Canaan Valley draws us frequently. We’ve been going up there as a family for almost a decade. It is, frankly, one of my favorite places, and I usually find a weekend or two every year to go back and visit, maybe go on a hike or two, or three. I almost always take time to […]
hiking
Beach Combing at Calvert Cliffs State Park
It can be really fun to go fossil hunting — at least, it sounds fun to a 12 year old. It sounded fun to me too. That’s why an early summer Saturday found us on our way to Calvert Cliffs State Park. Calvert Cliffs State Park is unique among hiking opportunities in the region for its […]
Patapsco Valley State Park and a Rant: Part 1
The park is a perfect place to tire out kids and beagles. The benefit to living near a state park like Patapsco Valley State Park is being able to grab a beagle or two and go for a walk in the woods whenever it’s convenient. I am very grateful to have, by chance, bought a home […]
Winter Walks
A warmer than usual day beckoned the beagles and I outside this past weekend. There are those who preach the outdoor winter gospel, but I am an admitted fair-weather wimp. However, I’ve been reading up on the benefits of winter walking, and I learned that outdoor walking in cold air benefits your bones, mood and waistline. […]
C&O Canal at Great Falls
Certainly when the canal was first envisioned, the planners, engineers and builders never imagined that 180 years after its creation, it would serve as a popular recreational attraction. In the 19th and early 20th century the C&O Canal provided jobs and opportunities for people throughout the Potomac River Valley, from the tidal basin in Washington […]
Tail Lights Fun Way to Experience Symphony of Lights!
The moment I heard about Tail Lights, a dog-friendly stroll through the Symphony of Lights at Merriweather Post Pavilion’s Symphony Woods, sponsored by Howard County General Hospital, I was determined to participate. I rallied my reluctant (and definitely warm weather) husband and another friend (after all, I had three dogs to walk) and pre-registered. As […]
Visiting the Ponies at Assateague Island
Visiting Assateague Island isn’t just a summer day (or weekend) trip — the island offers a lot of interest for all seasons. When the ocean-dipping crowds depart, the island really comes alive for me. Cooler weather means pleasant walks along the island trails, and of course, no bugs! Map courtesy of AssateagueIsland.com Assateague Island is […]
Sugarloaf Mountain Sort of Day!
Recently, two friends and I headed over to Sugarloaf Mountain, to check out the park itself, visit the winery at its base, and then eat at a local restaurant. There were some surprises and yes, a disappointment. But more on that later. Late fall is a fine time to check out the place that was […]
Stunning Views at the C&O Canal, Locks 33 and 34
This is sort of part two of last week’s Harpers Ferry blog–this is the stretch of the C&O Canal we were trying to reach via the railroad bridge when our beagle categorically refused to go down the stairs. (There is no joy in having to carry a 40lb beagle down and back up several flights […]
Leaf Peeping in Dolly Sods Wilderness
Sometimes the beauty of Dolly Sods Wilderness Area is subtle, sometimes breathtaking. Dolly Sods also serves as an abject lesson for us: it was the scene of one of the worst ecological disasters in the 20th century. Despite that, Dolly Sods has rebounded over the past century and now is truly one of the most […]
Catoctin Mountain Reverie
The plan: bring the boys to one of my favorite spots, Cunningham Falls, in Cunningham Falls State Park, not far from Thurmont, MD. Climb the falls, like I did when I was a kid, tell them the ghost story told to me when I was in 6th grade (for which I can find absolutely no […]
Finding the Stories: Rock Run Historic Area
Visiting an historic home, or old factory, or those fast disappearing grist mills, is a walk among the ghosts of the former inhabitants. I love exploring these places, peering into corners for the stories of the people who lived and worked there, and Rock Run Historic Area, tucked away in the Susquehanna State Park, in […]
Falling for Water Falls: Ohiopyle State Park (PA)
The waters of the Youghiogheny River are the center of the Ohiopyle State Park, in the Laurel Highlands area of Pennsylvania. The Ohiopyle Falls are gorgeous, and I knew from a previous visit that I wanted my sons to see Cucumber Falls, which feed into the Yough itself. I decided to drag the kids and […]