View of Harpers Ferry from Maryland Heights former Chesapeake Railway, and joins other small rail trails to cross Anne Arundel, Calvert and part of Prince George’s counties. The Western Maryland Rail Trail is another great bike route that parallels the C&O, connecting to the Great Allegheny Passage at several points on its 22-mile run along the Potomac River between Fort Frederick State Park and Sideling Hill. Rocks State Park was formed specifically to protect its majestic rock formation, rising 190 feet over Deer Creek. The King and Queen Seat is reachable by a 1.5-mile hike, and it’s also popular with climbers. For a different kind of day at the beach, check out Calvert Cliffs State Park, a remnant of a prehistoric time when Maryland was covered by water. The receding sea left these cliffs, and the beach at the base of them is a fossil-hunter’s paradise. A short hike through the woods off the C&O Towpath will get you to an incredible panoramic expanse of Harpers Ferry across the Potomac River from Weverton Cliffs. The unique environment of Assateague Island provides a home for more than 320 bird species and is a popular getaway for beach-goers looking for a more undeveloped day at the beach, but the island is most known for its population of wild horses. Maryland’s greatest natural wonder and the one that gives the state its most distinctive characteristics is the Chesapeake Bay. The bay is an ecological marvel, running from fresh water at the head to saltwater where it intersects with the Atlantic Ocean. ✥ WANDER IN NATURAL WONDERS Patapsco Valley State Park, Ellicott City Lefty’s Fly-Fishing Legacy “In Lefty’s system you turn the whole body to the right and then step forward… it’s kind of a ballet step that you make using your arms and your body, and when you do it well, it is really beautiful. ” —Tom Brokaw Famous Maryland fly-fishing legend Bernard “Lefty” Kreh was a pioneer of his time who grew up fishing the rivers of the Chesapeake. His passion was casting lines into both fresh and saltwater—an experience made possible by the uniqueness of Maryland’s diverse waters. One of his favorite fishing spots was the Potomac River. “It’s the fishing and company that matters,” said Lefty. Follow his advice and find your own paradise fishing for trout in tributaries and saltwater stripers across the Chesapeake Bay. Some of the top places to go for fly-fishing include Green Ridge State Forest, the Savage River, the tailwaters of Gunpowder Falls, Big Hunting Creek in Cunningham Falls State Park and the Patapsco River at Patapsco Valley State Park. PHOTO: VISIT HAGERSTOWN DOWNLOAD THE BLIPPAR APP FOR MORE TRIP IDEAS Step off the Beaten Path for Hunting and Fishing From the rugged Allegheny Mountains to the shores of the Chesapeake Bay, prime hunting and fishing spans the lands of Maryland’s great outdoors. DESTINATION MARYLAND ✥ 37
Maryland Official Visitors Guide 2019 Maryland Official Visitors Guide: Page 37
