Maryland Parks

Nestled around picturesque Little Seneca Lake, Black Hill Regional Park is a popular recreational spot for locals. Picnicking and strolling on the several miles of paved paths, which afford great views of the lake, are popular weekend activities. Black Hill Regional Park is easily accessible to many surrounding neighborhoods via a network of paved paths, including the 3 mile long Black Hill Trail, which snakes its way around the eastern half of the lake.

The trail network at Cedarville State Forest is a perfect location for beginner mountain bikers to hone their skills. The trails are mostly wide, smooth single track or double track trails with occasional narrow sections and rocky / rooty areas. They wind their way through serene forests, around a fishing pond, and past a portion of the Zekiah Swamp.

The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park stretches 184 miles from Washington DC, through Maryland, and West Virginia, eventually ending in Cumberland, Maryland. The towpath is a wide, smooth multi-use trail that follows the Potomac River. Some of the original lift locks that raised the canal from sea level at Georgetown to 610 feet at Cumberland, MD are still in existence.

Situated along a beautiful, rocky section of the Potomac River, Great Falls Tavern is one of the 6 visitor centers along the C&O National Historic Park. This section contains about 14 miles of hiking trails, including the popular Billy Goat Trail. As its name implies, the Billy Goat Trail is part hike, part rock-scramble along a cliff face. It has fantastic views of Mather Gorge and the Potomac River.

Formerly a privately held piece of land owned by William DuPont, Jr., Fair Hill was purchased by Maryland and made available for public use in 1975. There are now more than 80 miles of multi-use trails on this 5600 acre property, which consists of gently rolling terrain, with both wooded areas and open fields. The single track trails and wide farm roads on the property are popular with equestrians, hikers, and mountain bikers from both Delaware (Newark is 10 minutes to the west and Wilmington is a 25 minute drive), and also from the Baltimore area (1 hour to the south).

Located on Catoctin Mountain, Gambrill State Park features excellent views of the surrounding area from several overlooks located near the park entrance. Picnic tables, play areas for the kids, and a campground at the base of the mountain can be enjoyed in the park as well.  Gambrill State Park borders the Frederick City Watershed to the north, a 7,000 acre forest which contains many more miles of trails that can be accessed via the blue blazed Catoctin Trail and the Yellow Poplar Trail.  

Nestled amid the picturesque scenery of western Maryland, Greenbrier State Park stands as a haven for outdoor enthusiasts, offering a diverse range of recreational activities and natural beauty. Situated near Boonsboro, the park encompasses a sprawling 1,100 acres, featuring a pristine 42-acre freshwater lake as its centerpiece. Greenbrier Lake provides a scenic backdrop for a variety of water-based activities, including fishing, boating, and swimming during the summer months. The park's sandy beach invites families and sun-seekers to relax and enjoy the tranquility of the surroundings.

The Hoyles Mill Connector Trail is a combination of single track, double track, and a paved path that links Schaeffer Farms to Black Hill Regional Park. Located at the southern end of the connector trail is a popular sports complex, Germantown Recreational Park. Here, you'll find several paved paths, including a 2 mile loop that circumnavigates the park.

You can spend the entire day at Little Bennett Regional Park hiking or biking the 20 miles of trails and not see the entire park. Mostly double track trails, with some single track, this 3,700 acre wooded park has gently rolling hills, picturesque streams, and beautiful mature forests. 

Nestled along the banks of the Patapsco River in Maryland, Patapsco Valley State Park offers outdoor enthusiasts a playground of natural beauty and recreational opportunities. Spanning over 16,000 acres, this expansive park boasts a diverse landscape of wooded valleys, rocky cliffs, and meandering streams, providing the perfect backdrop for mountain biking and hiking adventures.