You may feel like you're in someone's backyard, but the Circle Woods are public protected land (please start from one of the two trailhead waypoints to avoid actually walking in someone's backyard).
The city of Takoma Park acquired the property in 1995 intending to preserve the floodplain from development. In 2024, Takoma Park received a grant from PEPCO to perform environmental improvements on the property. Enjoy your time in Circle Woods!