
Regardless, this stretch lasts about a mile until you get to the opening of Melvin Hazen, which is where you want to turn off.Make sure you’re on the right side of the road and keep your eyes peeled for the Wilshire Park Condominium sign (3701 Connecticut Ave). If you pass this, that means that the trail entrance will appear VERY soon.
Make sure you’re on the right side of the road and keep your eyes peeled for the Wilshire Park Condominium sign (3701 Connecticut Ave). If you pass this, that means that the trail entrance will appear VERY soon.
This sign means you’re about to reach the Melvin Hazen turnoff.
This is the trail entrance
Close-up shot
Now that you’ve hit the turnoff, it’s time for part 2. Melvin Hazen is about half a mile long and will take you to the bottom of Tilden, by Beach Drive. It’s all downhill (approx 160 ft drop) but some parts can be slightly steep and you will be required to cross some streams.
Melvin Hazen is initially very steep
Still of Melvin Hazen
One of the streams you must cross
Melvin Hazen will finally exit into a field. You need to keep to the right and cross a bridge. However, there are bathrooms on this field if need be.
Melvin Hazen trail will exit to this field. The bridge circled in red is where you have to go. However, bathrooms/water are to the left.
The bridge you must cross
Cruise down this street for a bit until you see this bridge:
Go down Beach Drive then make a right onto this bridge
Make a right onto this bridge. When I went running (May 2017), there was a lot of construction, but this loop is still doable.
The second bridge you cross
On paths like these, the side dirt road is easier on the knees
The key is to follow the creek. The creek will take you all the way to the rear entrance of the Zoo, so if in doubt, take whatever road keeps you close to the creek.
After you cross the second bridge, you’ll reach a complicated intersection (by Porter/Klingle).
Take the left path- remember to follow the creek.
Bang a left at this junction
Follow the path to the left over the bridge.
Cross yet another bridge and now you’ll find yourself on a trail parallel to Beach Drive. This part is, in my opinion, the most mundane part of the trail, and it’s all asphalt (except for the little dirt path on the right that I like to run on).
This is what the Beach Drive trail looks like
Look to your right and about .75 miles after the last bridge you’ll see the rear entrance to the zoo that you should go up:
Rear entrance to zoo
Normally it shouldn’t say “ROAD CLOSED”, and you’ll be able to go right to the zoo. Otherwise, if the road is closed go straight past it and stay on the road trail:
If the zoo entrance is blocked, stay on the road and go right to the tunnel
It’ll be a slight detour to get to the zoo now, that involves taking a side trail to another back entrance of the zoo.
Run until you reach a stop sign, at which you point you kind of how to do a U-turn and double back the way you came on the other side of the creek to get the where you would have been had the previous road not been closed.
Make a right at this stop sign
Cross (yet another) bridge to get to the other side of the creek, then make another right
Stay on the road and then get onto this sidewalk
As you go back the way you came, find this sidewalk, then the road should naturally take you onto the main road of the zoo.
If you’re on this path, you’re on the right track
This is the rear entrance you would have gone through, had the road not been closed
There are many bathrooms and water stations at the zoo
If you’ve never been to the Smithsonian Zoo before, it’s basically one straight line with various side exhibits and sprouting off the main path. Also, the main road is strictly increasing, with the main entrance at the absolute maxima and the rear entrance at the absolute minima.
Approaching the main entrance of the zoo
Using this knowledge, and if we want to run up through the zoo to get back to where we started, we need only find the main path then go uphill.
So if the most recent instructions above are too complex are hard to follow, just do whatever you have to to get on the main road then go uphill.
The entire zoo uphill is about .75 miles long, at which point you’ll get to the main entrance of the zoo, which is where you started.
To finish this running guide, here are some candids of the zoo:
The zoo is incredibly packed on weekdays during the afternoon
There are mist machines when it gets hot
Great Ape House
Elephants
NOTES
The zoo loop isn’t particularly long, but it goes through the zoo, which is cool (and you don’t have to worry about parking). It’s also fairly hilly (almost 200 ft between the lowest and highest point on the map) so despite it being short, it still provides a good workout.
Also, aside from a few mundane parts, it’s a pretty fun route with nice scenery. And of course, as is for all loops, you don’t have to repeat segments, which is great.
Overall, if you’re looking for a not-too-long run in Cleveland Park, this is definitely for you.