Hiking is one of my favorite hobbies, and I take day trips whenever I can. Here I have included a couple of photos to show how nice some of these places are.
I went to Michaux State Park with the Terrapin Trail Club (of the University of Maryland) in October, 1996 for a two night camping trip. This is a very nice forest and mountain park in southern Pennsylvania (not too far from the Maryland border, due west of Gettysburg). This first photo was taken from about 1000 feet (give or take), at the top of the Appalachian Trail.
This photo was taken in the valley (the lower area of the park, not on top of any of the mountains), near a picnic area, just as the sun was setting.
This place is absolutely wonderful! This park begins on the northern end near Front Royal, Virginia, and ends near Charlottesville. Skyline Drive takes you through the Blue Ridge Mountains, and runs for 105 miles. This makes for a WONDERFUL scenic drive. There are hundreds of hikes to be found at various points along Skyline Drive. It is also a welcome change of scene from Washington, DC.
This is Hawksbill Mountain, the highest mountain in Shenandoah National Park. This is a photo of some friends of mine who I took there in October 1996. The elevation here is about 4025 feet (approximately 1335 meters). Although it may be difficult to see here, this picture was taken with the sun lower in the sky. October is the best time of year in Shenandoah, as the weather is cool and the leaves have turned color.
Stony Man mountain is the second highest mountain in Shenandoah, at about 4010 feet (about 1336 meters). It has two viewpoints with rock formations, one at the very top, and one slightly lower.
This is a flat meadow area which lies on top of the Blue Ridge, just off of Skyline Drive. Like the other photos, this one was also taken in October, when the meadow plants and flowers were red. This adds a very interesting dimension to the landscape. It is also very interesting because when you look at the meadow from further away, it looks nearby, accessible, and relatively small. However, when you actually walk through it, human beings simply fade into the landscape, and the desolation that surrounds you is somehow comforting!
Masanutten Mountain lies on the western side of the Shenandoah Valley, opposite the Blue Ridge, on which Shenandoah National Park is found. In the photo below, you can see the Shenandoah Valley, with the Shenandoah River snaking along, and the Blue Ridge and Shenandoah National Park behind it. This photo was taken from Masanutten Mountain, near Luray, Virginia.
While hiking on the trails on Masanutten Mountain, some interesting views can be found in the winter. Here, the harsh light of the mid-afternoon is hitting straight-on, turning the surrounding hills into a bluish abstraction. The sunlight also falls upon the forest path.
This is a similar photo, except that the light and the perspective trick you into thinking you are looking at a volcano with a crater.
At the end of this hike, there is a platform which provides a nice view. Here, you can see Shenandoah National Park again. If you look very carefully, you can see that one of the mountains at the top is snow-capped.
Here I am on Chimney Rock, one of several rock formations on Catoctin Mountain. Catoctin Mountain Park is in the northernmost part of central Maryland, and there is a lot to see there. There are four rock formations, and there is even a waterfall in neighboring Cunningham Falls State Park. There is also a lake nearby. Camp David, the presidential mountain retreat, is also near here.
Climbing around Chimney Rock proves to be a lot of fun. Here I am climbing around with my friend Tanja Vocke from Germany, who studied here from Fall 1996 to Spring 1997.
Fall is the best time to go hiking in Catoctin Park, or for that matter, anywhere!
Wolf Rock is another interesting rock formation in this park, not far from Chimney Rock.
Annapolis Rocks is a beautiful rock formation found on the Appalachian Trail near Myersville, Maryland. The Appalachian Trail itself runs from Katahdin Mountain in Maine to Springer Mountain in Georgia. This first picture shows the rocks and view of the area in the evening, near sunset.
Here is Annapolis Rocks from below -- this gives you a better sense of how high they are!
Here is the view of the valley from Annapolis Rocks, taken as the sun was setting.
Here are some trees on top of the rock formation, backlit by the sunset.
The parting shot from Annapolis Rocks -- sunset on the rocks, including the lake and sky behind the cliffs.
This is a nice little spot right on the Potomac River, right on the border between Maryland and Virginia. Weverton Cliffs has a view of the river and the mountains on the other side. This photo was taken from the Maryland side, and Virginia is on the other side of the river.
Western Maryland is very rural and has a lot of space. Although it is beautiful, it is not yet very crowed or touristy except in the area right around Deep Creek Lake in Garrett County. Even in that area, you can still go to the nature parks there and feel that you have the entire place to yourself.
This park is tucked into the southwestern corner of the Western Maryland Panhandle. It has a virgin forest, and the Youghiheny River, which carved a canyon out of the surrounding rock. In this park, in addition to the forest, river, and canyon, there are two waterfalls, Muddy Creek Falls (the highest in Maryland), and Swallow Falls.
Green Ridge State Park is a forested mountain area in between Hancock, Maryland and Cumberland, Maryland. The trails here go on for many miles.
Rocky Gap State Park is a state park with an artificial lake and a golf course, as well as the usual hiking trails. You can rent a boat and go on the lake.
Assateague Island is on the eastern coast of the state of Maryland and the State of Virginia. Opposite Assateague Island is Chincoteague Island, which belongs to Virginia. Assateague Island is interesting for its nature, and for its beaches. The beaches here are nice and uncrowded, although they are very close to the very popular beach resorts of Ocean City nearby. Assateague Island also has a special type of wild pony, which is unique to the island.
