Some of Maryland's Best Hikes
From Baltimore to Hagerstown, the Old Line State has a lot to offer
A Never-ending Supply of Trails: Little Bennett Park
Spanning across Montgomery County, this park is huge. There are a ton of easily accessible starting points and a myriad of trails. This is a great park to start making random turns in, because all of the trails eventually lead back to a main one. The park has good (but not huge) hills and is great for both hiking and biking.
I would recommend starting at either the extreme north or south end of the park so you give yourself space to do more trails. This park is great if you are a beginner or a veteran since you can add side trails with ease. If you want to get away from people, you can duck off on a different trail. There are also historic sites scattered throughout the park. This park offers something for everyone.
Get Away from the City: Oregon Ridge Park
While this park cannot claim the size of the others, it can claim to be the best maintained by a wide margin. Located in Hunt Valley, it is easy to access from the Baltimore suburbs. The scenery is serene and a creek meanders its way throughout the hike. The major downside with this park is the number of people in it at any given time. Its gorgeous, but don’t expect to be alone.
There are two true starting points you can take. The easier (and accessible to more trails) start is at the nature center. The start at the event center has the hill pictured above and promises an incredible workout to start, no matter how great of shape you’re in. The trails are color coded and I’d recommend the red and yellow trails. Its hard to get lost here so feel free to maunder along different trails.
Challenging like Colorado: Catoctin Park
Its hard to find a trail on the east coast that can give you nearly 2000 feet of elevation. Catoctin mountain does this and more. It reminded me of the many mountains I climbed in Colorado, with one distinct difference, it was infinitely greener and filled with more life. Replete with an outdoor nature center (with some cool turtles) and an aviary, this park can be explored for weeks.
The nature center is one of the better starting points for this massive park. Research where you are going to hike beforehand because a wrong turn could lead you too close to Camp David and land you a not so friendly conversation with a guard. Most of the trails take you to some kind of peak (whether a hill or that of Catoctin Mountain) which reminded me of the trails I did in Northern Colorado. This park also offers the chance for backpacking and truly long adventures.
Incredible Views: Gambrill State Park
Located on the outskirts of Frederick, this park has both fishing and hiking. Similar to Oregon Ridge, the trails use a color system with most of the trails revolving around a larger loop trail. Its close to Catoctin and even has a trail leading to it. Of any of these parks, Gambrill offers trails with the best outlooks of the surrounding area.
I’d recommend taking the loop but be prepared for some steep inclines. Along this trail, there are two spots that provide excellent views. On one, you can see Frederick. On the other (pictured above), you can see Middletown and deep into the Blue Ridge Mountains. The land below looks much as it has for centuries and it makes the hike well worth it.
Hiking History: Appalachian Trail (Boonsboro)
Maryland is one of the shortest states on the 2190 mile long trail, yet it still offers a great and challenging stretch. It is similar to the portion in West Virginia and follows the ridgeline of South Mountain before dropping off to cross the Potomac River. The trail is famous for a reason and within a few days you can easily say you hiked the entirety of a state along the trail.
The best starting point (unless you are trying to fully go from end to end in one go) is in Boonsboro. There’s a large parking lot and it is about halfway through Maryland. Both directions offer an excellent (and challenging) hike. Going north will give you the view above at Annapolis Rock and eventually take you to Pennsylvania. Going south will lead you to Harper’s Ferry in West Virginia (a town well worth visiting) and has some historical sites along the way. The last stretch before the river is lush with life and has a large hill down. As a general rule here, the south trail goes more downhill and the north goes more uphill but you will still be doing both no matter which way you go.
The Best Biking (and fishing): Black Hills Regional Park
Located near Germantown, this park offers a trail perfect for biking around the lake. There is essentially one long trail, but it is rewarding if you have the time. The trail is perfect for a hybrid bike, it offers some bumps but nothing too outrageous. You’ll get challenged by going up and down hills while having gorgeous views of Little Seneca Lake.
I’d recommend starting near the bridge (on the side towards Clarksburg/Germantown). Take a small-looking trail that is up a hill, it’ll level off and if you take it to the end you’ll finish on the other side of the bridge. From there, the bike lane is large and you can bike back to where you parked. If you want to fish, the general store nearby has great bait to catch some large fish (personally I’ve only ever caught yellow perch). To get a great fishing spot you’ll have to walk a bit on the trail.
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A Side Note: There are some parks not worth going to. Personally, I’d avoid Patapsco Valley State Park. The trails are unmaintained and its often impossible to even bike large sections of it. The rangers are nowhere to be found and my friend and I have stumbled upon the caution tape marking a former (albeit recent) crime scene right on the trail. This is not to mention that they charge you to enter.
Side Note Dux: If I do a second version of this post, I will include more trails on the Eastern shore and far west of Maryland. The C&O Canal trail in Cumberland is excellent, for example. For now, I’m sticking with trails mostly in central Maryland.