Hiking in Eastern Maryland

My daughter went to Annapolis, Maryland last month. At first she tried to reserve a spot in a camp ground, but they were all booked in her target area, so she instead rented an Airbnb. She was traveling with her dog, so the accommodations had to be pet friendly. It was very friendly.

Here is a picture of the dog looking out of the front window. There were lots of dogs around so he had a grand time.
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I believe this is a video of the place she stayed in. She said it was very convenient, and comfortable, but she did notice evidence that other animals had stayed there. It had a generous backyard and was only blocks from Barracuda Beach, which seems to be a marina. That probably explains why the quality of the water was not very good.

Annapolis is boaters' heaven. It is a natural harbor that played a significant role in the history of the U.S., but in time was overshadowed by an even more magnificent harbor at Baltimore. Over the years, major shipping and commerce was directed toward Baltimore Harbor and Annapolis was left to develop as it is, a beautiful place where people live and visit, attracted by the surrounding waters.

It is alsot the home of the U.S. Naval Academy, but that is not the focus of this blog.

My daughter loves the beach, but she also loves to hike. She found a hiker's paradise nearby, but it seemed to be crowded. She asked the park ranger about an alternate path and he directed her to one he described as a 'goat trail', because it was not groomed. She likes a challenge so she took that trail.

Her only concern was bears.

"Are there bears?" she asked.

"It's the forest," he answered.

Concerned, she persisted.

"Bears are in the park?"

"Well," he answered, having fun at expense, "I haven't seen one today."

She decided she keep her eyes open for a bear.

Here is a sign to one of the trails. I don't know if this was the 'goat trail' she took.

Here's a picture of how her hike began. The trail looks easy enough, but wait... You will see it gets much tougher.

The trail ran through Patapsco Valley State Park. The Maryland Office of Tourism explains that the park follows along 32 miles of the Patapsco River and spreads across 16,000 acres. The river eventually empties into Chesapeake Bay.

Here's a map of the park, with the trails indicated.

The trail my daughter chose did look rough to me, and she was attempting it after a serious storm, so there were tree branches and other debris along the way. You can see a small downed tree in her path here.

You also can see a lot of debris behind the dog in this picture. I'm not sure what the carvings on the pole next to him represent. Maybe distance markers or flood levels.

There were several signs in the park that warned hikers about flooding. The Patapsco River has a serious flood history. I don't think my daughter knew this as she hiked. The river also has claimed victims in shallow water because of its undertow and powerful currents.

Here is another sign, with a map indicating where hikers could safely exit. There have been numerous drownings in the park over the years. Many of the drownings were related to dams that have been built along the river. There are strict no swimming signs posted, which of course people ignore. However, one near drowning incident occurred in 2018 when two girls were walking along in shallow water. They fell down and were sucked into a pipe. Fortunately both girls survived.

There is a suspension swing foot bridge that hangs over the river. It was built in 2006 for pedestrian traffic. This bridge is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the park.

Here is another bridge, maybe for bicycles, maybe for pedestrian traffic. Beautiful stream below, with rocks along the side.

Look at the rocks and debris here. It looks like a dry stream bed to me.

In the next picture I think you get the idea of why the park ranger called the trail my daughter traveled a goat trail. Not only was it rough to traverse, but it also climbed steeply. Notice the left side of the trail here. I would not be happy walking on that trail.

Here is another shot of the trail, with the dog eager to go--as was my daughter.

Here it looks like she had to cross a stream bed.

This is a lovely stone overpass, with water running below.

There are beautiful rock formations in the park. And waterfalls. Here is a small one.

Here is a woman with her child (I presume it's her child) enjoying the waterfall and the pool below. I wonder if this is an approved bathing area?

Here you have a broad view of what may be the river, although it may be a broad creek that feeds into the river. It's lovely, until you hear the human screeching at the end of the clip.

Here you see my daughter's dog splashing around in the water. I don't think he'd ever been in such a place. He's a beach dog. He goes to the shore and splashes around there. Here he seems to be having a great time. My daughter tried to stop him from drinking the water, but wasn't successful.

The scenery in the park had so much to offer. She sent me a shot of what appears to be a muddy pond, tucked away in a quiet corner. This is a scene that could have been taken straight from my childhood.

As my daughter was leaving the trail she saw a group of hikers heading up in the direction she had just left. These hikers carried serious equipment, as she did not. She said she noticed everyone in the group was a 'senior citizen'. They look spry enough to me.

When I first started to write this blog I had so much to say about Annapolis. It is an amazing place, full of history and beautiful scenery. The park and the hike, however, grabbed my attention. I'll have to save those other bits for another blog. The whole area around there is not only a seaport, but it is also a place that was for a short time the capital of the United States. It played a significant role in the founding of the country. My daughter sent me some wonderful shots and I'm eager to share what I learned about the places featured in those shots.

I'll end this blog with a parting shot of a very happy dog.