Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Location
Washington County
Endpoints
Big Pool (Fort Frederick State Park) to Pearre (Old Pearre Rail Station)
Mileage
22
Roughness Index
1
Surface
Asphalt
Plan a full day (or two) for your visit to the Western Maryland Rail Trail, a 22-mile
paved route that will take you through several eras of American history.
You can access this trail from many points, but the main trailhead is in the quaint
town of Hancock (population 1750). Stop here for food, drinks, antique shopping, to
stay the night, or just to wander around the historical downtown, which once served
as the frontier of Maryland and frequently was visited by George Washington, among
other notables.
From the trailhead in Hancock, you can head east or west along the trail, about
10 miles in either direction. Whichever direction you choose, expect to pass fields
and wooded groves. You will also parallel the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and
its 185-mile unpaved towpath, which was used to transport coal from Cumberland,
Maryland, to the port of Georgetown in Washington, DC, from 1828 until 1924. The
route's historical sites include the canal's locks and lock houses.
