Short hikes in MD
Do any of you Marylanders (or neibors0 know of any good overnight to perhaps three day backpacking traies (preferably circuts0 in the nearby?
Any help would help.
Do realize how small MD is? I don't think you could piece together three days of hiking even in Garrett Co.
The AT, in a staight line, is your only 3 day option.
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Mason Dixon trail, Conestoga trail, Tuscadora trail and AT. Easy drive to Dolly Sods, Laurel Highlands and many other longer trails. Good luck on where ever you go and have fun
Green Ridge State Forest in Allegany County has a trail roughly 24 miles long that one can backpack on. There are even shelters!
Have you done it? Is it worth doing???Originally Posted by nonameyet
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I day-hiked a small bit of it. I enjoyed that. I was hoping to backpack it in a few weeks.
It's pretty remote, couple decent overlooks. deep forest. Barely saw any other people when I did it. Depending on rain fall, there may be a ton of creek crossings. I say it's worth it, but not a must do.
Check out the Catoctin Trail. It lies just east of the AT closer to the northern end of Maryland. I know nothing about it other than the fact it is on my AT Trail Map.
Also, be sure to look into the C&O Canal Tow Path. It is a total of 184 miles and runs from Cumberland down to Washington. You don't have to hike the whole thing though! The best part about it is that the trail is hard packed sand most of the way and it is all F-L-A-T! It's like a walk along the beach while in the mountains. And there are hiker/biker campgrounds every few miles with plenty of water. Easy road access helps with drop-off and pick-up points but there are no "circuits."
your post has been corrected.
I just got a Trail Guide (map) for Green Ridge State Forest, haven't been there yet though. I hope to check it out soon. There's a 42 mile loop beginning at the visitor center.
What time of year did you go wilconow? I live near AT but the shelters/sites are pretty crowded in summer, I'm looking for a more remote alternative in MD.
labor day weekend sept 2004. it's been a while, but i remember that it was extremely quiet. we did a shuttle from near the c&o to the visitors center. only had time for a 15 mile overnight.
Sounds encouraging, being that it was a holiday weekend.
Thanks,
Looks like someone failed Maryland Geography.. The C&O Canal Towpath has about 170 miles of the 186 mile length in MD. It runs from Georgetown in DC to Cumberland MD.
A very easy but lovely and historic stroll particularly in the north where it is far less crowded than the first 30 miles in DC and Montgomery County
No one in their right mind would conisder backpacking the C&O Canal; no experienced backpacker would even consider it a backpacking trail.
And it's 184.5 miles, don't exagerate.
And less then 5 miles of it are inside DC, since we're talking geography here.......
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Yeah..I would agree with that. It's nice for walking, or biking, but backpacking? No.
I live at the tail end of it by Cumberland.
Why not?..185 miles or so is a fairly long trip even if you are doing 20-25 miles a day..Plus it has lots of history along it and once you are 60 miles out or so you are passing thru mountainous regions the rest of the way so it has natural beauty...But I guess you are right that in this reality tv/extreme sports generation something like the flat C & O Canal isn`t enough of a "challenge" for most people to consider
Sometimes you can't hear them talk..Other times you can.
The same old cliches.."Is that a woman or a man?"
You always seem out-numbered..You don't dare make a stand.
Challenge?
It's boring as ****! It's a wonderful bike and equestrian trail. I would love to canoe the Potomac and spend nites at the hiker/bikers, but walk that sucker?
NEVER!
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