Lake Needwood

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May 4
Sunday

Pre-registration is required and will open Monday, April 28 at 6pm and close on Saturday, May 3 at 12 noon.

QOC returns to Lake Needwood on May 4, and longer courses will also enjoy adjoining Redgate Park. Lake Needwood is a beautiful lakeside park, nestled within the 1,800 acre Rock Creek Regional Park, and is perfect for springtime picnics. On offer is a full slate of beginner through advanced courses.

Check-in will be in Pavilion C near the playground and restroom building. This is in the center of the loop formed by Needwood Lake Circle and Beach Drive. Driving directions to the main parking area are in the location details below. If the weather is nice the parking lots may fill up. If that occurs there is additional parking along the road, but make sure you park in one of the marked spaces.

Check in opens about 9:45am and courses open at 10:00am. As always, please be off the course no later than 3pm and remember to download at our e-punch station even if you did not finish. We want to make sure of everyone’s safety and status.

Please use caution if your course takes you across or along a road for a short bit. Also, all courses except white will cross a stream, so feet will get wet if there has been rain.

Free beginner instruction will be offered, as usual. If you have a large group seeking beginner instruction, please let the Event Director know. Also, make sure to check out our Your First Event and Orienteering Techniques For Beginners webpages. If they don’t answer any remaining questions you have, just use our Contact Form to ask.

Volunteer: Sign up for a volunteer slot via this form, or email the Event Director directly for other options.


Group Leaders: Please see our For Group Leaders page if you are leading a youth or large group – even though you will be pre-registering online. Please contact the Event Director with your plans and numbers for her awareness.

Post-event social: After your run, join fellow orienteers at World of Beer, located here just 4.5 miles south of Lake Needwood.

Reminders:

  • QOC will continue to use pre-registration as the ONLY method of signing up for our meets. There will be NO day-of, on-site registration. Refunds are paid only in the case of event cancellation.
  • There is no water for drinking on the course. Participants are responsible for their own hydration, so please come prepared. A very limited supply of bottled water for emergency use will be on hand with the Event Director.
  • Dogs are allowed, but must be on leash at all times.

Location

Lake Needwood, Circle Parking Area, Derwood, MD (Classic)
Registration

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Who's Registered? Check by clicking here.
Start TimesStart times will be by windows (to be defined for this event before registration opens).
ScheduleSunday, May 4
10:00 am - 3:00 pmClassic:
Volunteers
Event Director:Jane Leggett
Course Designer:Keg Good
Location Details

Classic
Lake Needwood
Circle Parking Area
Derwood, MD
Google Map

Get to Avery Rd from either Norbeck Rd (Rt 28) or Muncaster Mill Rd (Rt 115). From Avery Rd, turn onto Needwood Lake Dr, go 0.3 miles, then turn left on Beach Dr. The first right then leads to Needwood Lake Circle, and by continuing to follow QOC signs you should be led to the pavilion/shelter in use for the event, most likely towards the S end of the lake.
Google Maps Link
Apple/iPhone Link
Course DetailsClassic
Course NameLength (km)Climb (m)No. Controls
White 1.6557
Yellow 3.115012
Orange 3.313511
Beige 2.912510
Brown 3.715511
Green 4.719517
Red 6.129021
Blue 9.433023
Course NotesClassic

Course notes:
Most courses have a large amount of climb so don't be misled by the lengths.
White: this is the only course that doesn't cross streams.
Yellow: The crossing is on a small creek and will have a rope that can be used for guidance. This is a challenging yellow course.
Beige, Brown, Orange, Green, Red, & Blue will cross the larger Rock Creek.
Red and Blue will have a mandatory road crossing spot that will be off the clock. The controls on either side must be punched twice (once going out and once coming back.
Blue will also cross the stream on the road bridge. Once across, please move off the road/shoulder and into the forest.

Map notes:
Courses cover parts of Redgate pak, Lake Needwood Park, Rock Creek Park, and Crabbs Branch Stream Valley Park.
5 meter contours.
Several potential creek crossing places have been marked on the map. These are not mandatory.
Several of the paved roads are marked with magenta X's. You may cross the road but do not run along the road (with the exception of the bridge on Blue).
Manmade features using the black hollow circle are usually sewer caps or vertical culverts.
Manmade features using the black may be utility boxes, gates, junk, poles, wellheads, benches, signs, junk. Not all poles are mapped. benches and junk are control locations.
Dot knolls can be small.
Nadim and Peggy have done an excellent job of mapping the green. Respect the green and plan your routes carefully as there are plenty of thorns and barberry.
Several trails have been widened and planted with new grass. The trails are mapped as they were in January 2025.
The Puke Green color is out of bounds. Also the magenta hatch and the roads marked with X.

Entry FeesIndividual Entries

Note: juniors = under 21

Club Member, adult Club Member, junior Non-Member, adult Non-Member, junior
$10 $5 $20 $5

Group Entries

Participants are welcome to orienteer together as a group (up to the maximum for that event; usually 4). Each member of a group is charged their individual rate as shown above, up to a group total of $30 (maximum), and each receives a map. A group receives one epunch. Individuals or groups desiring to compete on a second course after completing their first can do so for a reduced fee of $2/map subject to approval at the event by the Event Director.

Important Notes
  • If you wish to become a QOC member you should join online in advance via this webpage (which also explains the member benefits). Membership is completely optional.
  • Most of our events use an 'epunch' timing chip for electronic timing. Individuals or groups without their own epunch will be loaned one for that event. Loaned epunches that are lost incur a $40 replacement fee. Epunches (also known as SI-cards or finger sticks) can be purchased from online vendors as described here.
  • Former QOC members who have let their membership lapse pay non-member fees.
  • Compasses are available at no charge, but if lost incur a $15 replacement fee.
  • Please provide collateral (such as car keys) when borrowing a compass or epunch.
  • Beginners are encouraged to watch relevant videos such as this one created by QOC's instructional guru David Onkst.