Monocacy NRMA Civil War Trails

On Sunday, March 20th, we headed out to do some hiking in Frederick County, MD on some of the famous Civil War Trails in the area.  Our destination was the Monocacy NRMA.  The trails were a bit muddy, unmarked, and there were also some creeks to cross so boots are recommended on this one.  We walked around for a while and discovered an old lime kiln along the trail. After a quick look at this piece of history we continued our adventure along the trail.

C & O Canal Adventures Part 2: Dickerson to Mouth of Monocacy

March 17th, 2011

Todays hike brings us to another section of the C & O canal tow path.  For starters at the Dickerson side there was a much smaller parking lot than Great Falls but a lot more open parking.  The majority of the traffic on this section was bike riders so it wasn't quite as crowed as Great Falls. The views of the canal and river are quite nice here, minus the walk past the energy plant. We also spotted a few critters along the way.


Creature Feature: Spotted Salamander

The spotted salamander is classified as a type of mole salamander. This is a group of salamanders that spends most of their life underground which is what makes them so difficult to find unless the time of year is just right to find them! During the spring these salamanders migrate to pools of water where they will meet, breed, lay their eggs and then return back to land and move back underground only to repeat the process next year! The baby salamanders grow underwater and actually have external gills.  After a few weeks these gills will decrease in size until they are completely gone and the spotted salamander young will join their parents in the underground lifestyle.

Lesser Known Fact: These little critters are mildly poisonous and many predators that try to eat them usually give up after a few bites due to their horrible taste!

Great Falls: Maryland Side: Old Anglers Inn to the Falls

Hike Date March 13th, 2011

The Flooded Potomac River

So after falling a bit behind with blogs here we are again to bring to you another one of Maryland's famous attractions and hikes, the C & O Canal towpath hiking from Old Anglers Inn up to the falls.  So the parking lot here is free (if you choose to park at the falls and hike the other direction there is a small fee of $5 per car) but space is limited so if visiting on a weekend come early.  The popularity of the park attracts many visitors so be prepared to share the space with hikers, joggers, and bikers.

355 to Watkins Mill-The Urban Hiker

Today was what we like to call a "break in" hike.  After not hiking for a while we adventured to the Seneca Greenway Trail and hiked the section between route 355 and Watkins Mill Road in Seneca Stream Valley Park Unit 1.  The total trail encompasses 26 miles from the Potomac River into Damascus in Montgomery County, Maryland.  The section we hiked is 2.9 miles between the highways and as many sections of the trail, much of the parking is along major roads and is easily accessible. 

Much of the trial is close to Great Seneca Creek which makes for a visually nice hike.  Keep in mind that due to heavy foot traffic the unpaved trails can be quite muddy at times. Unfortunately, the trail is also close to many residential areas so if you are looking to get away from it all this is not the hike for you.  Being close to residential areas also leads to quite a bit of trash along hillsides near residences.