Greenbelt Park-- Dogwood Trail

I've given up on Rock Creek Park for now-- too much construction, too much isolation, too much uncertainty.  Instead I drove to Greenbelt Park on a frosty, sunny Saturday morning, thinking it was a nice day for a walk and hordes of people would probably be out with their dogs.  

Nope.  There were several cars in the parking lot for the Dogwood Trail, but I saw not one human soul in the woods.  Only these deer souls.

These guys (well, gals) were there to silently greet me almost immediately.  We were all pretty unfazed about it.

It was a pretty day, with the light snow outlining everything that would otherwise have been just different shades of brown.  I thought it was so nice that I left my scarf and gloves in the car, so that I wouldn't be too hot.  That was silly.  I was cold.  Also, I was just wearing sneakers with thin little purple footie socks.  Apparently I have forgotten how to go outside in the winter.

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Here's the truly dumbass thing: I got lost.  In Greenbelt Park.  In my defense, I encountered two different signs like this:

How MUCH longer?

Um, shorter route to where?

So I recommend NOT leaving your trail map in your purse in the car, even if you think you don't need it: not only are there signs like this, but there are places where extra stray trails veer off in some other direction, without obvious signage.  And, while there are dutiful markers every 0.2 miles, I suspect they are not placed correctly, as I covered the last 0.6 miles with amazing speed. 

No matter, I figured it out, and there are at least tree blazes here and there.  It's not a long or intimidating trail by any means, only confusing.  

And just when you think you're in the middle of nowhere, completely alone, you round a bend and see this view:

But zero of the people who live in these buildings are walking in the park.

Towards the end of the trail, there are a series of little (snow-covered today) boardwalks traversing damp bits.  I am partial to boardwalks.