A former ore pit quarry, now covered by vegetation. Oregon Ridge Park is a 1,043-acre park in Cockeysville, Maryland. The park features walking and hiking trails, nature center, picnic and recreation areas. The Loggers Trail is a 2-mile loop trail around the park that takes you past some of the It’s an easy hike, although […]
nature-focused
Incredible Scenery While Biking in Cape Henlopen State Park
I wished the Gordons Pond Trail would never end. The scenery — marshes on one side, and sand dunes and the ocean, and then Gordons Pond and the ocean on the other — was refreshing and beautiful. Although a crowded trail, everyone we encountered was friendly and just plain happy to be there. The Gordons […]
Turkey Point Lighthouse Hike at Elk Neck State Park
Cliff-side views of the Chesapeake Bay, lighthouses, and a walk through the woods, the hike to Turkey Point Lighthouse has it all. As have several other state parks in Maryland, Elk Neck State Park was the result of the generosity of a major landholder. In 1936, naturalist Dr. William Abbott bequeathed his holdings along the […]
Government Island and the Capitol Quarries
Famous for the quarry from which the stones used to build the U.S. Government’s most famous buildings were sourced, Government Island is now a county park with a lovely, history-filled under 2-mile hike that you really shouldn’t miss. Although its referred to as Government Island, the park is really a peninsula. I love a great […]
Snowy Hike to a Maryland Ghosttown
On Friday, a lovely, powdery snow fell, and I knew I wanted to go on one particular hike the next morning: to see the ruins of St Stanislaus Roman Catholic Church in the snow. To get there, we’d have to follow the Alberton Road Trail in Patapsco Valley State Park into the ghosttown of Daniels. […]
Winter Hike in Catoctin Mountain National Park
Catoctin Mountain Park, located in north-central Maryland, is part of the forested Catoctin Mountain ridge−range that forms the northeastern rampart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, in the Appalachian Mountains System. Despite the federal government shutdown, the sunny, 50-degree day was too nice — especially in January — not to go hiking. This national park has […]
Picnicking on Bickle Knob
We stumbled across Bear Heaven Recreation Area on one of our ramblings in West Virginia. We had gotten into the habit of just driving down a forest service road, or turning down a random rural road just to see where it would take us. Somehow, we ended up northeast of Elkins on a dirt road […]
10 Great October Daytrip Destinations in the MidAtlantic
With summer 2018 firmly behind us, our thoughts start turning to autumn’s glorious colors, scenic drives, the harvest bounty, and spooky destinations. Read on for a little of each, selected from MidAtlanticDayTrips’ jaunts throughout Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia! Start planning now! October is a great time to enjoy the changing foliage and check out […]
Cathedral State Park: Majesty of the Trees
The trails in Cathedral State Park are easy going and pleasant, perfect for little kids as well as my elderly parents. Cathedral State Park is an ancient hemlock forest of majestic proportions, and one of the last living commemorations of the vast virgin hemlock forest which once flourished in the Appalachian highlands. Trees up to […]
Another Wonderful Maryland Lake to Kayak!
Little Seneca Lake, anchoring Black Hill Regional Park, is a reservoir located in Montgomery County, MD. Don’t be fooled by the name — this more than 500-acre lake, which was man-made and completed in 1984, runs about 7 miles long and curls into numerous inlets and coves. Three creeks — Little Seneca, Cabin Branch and […]
Exploring Seneca Creek State Park by Kayak
The lake beckoned to us when we drove around the park for Winter Lights. Even as we were admiring the animated reindeer jumping across the road, we were thinking, “gotta come back during kayaking season.” The lake is Clopper Lake, at the Seneca Creek State Park. This state park — all 6300 acres of it […]
Elk Life Day Trip
Elk Country says it all. Elk Country, straddling Clearfield and Elk counties, is home to the largest elk herd in the northeastern United States. And that’s where you go to catch a glimpse of these incredible beauties! Elk Country is by definition in the middle of nowhere. The best place to start this daytrip is […]
Paddling at Piney Run Park
If you’re looking for a relaxed paddle within easy reach of Baltimore, Piney Run is probably the place for you! We spent an enjoyable couple hours exploring Piney Run, which is located in Carroll County, MD, recently. There’s a kayak launch — always appreciated — that makes getting into and out of the lake easy […]
Killens Pond State Park
Killens Pond State Park, established in 1965, was the first state park in Kent County. In addition to its central location, the park’s attractions such as year-round camping, the Killens Pond Water Park, disc golf course and ball fields make Killens Pond a popular travel destination. The centerpiece of the park is the 66-acre millpond, […]
Kayaking the West Susqehanna River
Once the weather gets warm, it’s time to start kayaking again! For the first trip of the season, we were introduced to an 11-mile segment of the West Branch Susquehanna River, which spanns some 243 miles, almost entirely within Pennsylvania. Almost half — 102 miles — are within just one county: Clearfield County, in central […]