Skip to content
Rachel Carson Conservation Park, Olney, MD

Photo: John Brighenti from Rockville, MD, United States, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

Sports & Outdoors

Rachel Carson Conservation Park

A 650-acre Montgomery County conservation park near Brookeville that honors biologist Rachel Carson, with trails for hiking and horseback riding.

22201 Zion Road, Olney, MD 20833 · Olney, MD

About Rachel Carson Conservation Park

Managed by Montgomery Parks, this roughly 650-acre preserve is devoted to protecting the environment while letting visitors enjoy its natural setting. More than six miles of natural surface trails run through it, serving hikers and equestrians alike. The park is named for Rachel Carson, a biologist who spent much of her adult life in Montgomery County and wrote Silent Spring near the Northwest Branch Stream Valley. Her work on the dangers of the pesticide DDT helped spark the modern environmental movement. Most of the land was acquired shortly after her death in 1964, with additional purchases continuing through 1990. The park also hosts volunteer events such as weed removal workdays.

  • #conservation
  • #hiking
  • #equestrian trails
  • #natural surface trails
  • #environmental history

What's around here?

The closest stops to Rachel Carson Conservation Park, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sports & Outdoors

    Patuxent River State Park

    Check prices

    A roughly 6,700-acre Maryland state park along the upper Patuxent River, mixing wild land, farm fields, and trails.

    2.0 mi awayMore like this

  • Museums

    Sandy Spring Museum

    No admission fee

    A community-focused museum in Sandy Spring, Maryland, covering regional history, art, and cultural heritage.

    5.1 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Sports & Outdoors

    Bowie Mill Park

    Check prices

    A small neighborhood park beside Sequoyah Elementary with play equipment and tennis courts.

    5.5 mi awayMore like this

  • Sports & Outdoors

    Rock Creek Regional Park

    Check prices

    A large Montgomery County park with two lakes, wooded trails, picnic shelters, and boating.

    7.0 mi awayMore like this

  • Museums

    National Capital Trolley Museum

    Under $25

    A transit museum in Montgomery County, Maryland, with indoor exhibits and rides on historic street cars.

    8.3 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Theater & Events
    Date Night

    Toby's Dinner Theatre

    $50+

    An in-the-round dinner theatre in Columbia serving a full meal alongside professional musical productions.

    Transit: reachable by public transit

    12 mi awaySwitch it up: Theater & Events

Near Rachel Carson Conservation Park

More of the same kind

Keep exploring