Greenbelt Lake Walk

With a bit of unseasonably warm weather, we decided to get some sunshine and vitamin D by walking the trail around Greenbelt Lake in Maryland. 

We started at the community center complex, which includes the sadly closed library, and headed off to the lake loop trail.

Path to the lake loop

The first part of the lake was a body of water called a "forebay." Runoff water from storm drains often has a lot of junk in it. This bay collects that water and forces it through an embankment, giving it a bit of purifying before entering the lake proper.

Forebay

Explanation of the forebay

The trail around the lake is paved in parts, crushed rocks in other parts. The path is nice and flat, making the walk very easy and enjoyable.

The day was a little cold

The lake was a little sparkly

Less sparkly part of the lake

At the far end of the lake (that's the far end from where we started), we saw a giant tree that was fenced off. This precaution was to protect the tree from climbers. It does look like an easy climb.

Old, friendly tree

The sign

The lake was calm and serene. We spotted another drainage area that keeps the lake from overflowing.

Swans on the lake

He's smiling, I swear!

Overflow drain

This house has a cool inclosed porch. It's on the lake, too!

I'd live here

Once we started our way back, we saw a hotel in the distance.

What's that tower?

Hotel

Even though the walk is just a mile and a half, some of us had to stop for a rest.

Resting rock

Another house along the river had a lot of yard inflatables for Christmas.

Singing Santa and friends with a Grinch nearby

A lot of other inflatables

If you are lucky, you'll just get coal in your stocking

I didn't even see the Yeti!

Santa's elves go back in time

This house has a grotto. We weren't sure if it was deliberate or from flood damage.

I'd probably live here too

The walk was fun and we are thinking of going back for the historic Greenbelt walk. The town was built as part of the New Deal back in the 1930s and has an interesting architectural style.