The Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve Route Guide
The “MCAR” was created in 1980 to protect Montgomery County, MD’s agricultural heritage by restricting residential, industrial and commercial development. The Agricultural Reserve’s 93,000 acres is more than twice the area of Washington, D.C and is within riding distance, or a short drive, from the city. This section of the County has been specially zoned to encourage agricultural uses, however, in addition to promoting small-scale farmers the reserve and additional conservation easements have preserved a picturesque pastoral landscape with a cross section of quiet country lanes, gravel roads, and trails perfect for our brand of adventure riding. With the proliferation of massive, yuppy-disneyland-style vineyards in Loudoun County, MCAR roads are often quieter than their counterparts across the Potomac, no less picturesque, and depending on where you start from a fair bit closer to DC and Maryland.
On the page below you’ll find a collection of our favorite MCAR routes, developed across a decade of riding the MCAR, and curated by team map-master Andy that suit different bikes, riders, and weather conditions. All routes begin and end at the Seneca Aqueduct parking area, allowing access to the routes from DC either by short car trip or a 20 mile bike ride down the C&O canal from Georgetown. Each route combines a different balance of quiet B-roads, gravel roads, and singletrack that generally suit drop bar or adventure style bicycles. For mountain bike rides in the area, we encourage you to consult MORE.
MCAR PAVE
For the road or all-road bike, the MCAR Pave route includes 96% paved surfaces, a store stop around half-way, and a rewarding but optional climb up Sugar Loaf Mountain to a view of the entire MCAR, below. Most roads are quiet, unpainted B-roads.
We recommend this route particularly when the weather has been wet or the freeze-thaw cycle is making the trails too muddy. You get a lot of the “gravel biking experience” of quieter, car free roads and pastoral landscape without the mud and grit of wet, winter, unpaved surfaces. The route’s roads have been selected to maximize the use of narrow, unpainted country lanes and pass small farms and historic residences. One small gravel segment is tame and safe to pass on most road bikes.
MCAR GRAVEL
For the cyclocross or gravel bike, the MCAR Gravel route is about 60% unpaved surfaces and includes most of the gravel roads in the MCAR, a wide but shallow stream crossing, and a short section of trail. Riders should plan to bring provisions, however, a store stop is available just off-route at mile 41.
We recommend this route for most seasons and conditions, but you will get your feet wet so better avoided when it is really cold. While Loudoun County, VA gets most of the love from DMV gravel cyclists, there is a lot to love about the MCAR for gravel bikes. With the C&O canal forming the southern border, creating loops is made easy, and there are plentiful points of interest and provisions.
MCAR ADVENTURE + GRAND ADVENTURE
The Magnum Opus of MCAR adventure riding, the MCAR Grand Adventure route is designed for underbiking, long days, and a sense of adventure. The 80 mile route is 70% unpaved and includes canal miles, gravel roads, and singletrack. Resupply is avialable at miles 21, 51, and 66 for those long hot summer days.
The “Adventure” route is the best of the Grand Adventure’s more …adventurous… northern portion but without the mellower canal and river road gravel segments in the south. We recommend a cyclocross or gravel bike with tubeless tires at least 40mm in width and confident off-road handling abilities.
