Lake Elkhorn Loop & Patuxent Branch Trail

There’s some nice running in the Owen Brown Village in southeast Columbia. The highlight is the 2-mile loop around Lake Elkhorn on the paved Lake Elkhorn Loop Trail. It’s very pretty, with lake views a good part of the way. We think the Lake Elkhorn loop is more scenic than the loops around Lake Kittamaqundi or Wilde Lake.

Longer Run Options: Head south on the Patuxent Branch Trail, a multi-use path that runs for up to 4.4 miles south from Lake Elkhorn to Savage Park. It’s mostly paved, with some gravel sections at the south end. You can also continue north on the Lake to Lake Trail. It’s up to 2.8 miles to Lake Kittamaqundi — note there are some short on-road sections. There are also paths and pleasant, quiet streets in the residential neighborhoods north and south of the lake.