Maryland Road Trip January 2016

Maryland Road Trip January 2016

We were enjoying a mild winter, prior to the arrival of the Blizzard of 2016. One of the great things about living in the West Virginia Eastern Panhandle is that you are in close proximity to scenic areas of West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. We hit the road one weekend to explore Maryland to our north and east.  Feel free to check out the links to learn more about the places we visited.

National Aquarium

“Today, the National Aquarium, Baltimore, features a living collection of more than 20,000 fish, birds, amphibians, reptiles and marine mammals living in award-winning habitats. In summer 2013, the Aquarium opened Black tip Reef, a breathtaking exhibit replicating an Indo-Pacific reef and featuring more than 700 animals, including a school of black tip reef sharks.”

We really enjoyed our visit here!  There was plenty to see and do as we explored the multiple levels.  All of the staff were very knowledgeable and were great to talk to.  We spent several hours on this portion of our weekend adventure.  There are plenty of places to eat along the Inner Harbor of Baltimore.

http://aqua.org

“One of Inner Harbor’s most popular attractions, the National Aquarium features an incredible 20,000 animals in award-winning habitats. Explore a tropical rainforest, the animals of the Australian Outback, an Atlantic coral reef, hundreds of jellyfish, 4D immersion films and their newest exhibit the "Living Seashore". Special add-on tours give you a behind-the-scenes look at life in the aquarium. Care to toe a catwalk, just inches from swimming sharks? Or perhaps you’re dreaming of a sleepover with dolphins. You’ll need several hours to peruse this Baltimore aquarium, and you'll love every minute of it.”

http://baltimore.org/see-do/national-aquarium

Frederick County Covered Bridges

“The Roddy Road, Loy's Station, and Utica Mills bridges are three of only eight remaining covered bridges in the state of Maryland. At least 52 such structures once graced the landscape of the state, but storms, fires, progress, and neglect have claimed almost all of them. The three bridges provide a good comparative study of wood bridge truss techniques, as each displays a different truss design. Weather permitting, be sure to bring a picnic as each of the three bridge sites features an adjacent recreation area.”

http://www.visitfrederick.org/members/category/16

This area is very scenic and fairly easy to explore.  The three bridges are close to each other and not from from Frederick, MD.  We will be back at different times of the year to enjoy the different views each season has to offer.  I am guessing fall foliage will have an incredible affect on these covered bridges.

“Northern Frederick County is home to three historic covered bridges. All three bridges are listed on the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places. The Utica Mills, Loy’s Station, and Roddy Road covered bridges all cross streams in northern Frederick County, within twelve miles of one another. Besides their beauty, the bridges are also structurally interesting, as all three have different truss systems (which is what keeps a bridge standing).”

http://www.visitfrederick.org/historic-covered-bridges-driving-tour

Catoctin Mountain Park

“Catoctin Mountain Park offers a variety of outdoor recreation experiences for visitors of all ages and abilities, and a place for rejuvenation. Here is some basic information to get you started with your planning.

The park is a short drive from major population centers. Check here for directions from Washington DC, Baltimore, Hagerstown and Gettysburg

Start your visit at the visitor center where you can pick up a map of the park and get recommendations for hikes or other things to do.

Lodging and Picnic areas are available within the park, but reservations are required for overnight stays.

Recreational opportunities are many, including: hiking, fishing, cross country skiing, camping, and much more.

Special events can be found on our calendar of events.

Good planning requires attention to safety concerns. Be sure to plan for the weather and be aware of plants, animals and hazardous conditions that may present a danger.

Many areas in the park are accessible by wheelchair, including: the Visitor Center, Spicebush Trail, Chestnut Picnic Area, the Sawmill exhibit, Camp Greentop and Camp Round Meadow.

Several other national parks and attractions are nearby.”

http://www.nps.gov/cato/planyourvisit/hiking.htm

This area, operated by the National Park system, is in a very beautiful area.  Camp David, the Presidential Retreat, is also located here.  There are state parks nearby and a ton of hiking trails.  We started at the visitor center and then made our way to the Blue Blazes Trail.  It leads to a historic area where folks made moonshine whiskey years ago.  There are interpretive signs along the way to tell you about the area. This is another area we will return to in the future.

“Catoctin Mountain Park, located in north-central Maryland, is part of the forested Catoctin Mountain ridge that forms the eastern rampart of the Appalachian Mountains. Approximately 8 square miles (21 km2) in area, the park features sparkling streams and panoramic vistas of the Monocacy Valley.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catoctin_Mountain_Park

Cunningham Falls State Park

“Cunningham Falls State Park is located in the picturesque Catoctin Mountains. It is divided into two separate but unique areas. The William Houck Area located three miles west of Thurmont on Route 77 has the lake area, falls and camping area. The Manor Area off Route 15 three miles south of Thurmont has the Scales and Tales Aviary, camping and the historic Catoctin Iron Furnace.

Outdoor activity is everywhere at Cunningham Falls State Park. Leisure opportunities like swimming, hiking, fishing and canoeing are available. For those who wish to get away for either a night or longer there are campsites and camper cabins available for rental from April through October.”

http://dnr2.maryland.gov/publiclands/Pages/western/cunningham.aspx

We made the scenic hike to the falls as well as checked out the lake area.  Another visually pleasing area that I am betting sees lots of visitors during peak season. Looking forward to visiting again in the future.

Thanks for faithfully reading along to the end.  Hope you learned something new along the way and enjoyed the photos and our fun scenic adventure.  Please feel free to comment and share.

To see a list of all my blog entries, please go to this link:

http://tcbphoto.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html