Maryland Official Visitors Guide - 2020 Maryland Official Visitors Guide
Outdoors
Ashley Stimpson 2019-12-19 00:33:23
Trail Mix
Summit mountains, kayak the bay and bike back to camp—Maryland’s trail system is second to none.
Opportunities for outdoor adventures in Maryland are as diverse as the landscape. From the great heights of Western Maryland to the lapping tides of the Eastern Shore, there’s a trail for everyone in the Old Line State. Whether you’re traveling by foot, bike or boat, taking in history or carving out a new path, you can bet on incredible scenery and indelible memories.
WALK IT OUT
After a short drive from fast-paced Baltimore, you’ll find peaceful North Point State Park. With well-marked, well-maintained trails and teasing glimpses of the Chesapeake Bay, this park is ideal for an early morning stroll or your trail-running training regimen. Take the Black Marsh Trail to the ruins of the Ferry Grove Pier. Elsewhere in the park, you can cast a line or unfurl a blanket for a waterfront picnic.
Go from sea level to soaring vistas with a trip to Backbone Mountain in Garrett County. At 3,360 feet, the mountain is the highest point in Maryland, though the trail technically begins in West Virginia. A challenging 2.5-mile round trip, this hike offers beautiful views and bragging rights. At the summit (also known as Hoye-Crest), be sure to sign the register and snap a triumphant selfie.
PEDAL POWER
For nearly a century, the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal was one of the nation’s most important commercial arteries, transporting coal and timber from the Allegheny Mountains to the industrial centers of Washington and Baltimore. Today, the C&O Canal towpath trail is a 184.5-mile avenue for adventure, providing joggers, hikers and bikers the chance to discover the fascinating history and enduring splendor of the Potomac River Valley. For a unique way to experience the towpath, bike its entirety and stay in one of the rustic, riverside campsites located about every five miles along the trail or stay in a former lock tender’s house. Ready to push your limits? Consider connecting with the Great Allegheny Passage towpath that connects with the towpath in Cumberland and offers riders another 150 miles of trail en route to Pittsburgh, PA.
Those who prefer their bike rides “rough and tumble” will appreciate Patapsco Valley State Park’s 32 miles of mountain biking trails. The rocky terrain and the undulating hills of Patapsco make for an exhilarating ride, and the 56-mile Tour de Patapsco (linking the Avalon and McKeldin Areas) is especially popular with Baltimore- and D.C.-area bikers. For a post-workout cool down, how about a dip in the park’s namesake river?
ROW YOUR OWN BOAT
The massive Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge is a great paddling spot. Home to more than 500 tundra swans, beautiful Colonial buildings and a butterfly garden, it’s a jewel on the banks of the Eastern Shore. Also on the shore, Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge features nearly 25 miles of water trails, and with its central location on the Great Atlantic Flyway, it’s home to some of the best paddle-powered birding in the world. Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary in Charles County offers a unique opportunity to paddle along an 18-square mile stretch of Potomac River coast that’s home to archaeological artifacts dating back nearly 12,000 years, fascinating Civil War sites and the famous Ghost Fleet of Mallows Bay, a collection of more than 100 abandoned steamships dating back to World War I.
Baltimore County’s Hammerman Beach in Gunpowder State Park offers great swimming, kayaking and even sailing lessons on the park’s fleet of Hobbie Cats. A favorite for locals looking to beat the summer heat, Hammerman also offers great bay fishing as well as short, well-marked hiking trails. And for an overnight boating adventure, head to Janes Island State Park in Somerset County. There, you can rent a canoe or kayak and reserve your space on one of the backcountry camping platforms. These paddle-in sites each provide ample solitude and a killer view of the park’s 2,900 acres of salt marsh. At night, you’ll sleep under a canopy of stars. Camping not your thing? Book one of Janes Island’s full-service cabins for a soft place to land after a hard day of paddling.
TAKE THE TIME MACHINE
Relive the drama and the intrigue of the War of 1812 on the Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail, which encompasses almost all of Southern Maryland. A perfect place to start is Baltimore’s Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, the site of a fierce British bombardment and the inspiration for Francis Scott Key’s famous recitation. From there, follow the trail as it blooms in all directions—via land and water—on its way through preserved battlefields, historic towns and more museums and monuments than you can see on one march. Historic houses and salt-stained lighthouses are another frequent highlight of the trail.
At the Indian Village at Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum in Calvert County, visitors can travel even further back in time. Built to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Captain John Smith’s exploration of the Chesapeake, the village replicates the Native settlements Smith would have found lining the banks of the Patuxent River. Working in tandem with local high school students, the park has developed an audio tour to guide visitors through the wood huts, working gardens and racks for smoking fish and meat that characterize the culture of Piscataway Indians.
For the prehistory lover in your group, drive 10 miles south to Calvert Cliffs State Park to forage for fossils along the rocky shoreline. More than 600 species of fossils have been found in the area, including remnants of rhinos, whales and mastodons. Most visitors manage to snag a shark tooth or two.
Whether it’s history, scenery or adventure you’re after, Maryland’s got it all. See you at the trailhead!
Tour Talbot County by Bike
Talbot County is a quintessential Eastern Shore destination. Quaint bayside towns and pristine shorelines make it popular with day-trippers and long-weekenders alike. Visitors can take in everything Talbot County has to offer on two wheels with its six themed bike trails. Choose between Chesapeake Views (self-explanatory), Joust Maryland (to learn more about the state’s official sport) or alternative routes that lead you through farmland, small towns and cemeteries. Bicycle shops and bed and breakfasts will keep your journey safe and comfortable.
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Outdoors
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