Explore the best rated trails in Hagerstown, MD, whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Shuster Way Heritage Trail and Fairfax County Parkway Trail . With more than 36 trails covering 4176 miles you're bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
The amazing smell of the flowers at the start of the trail would be worth another ride for that alone. (We started at Welty Road Park.) Lots of hills, definitely a workout, some shade and some sun. The creek is absolutely beautiful.
From Dupont Circle in DC out to Purcellville in VA is almost exactly 50 miles. So hard core cyclists can do a century, while less extreme pedalers can make a two day trip out of it. And, as there are many Metro stops along the trail, cyclists can also do rides of varying lengths along different sections. An amazingly versatile trail in that regard. All of which — plus the C&O Canal (360 miles r/t from DC to Cumberland), Mt Vernon Trail (42 miles rt from DC to Mt Vernon), Rock Creek Park trail (45 miles rt from DC to Lake Needwood) should make DC the top cycling destination in the US.
This was a really peaceful trail through lots of beautiful farmland. Lots of birds and other nature. As you get closer to Carlisle proper it does become a bit noisier (and I did encounter a nice homeless man and an asphalt factory) but overall it was a very pleasant and peaceful ride. Combined with some hilly road rides to and from this was definitely a worthwhile trip.
Good mountain bike trail that as described in the trail overview traverses up and down the "rolling" hills with many areas of no shade. If you start up at the Germantown Soccerplex, I suggest you park near the BMX bike course and south along the tree line and you come across the starting marker for the Powerline trail (about a tenth of a mile down).
After being on the back burner for most of the past decade, progress on building a multi-use trail between York and Hanover is moving forward again.
As its name implies, the Hanover Trolley Trail was originally envisioned to follow the route of the York-Hanover Fast Line, a trolley service that connected York City with the southwestern boroughs of Spring Grove and Hanover between 1909 and 1939. Two short segments of the trail, each about 1.5 miles in length, were constructed on sections of the old trolley line, one from Moul Field in Hanover east to Gitts Run Road in Penn Twp., and another from Hosiery Alley in Spring Grove east to Martin Road in Jackson Twp. in the late 2000's/early 2010's.
Unfortunately, efforts to continue building the trail along the old trolley line stalled due to the fact that some sections had reverted to private ownership while others were converted to public roads. To work around this, newer segments of the trail will be routed along an inactive Genesee & Wyoming rail line that closely parallels the old trolley line for most of its length. The first section of trail along this new alignment was built on the east side of Spring Grove from the RR trestle on the original alignment southwest through Spring Grove Community Park to the corner of Main Street and Railroad St. next to the fire station in 2022.
Now, two years later, an additional 2 miles of the trail have been built along the old RR line from the trestle northeast to the Jackson Twp. line, immediately west of an abandoned bridge over Sunnyside Road. The first 1.5 miles of this section parallels an existing segment of the trail and the two alignments are connected via a half mile of Martin Road, giving users the option of riding or walking a loop.
Unlike the segment that it parallels on the trolley line, which crosses rolling farm fields, the new section passes through meadows and woodlands along the West Bank of the Codorus Creek. Observant trail users will note the concrete abutments to a now demolished bridge over the creek and a small family cemetery that sits on the side of a hill southwest of Martin Road. After passing a bucolic hamlet at Martin Road, the trail reenters the woods and follows the creek to a dead end immediately west of the old RR bridge. This bridge is currently barricaded and not open for use, and there is no public access to Sunnyside Road. The most notable features along this section include the clear waters of the creek and old rock cuts that were dug or blasted out to build the RR.
Although it does not yet connect to Bair or West York, this newest section of the Hanover Trolley Trail is a big step forward for the project. Efforts are already under way to extend the trail southwest to Gitts Run Road along the old rail line and to connect with the existing segment east of Hanover. Once that is accomplished, the portion from Sunnyside Road to Bair should be completed, and a feasible alignment through West Manchester Twp. to York City is currently under study.
Did the entire trail with e-bike. Great ride in lowest pedal assist mode! Few areas washed out by recent rains but able to navigate.
I will say it was our first Time Visiting this area. Me and my girlfriend were taken away by the beauty of the area. We didn't get to see the entire area. Also, there is this restaurant on the trail that makes the atmosphere feel like you are at peace. We are definitely going back.
Only did part of the trail from Herndon to Reston. Just watch out for the ‘Lance Armstrong’ wanna bees. Most of them do alert they are coming to your left, so stay to your right and you should be ok.
I started my experience at the trailhead of the charming and historic town of Purcellville at 7:30 on a Saturday morning in late October. I only went about six miles, but was surprised at the amount of fitness minded people using the trail so early in the day. It was primarily walkers and runners, but every now and then serious speed demons on their bikes would race past me. It's certainly a good trail for building up speed.
As for me, a tourist from California, I was moving along the trail moderately so as to take advantage of as many photo ops as possible. I especially enjoyed the fall colors, rolling hills of farm and pasture land, and some historic, vintage buildings. The stately country homes were absolutely stunning! I wish I'd had more time to explore more of this trail further!
Here are the parking locations for this 3.9 mile trail. Only the first 2 miles are shown on the map on the website. BJMA is working with the Borough to better delineate the trail within Bedford Borough.
Location of Shuster Way Heritage Trail Parking
Old Bedford Village Trailhead
40°2’25.4898” N 78°30’25.2792” W
40.040414. -78.507022
Ft. Bedford Park
40°1'12¿ N 78°30'16¿ W
40.01999. -78.50444
Bedford Elks Club
40°0'19¿ N 78°30'1¿ W.
40.00527. -78.5002
Omni Bedford Springs Trailhead
39°59'51¿ N 78°30'15¿ W
39.9975 -78.50416
Not to be confused with the nearby and better known Cumberland Valley Rail Trail, the Cumberland County Biker/Hiker Trail is noted for its scenic, natural beauty and for passing several historical sites on its 2.2 mile route through SC PA's South Mountain area, itself the northernmost tip of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Although these lands are now covered with lush forests, gently flowing creeks and placid lakes, historic Pine Grove Furnace and the adjacent village attest to the area's past as a bustling iron works in the 18th and 19th centuries.
The trail begins next to the old, hulking stone furnace and passes near several other relics from this bygone era, including the ironmaster's mansion, which is now a hostel, and Fuller Lake, originally an open pit iron mine that flooded with water. The trail itself follows the route of a long abandoned RR that was used to ship iron produced at the furnace to the rest of the nation.
The first quarter mile of the trail passes along the north shore of Fuller Lake. Despite its origins as an iron mine, the lake is a popular recreation spot and the Fuller Lake Day Use Area includes a picnic area as well as a snack bar, restrooms and a beach open to swimming from late May to early September. This section of the trail has a paved, asphalt surface and is used to provide access to the lake from the nearby village.
Asphalt gives way to crushed stone as the trail enters the woodlands of Michaux State Forest east of the lake. The sounds of wildlife, including birds and numerous small mammals, as well as frogs, crickets and locusts can be heard in the forested wetlands that line nearby Mountain Creek. This section of the trail is also part of the much longer, world famous Appalachian Trail and users may encounter long distance hikers.
A yellow gate located about a mile east of Fuller Lake marks the halfway point on the trail as well as the beginning of the eastern segment, on-road concurrency with the appropriately named Old Railroad Grade Road. This is also the point where the Appalachian Trail diverges, veering right and ascending the mountain toward the Pole Steeple rock outcropping and overlook, while the rail trail and road go right, following Mountain Creek. After another half mile, the trail and road pass Laurel Lake, on its southern shore, treating users to panoramic views, while the thickly forested mountain rises steeply to the south. Unlike the smaller Fuller Lake, Laurel Lake was originally constructed to provide water to a nearby iron forge and a large, concrete dam is still located at its eastern end. Like it's western counterpart, it's now a popular location for boating, fishing and swimming during the warmer months of the year. In addition to the Appalachian Trail, several smaller hiking paths, including the Pole Steeple, Kopenhaver and Mountain Creek trails, branch off this section.
Although this eastern section, which ends at Pine Grove Road near Old Forge Road, has a smooth, asphalt surface, trail users need to be aware that this is also a public road and to look out for cars and trucks using the road to access the lake and several cabins set back in the woods. Despite the low posted speed limit, the narrow width of Old Railroad Grade Road as well as the fact that it passes between a lake shore and the slope of a mountain means that there is little room to move off the trail when yielding to vehicles. Nonetheless, the beauty of the surrounding mountains and valley and historical significance of Pine Grove Furnace State Park make the Cumberland County Biker/Hiker Trail a rewarding experience and worthy addition to South Central PA's greenway system.
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