50 Hikes in Maryland: Walks, Hikes, and Backpacks from the Allegheny Plateau to the Atlantic Ocean (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

A new hiking guide to the many superb trails and recreation areas, accessible to hikers throughout the Washington, DC area. Maryland is one of the most densely populated states in the Union, yet miles of hiking trails weave throughout its natural areas. Assateague Island contains a 26-mile trail along the Atlantic shoreline with backcountry campsites. The C&O Canal Trail stretches 184 miles from Washington, D.C. to Cumberland, Maryland, and 40 miles of the Appalachian Trail pass through the state. The 29-mile Catoctin Trail links three state parks, while Catoctin Mountain National Park alone has 50 miles of hiking trails. And an abundance of state and regional parks and forests offer additional pathways, making it possible to be less than a 30-minute drive from a hike no matter where you are in the state. Hikes are concentrated around one of the most densely populated regions of the US, and range from a 1.2-mile ramble in Swallow Falls State Park to a 4-day backpacking trip across Maryland's width. An overview chart at the beginning of the book provides information on the 50 hikes at a glance. Each hike description includes directions to the trailhead, a detailed account of the route, a map, and entertaining asides on natural and historical points of interest. 50 black and white photographs, 51 maps.

About the Author

Freelance writer and lecturer Leonard Adkins has walked the length of the Appalachian Trail four times. He is the author of numerous books on hiking and the outdoors, including The Appalachian Trail: A Visitor's Companion and Walking the Blue Ridge: A Guide to the Trails of the Blue Ridge Parkway, and has received the National Outdoor Book Award and the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Award. He lives in Catawba, Virginia.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Backcountry Guides (December 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0881504467
• ISBN-13: 978-0881504460
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #785,697 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #91 in

  Books > Travel > United States > States > Maryland

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars good guide, June 12, 2003

By A Customer

Although I live in Charleston WV, I find myself going to hike in Maryland a lot, and this book is the best of the guides I've found. You can tell by the descriptions that the author has actually hiked all of the places he sends you to (the book cover says he uses a surveyor's measure wheel to get accurate distances). When I'm alone, I look for some of the more rugged hikes he describes; when with family we look for some of the easy 1-2 hour trips.
What I really like is the book provides a lot of background information on the area you will be hiking in--history, plants, animals, and not just telling where they are but lots of tidbits about plant and animal life.
Get this book and you will find some great places to enjoy the outdoors and the reasons as to why you are enjoying it so much.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great resource, June 3, 2003

By	wanda zalla (wv) - See all my reviews

I live in neighboring wv and am happy to finally see a good guide to MD. I travel there often and was becoming frustrated about not being able to find good hiking information. This book is it--better than any other I've used and full of wonderful background information on the places it directs you to. Hikes range from easy jaunts suitable for families with children to some good overnighters.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The only hiking guide dedicated to Maryland, October 28, 2002

By A Customer

What a great book. I've lived next door to Maryland all of my life and never realized all of the wonderful outdoor opportunities it has. This book brought me to many different places, from beach walks to mountain treks, from isolated locales to hidden spots near Baltimore and DC. What I really liked, though, is that it is much more than a "here's a hike and here's how to get to it" book. The author provides dozens of bits of inofrmation on the human and natural history of the areas you hike through--and does it in an entertaining and enjoyable style of writing. Thanks to him, I now have a complete year's worth of hikes to look forward to.