Anacostia Bladensburg New Wetlands/Bike Trail

Anacostia Bladensburg New Wetlands/Bike Trail
Originally uploaded by Eric Sibley

Eric writes

"This is the brand new section of the Anacostia bike path that will eventually connect the riverwalk trail with the tributary trail system in Bladensburg. It is located at the new wetlands just built as part of the Wilson Bridge mitigation project."

This is on the east side of the river between Bladensburg Balloon History Park and New York Avenue. I was completely unaware they were building the trail. I plan to check it out soon though.

Comments

[marc]

Hey, this is great news!!! Do you know if it currently connects with the Bladensburg Waterfront park (where the current trail deadends)?

Belated happy anniversary to Washcycle!

[Purple Eagle]

Is the Bladensburg Balloon History Park the same place as the Bladensburg Waterfront Park? I have never heard the name (I did a Google search and this blog entry was the first hit - crazy how quickly Google manages to index things).

I did a canoe trip on that section of the river last spring and learned about the wetland restoration project. The project is in the area south of the waterfront park, between the river and and industrial site along Kenilworth (east side of the river) so I am assuming this is where the new trail is?

[Eric]

The wetland site is accessible by boat for certain (sans any kind of dock), but if you go on foot you will have to access it from Kenilworth Ave. You make a right on 52nd Ave. and drive way back past a lot of industrial site(s). The trail spans the entire site of the wetlands, but it still doesn't quite connect in either direction. Definitely worth checking out.

[Washcycle]

Purple Eagle,

Yes. That's what google maps called it.

[Washcycle]

Peter Carnes, an inn-keeper at the George Washington House, performed the first authenticated balloon launch in America in 1784, reportedly from the grounds of the tavern. His Bladensburg launch was unmanned, but a short time later, on June 24,1784, in Baltimore, he sent 13-year old Edward Warren airborne in the first successful manned launch in the United States. Carnes' second attempt at a manned ascension took place on or about July 4 of that same year, in Philadelphia, although the balloon's basket reportedly crashed into a prison wall, sending its occupant, Carnes, to the ground after only going about 10-12 feet into the air. Despite the failure by Carnes to perfect the technique of manned balloon travel, the concept was eventually developed to the point where manned observation balloons were used extensively during the American Civil War.