Hiking Maryland: A Guide for Hikers & Photographers by Scott E. Brown

Author:Scott E. Brown [Brown, Scott E.]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
ISBN: 9780811753999
Publisher: Stackpole Books
Published: 2013-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

Cross Blagden Avenue at 1.28 miles, swing left to climb again, and then go right. Arrive at Pulpit Rock at 1.6 miles to find a leaves-off view looking upstream. Now drop to creek level where the pleasant trail descends as it swings left. Beach Drive is in view across the creek, as is a road bridge in the distance. Start another climb-and-drop sequence and pass a side trail on the left to Picnic Area #4 at 2.1 miles.

With Beach Drive on your side the trail is now more or less level all the way to Military Road. There is one minor climb as you approach the tennis center, and then a fence pushes the trail back to the left and downhill again. I had an encounter on this little downhill part with one of trail running’s three worst critters: the dreaded root snake. I broke a toe on an exposed root but managed to finish the loop, although slowly. (In case you’re wondering, the other two are the infamous rock squirrel and the vicious stump bunny. They are exceptionally nasty animals.)

Arrive at the Park Police Station at 3.0 miles; Picnic Area #5 is ahead near Joyce Road. You’ll have to carefully—very carefully—cross Joyce Road, then head under the high bridge carrying Military Road over Rock Creek. After passing under Military Road at 3.14 miles, don’t bother trying to find the blue blaze that heads right to the switchback uphill (as shown on the NPS map). Instead, go straight along Beach Drive to the bathrooms near Picnic Area #6 and the Miller Cabin. Here, you can fill water bottles. A few yards past the bathrooms, follow the little footpath that goes right, and hit the blue blaze a dozen yards later. Go left.

As you move along, the golf course will be out of view to the right and you’ll see a “No Trespassing” sign behind the green for #14. Shortly after, the Black Horse Trail joins from the left at 3.5 miles. Arrive at Rolling Meadow Bridge at 3.8 miles. Pause here and walk to the bridge’s middle for a nice view of Rock Creek. Return to the trail and continue north, passing the Whittier Trail at 4.1 miles, then pass under the Sherrill Drive Bridge at 4.2 miles.

The trail is flat from here to Boundary Bridge and parking area CT 1, running along a mud bank several feet above the creek. There are numerous little jogs, twist, side trails, and braids, so stick with the widest and most-used path. Whether running or walking, you can set a brisk pace, even if the surface is muddy. From Sherrill Drive you’ll pass the Holly and Pine Trails at 4.3 and 4.9 miles, respectively. The blue-blazed trail makes an odd loop away from Rock Creek just north of the Pine Trail at 5.0 miles. The next landmark is West Beach Drive at 5.5 miles; pass under it and bear left just before CT 1 on a side trail. Arrive at Boundary Bridge and CT 1 at 6.

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