Montgomery County Beach Drive (not to be confused with Beech Ave.) is a discontiuous road running through Rock Creek Park from Montgomery County Maryland to the Potomac River. The National Park Service closes sections of the drive through traffic from Saturday morning to Sunday evening and on federal holidays. The portion of Beach Drive from Wise road to Blagden road is suitable for rollerskiing both traditional and skate style. Blagden Rd. to Military Rd. is a very gentle uphill run with no motor vehicles other than park police. Cars are allowed to access the picnic areas from Military Rd. North but there is no through route and the road is blocked to cars at Sherill Dr. It is a stiffer uphill from Sherill Dr. to Wise Rd. but can easily be decended . Wise Rd. is a 100 yard section open to East West traffic and steeply downhill. Best to walk or have speed reducers for this one since the traffic can be heavy and the road turns left at the bottom with straight ahead blocked by a gate. I've seen in-line skaters hit the gate pretty hard after coming down the hill. Beach Drive from Wise Rd. to the Maryland line is short but flat and much less used so it's good for sprints.
The Capitol Crecent Trail The paved section of the Capitol Crecent Trail runs 7 miles from downtown Bethesda to Georgetown along an abandoned railroad bed. Access in Bethesda is from the public parking lot on Bethesda Ave., one block West of Wisconsin Ave, ( MD 355 ) The path is not wide enough for skating without risk of hitting other users. The trail gets heavy pedestrian use from Bethesda to Dalecarlia Reservoir. From the Dalecarlia Reservoir to Georgetown traffic tends to be light with an exception in the area of Fletcher's boat house.
There are three bridges and two at grade crossings. The grade crossings are North of River Rd. and fairly safe since both cross split roads with a safety island in the middle: one is a residential neigborhood with car speed bumps just before the crossing, the other is across a major road but there are traffic lights close to the crossing so traffic is forced to stop periodically. The bridges are at River Rd., the Dalecarlia Reservoir and Canal Rd at Arizona Ave. The River Rd. Bridge can be daunting since it's about twenty feet above the Rd. and has a long run out with an additional grade drop and pitch. The Dalecarlia Reservoir Bridge is wood planking recently repaired and has only a moderate drop and pitch . The Canal Road Bridge is the old railroad bridge with a poured concrete slab. This one is interesting because the concrete is scored for ice and snow traction. This results in a vibrating foot massage when crossing on roller skis.
Centennial Park, Howard County. Somewhat hilly a 1.5mile route around an artificial lake. .75 miles west of intersection MD108 and MD29.
BWI Trail around BWI Airport. 4 miles, smooth surface mostly flat.
B&A Trail. Glen Burnie to Annapolis. 13 miles and smooth surface.
Patapsco State Park. Smooth bike trail, low traffic roads remnants of a road wiped out by hurricane Agnes in '72. Several miles.Smooth to bumby, flat to easy.
Wilmington area : Rte. 52 from Greenville ( 141 & 52 ) out to Rte. 1. About 8 miles of gentle terrain. Wide, smooth shoulder. B.T.
Washington D.C.:
There are a small group of roller skiers that gather on Saturday mornings at a part of Rock Creek Park which the city closes off on the weekends. It is 11km. round trip so you have to go back and forth, but it is a beautiful area and very pleasant roller skiing with some chance to do some steep hill intervals off the main Rd., particularly if you have speed reducers. JD.