All trails

The postcard view of Harpers Ferry from the MD bluff above the Potomac-Shenandoah confluence. Steep, rocky, and crowded on weekends. Trailhead parking is on Sandy Hook Rd shoulder — free, no NPS entrance fee on this side.

The technical scramble along Bear Island — 1.7 miles of class-2/3 rock scrambling along the Potomac, returning on the flat towpath. Park at Great Falls Tavern ($20/vehicle, 7-day pass; America the Beautiful pass accepted).

Flat crushed-stone towpath along the Potomac. The iconic mid-Atlantic long-run / long-walk / dog-walk trail. Shaded and runnable in any weather. From Great Falls Tavern there is a $20/vehicle entrance fee; access from Old Anglers Inn or Carderock is free.

The 3,118-ft canal tunnel cut through Green Ridge, with a steep ridge-top bypass trail you can loop. Through the tunnel itself is flat and easy, but the bypass adds the climb that makes this a moderate outing. Bring a headlamp — the tunnel is pitch black and takes ~20 minutes to walk through. Closures recur for restoration work, ice, and bat-related seasonal restrictions.

Maryland's tallest cascading waterfall (78 ft). Short, family-friendly Lower Trail from the William Houck (lake) area, with a boardwalk near the falls. The Cliff Trail from the lake (~1.6 mi RT) and the Falls Trail from the NPS Catoctin side (~2.8 mi RT, ~500 ft gain) are steeper alternatives.

The classic Catoctin Mountain Park loop from the visitor center to two quartzite outcrops — Wolf Rock and Chimney Rock. Extending to Thurmont Vista and Blue Ridge Summit makes this a 7.5-mile four-vista day. No fee at NPS Catoctin.

Short sharp climb from the Manor Area in Cunningham Falls SP to a quartzite outcrop above the Hunting Creek valley. Connector trails link across Route 77 to Catoctin Mountain Park (Bob's Hill, etc.).

Patapsco Valley's marquee short hike — a steady climb alongside a stream to a small but photogenic waterfall. Park at the Hilton Area lot off South Street in Catonsville (the gated developed area on the south side of the river).

The Avalon/Orange Grove singletrack network — Patapsco's best public-land MTB. Loops from 5 to 15+ miles; the Avalon Super Loop is the named ride locals use. Built and maintained by MORE (Mid-Atlantic Off-Road Enthusiasts). The adjacent Rockburn Branch SP, on the Howard County side, has its own connecting MTB trails.

Upstream gorge of the Patapsco with ruins of the old Daniels mill town. Standard riverside loop to the dam ruins; longer ridgetop connectors add a powerline-cut climb if you want a 4–5 mile day. Quieter than the Avalon area; bike-legal on designated trails only (yield to anglers along the river).

Out-and-back along the Gunpowder South Trail from Masemore Road to Falls Road — the classic Hereford-area river run. Shaded, rolling, and heavily used by fly anglers (catch-and-return waters); yield on the trail.

Sweathouse Branch loop in the Sweet Air section of Gunpowder Falls SP — quiet rolling forest, stream crossings, multi-use. The Hereford section's calmer counterpart and one of Baltimore County's most accessible trail-running loops.

Section of the AT north from Washington Monument SP across the I-70 footbridge to Pine Knob Shelter. Classic rocky Maryland ridgewalk along South Mountain. Washington Monument SP charges a seasonal day-use fee; the AT pull-off on Monument Rd is free.

Out-and-back from Wolfsville Road to the Ensign Cowall Memorial Shelter. Rocky ridge with views off the west side during leaf-off. One of the quietest sections of the MD AT.

The orange-blazed Mountain Loop Trail — Sugarloaf's standard outer loop hitting East View, the summit, and West View overlooks. The longer Northern Peaks Trail (~5.5 mi, 1,100 ft) extends north to White Rocks. Free access; donations encouraged. Stronghold trust.

Short but steep climb from the small upper West View lot to the main summit overlook. When the upper one-way road is closed (winter, mud, events), this shortcut isn't available — start from East View instead.

Interpretive dune loop at Assateague — wild horses, shrub thicket, and cross-island breeze. Short and accessible. No pets allowed (NPS rule on all three Assateague nature trails).

Boardwalk loop across the bay-side salt marsh. Snowy egrets and glossy ibis in season. Flat and stroller-friendly. No pets allowed (NPS rule on all three Assateague nature trails).

Mile zero of the Great Allegheny Passage at Cumberland's Canal Place. Crushed-limestone rail-trail heading west toward Frostburg — gently graded uphill the whole way (the GAP climbs ~1,270 ft from Cumberland to Frostburg, capped at the railroad's 1.75% grade). The C&O Canal towpath ends here too — Cumberland is the GAP/C&O junction.

The final 11.5 miles of the C&O Canal towpath into Cumberland — Spring Gap (MP 173) to the western terminus at Canal Place (MP 184.5). Flat, shaded, riverside. Far quieter than the DC-end sections; you'll often have a mile of towpath to yourself.

Rocky Gap's real climb. Switchbacks up the south flank of Evitts Mountain — about 1,000 ft of gain in 2.5 miles — to the homesite of Evitt, the colonial recluse the mountain is named for. Wooded summit; quieter than the lake loops by a mile of vertical.

The DNR-named Lakeside Loop encircles 243-acre Lake Habeeb through hardwood forest with regular water views. Popular near the beach end; the trail crowd thins after the first half-mile.

The 4.5-mile red-blazed singletrack loop opened at Dans Mountain SP in 2023 — a natural-surface multi-use trail designed for both mountain bikers and hikers. The shorter Dye School Trail (~1 mi, white blazes) connects the fishing pond to the historic Dye School foundation if you want to tack on more miles.

The iconic VA scramble — a granite boulder field that tops out on a 3,291-ft summit with 360° views of the Blue Ridge. A $2 day-use ticket is required March 1–November 30 (cap of 800/day) on top of the park entrance pass; reserve at recreation.gov.

The tallest peak in Shenandoah (4,051 ft) reached by a short moderate loop. Rocky summit with a viewing platform and a long view of the Massanutten range.

Shenandoah's most-visited waterfall trail — a short steep descent to a 70-ft cascade. Strenuous on the return climb.

Down to the 86-ft Upper Falls, the headliner of six waterfalls on Whiteoak Run. Rocky and slick — ankle-twister terrain if you hurry. Reaching all six falls requires the full canyon descent (much longer, much more elevation).

Shenandoah's second-tallest peak (4,011 ft) via a short, family-friendly loop. Greenstone summit (ancient metamorphosed basalt) with panoramic Blue Ridge views. No dogs — Stony Man is on the NPS pet-prohibited list.

The quieter alternative to Maryland Heights — a loop combining the AT with blue-blazed spur trails. Views look south and east toward the Shenandoah and the town of Harpers Ferry rather than the dramatic confluence shot.

Rim trail along Mather Gorge with three overlooks of the Potomac cataracts. ~1.5 mi one-way from the visitor center to Sandy Landing / Difficult Run; rocky underfoot, not runnable at speed.

Stream trail descending from Georgetown Pike (Rt 193) down to the Potomac at Mather Gorge. Less crowded than the main Great Falls overlooks. The Difficult Run trailhead lot on Georgetown Pike is outside the Great Falls Park fee zone — free to access.

Loop through mature Piedmont forest to the ruins of the Cabin Branch Pyrite Mine — concrete foundations, an interpretive sign, and quiet woods. Good rainy-day pick when the river-trail crowds chase shelter.

Out-and-back to a small rock cascade on the North Fork Quantico Creek — modest, more riffle than waterfall. The longest and most remote-feeling trail in Prince William Forest.

The stream-side trail of Rock Creek — shaded, rooty, and runnable. Runs ~5.6 miles one-way from Boundary Bridge in the north down past Pierce Mill toward the National Zoo. Pair with Western Ridge Trail and connectors for an ~11 mile loop.

Ridge-top counterpart to the Valley Trail. Loop the two via connectors for an ~11 mile DC trail run.

Rolling Piedmont forest loop in the Possum Hill tract — one of White Clay Creek's named multi-use sub-areas, with designated MTB trails and shared hike/run loops.

Singletrack loop through hardwood ridge-and-stream terrain in the Carpenter Recreation Area of White Clay Creek SP. The Mason-Dixon Trail crosses the park as a longer through-hike option (extends north into PA).

Civil War battlefield ridge inside Harpers Ferry NHP — short mowed-grass and dirt loops through cannon-studded meadows with views toward the Shenandoah Valley. Quieter than the lower-town trails.